Summary
American Classic finally coheres in “Big Spender”, making its points in a much more effective way while remaining consistently funny.
Hey, I liked this one! American Classic is always going to feel like something of an acquired taste given its esoteric essential nature, but Episode 4 does a really good job of distilling the theatricality down into relatable human terms. It certainly helps that the focus shifts somewhat to Laura Linney’s Kristen instead of languishing on Richard, which has the doubly positive effect of making her more contoured as a character and him much less all-consuming. The whole thing’s a lot more tolerable as a result.
The show’s overwhelmingly abiding love for theatre is also put to better, smarter use as a sliver of a bigger argument between traditionalism and gaudy excess; between artistic endeavour and pocket-lining, soulless “content”. This conflict is best – or at least most uncomplicatedly – expressed in the passive-aggressive rivalry between Richard and greedy developer Connor Boyle, but it’s present all over the place if you’re looking for it.
After the previous episode revealed Connor’s grand scheme – not to mention his financial grip over the Millersburg Festival Theatre – “Big Spender” is about opposing it, or at the very least displaying, in ways both obvious and not, why it’s a terrible idea. As mayor and the person responsible for keeping the MFT financially alive, Kristen finds herself stuck in the middle, trying to non-confrontationally endorse Connor’s plans for a multifaceted resort and casino, even while Miranda actively protests it. Of course, this idea manifests largely as a Broadway riff that gives Linney her time in the spotlight with a performance of the titular “Big Spender”, but it’s kind of difficult to argue with a Tony Award nominee.
Kristen’s idea of hosting a “casino night” at the MFT is like a soft launch for Connor’s project, in essence, but the production design – which does a very good job, to be fair, playing up the garish extravagance but keeping the feeling of a small-town, budget experience punching above its weight — makes the point that the whole thing’s ridiculous. The subtler point is about the artistic authenticity at its core, which is where Kristen’s performance factors in.
Technically, Richard cruelly tricks Kristen into a solo that he pretended would be a duet, but his intentions were pure enough. Kristen might be the mayor now, but she was once, like Richard and her husband, a talented performer. Once she gets into the “Big Spender” performance, that becomes clear, and it’s a reiteration of how much this form of expression means to the people of Millersburg. It’s in their blood, a part of their history; it’s something deeply earnest and honest even in a sea of silly, soulless distractions. It’s a much better articulation of the show’s underlying themes than Richard singing in the bank was.
The other side of American Classic Episode 4 finds Richard and Jon auditioning the people of Millersburg for parts in Our Town, since Kristen has repeatedly reiterated that Richard’s lofty ideas for an extremely flamboyant take on the material aren’t financially viable (or so we think – more on this in a minute). This is mostly used as an excuse for a parade of very silly auditions, but it’s also a way to sneak in further clarifications of the theme. The recurring idea is that people get the parts by being themselves, not by trying to “perform” their characters. It’s a statement on the streak of authenticity at the core of Our Town and all good theatre. I particularly enjoyed the naturalistic way Richard recruits the undertaker, and a nice bit where he tricks the town’s doctor, the son of another very stern and angry doctor, into playing the part of Dr. Gibbs as himself.
Not everyone is necessarily suited to acting, of course. Nadia – not at all coincidentally an out-of-towner, like Connor – is deeply terrible, but it’s also vital she gets a part since her involvement is crucial to Connor allowing the mortgage payment holiday on the MFT to continue. There are some artistic lines that Richard isn’t willing to cross, though. At least, he thinks not. But when Connor offers him basically a blank cheque to ensure that Nadia is given a part, Richard writes down a number. We don’t see it, but Connor clarifies it’s a big one. He’s willing to pay it, since a happy wife means a happy life, but it’s going to remain their little secret until it’s inevitably exposed down the line. Either way, I think Richard probably has enough funding now to put on the version of Our Town he initially wanted to. But where he’s going to pretend the money is coming from is anyone’s guess.
