Review: The Rehearsal, "Star Potential" | Season 2, Episode 2
"Would you be willing to rate your judge?"
It didn’t take long for The Rehearsal to not only pass through the looking glass but maybe shatter it in the process. “Star Potential,” begins innocently enough, building upon last week’s premiere. Not content to have the season stay at cruising altitude, “Potential” begins to ascend toward Fielder’s intentions with the series: a vehicle for the audience to gain more insights into the man—or character?—at the show’s center.
That line between person and persona is even blurrier than normal in “Star Potential.” It’s perhaps reductive to say the show’s first season was all about Nathan’s desire to see what it would be like to be a parent, but it’s an effective summary nonetheless. Outside of the broader strokes about interpersonal communication and avoidance of conflict, Season 2 is still settling into its larger thesis, with “Potential” positing the positioning sincerity as a crucial building block.
What I didn’t anticipate is how “Potential” shifts into a hilarious insight into Fielder’s previous professional efforts. I’ll admit, I’ve not done a lot of research into Fielder’s past, mostly out of a desire to try and keep up the level of mystique and intrigue he’s cultivating for the show. If we’re going back to the magic metaphor from last week, I’d rather not learn too much as to have the illusion spoiled for me and any capacity. As the episode introduced elements of his career in show business—albeit in Canada—I was concerned that an increasing amount of “lore” might shatter the entire endeavour.1
Oh, buddy, was I wrong.
