These days, true-crime series are a dime a dozen. But, in its first two episodes, Hulu’s Welcome To Chippendales is already proving it’s got a lot more on its mind than shock and murder. (Though, sure, there’s already plenty of that, too.)
And it doesn’t hurt that the series takes its time to luxuriate in the titillating appeal of its titular all-male burlesque troupe. Let’s get into it…
From Pam & Tommy creator Robert Siegel, Chippendales tells the meteoric rise and fall of Somen “Steve” Banerjee (The Big Sick‘s Kumail Nanjiani), the Indian immigrant and entrepreneur who founded the dance revue that forever changed the public perception of stripping.
Throughout its dual premiere episodes, Chippendales deftly lays the foundation for the early days of its empire, which it turns out was splattered in blood from the jump. Driven by the promise of the American Dream, the enterprising Banerjee buys a failing Los Angeles club and enlists the help of promoter Paul Snider (The Guest‘s Dan Stevens) and his Playboy playmate girlfriend, Dorothy (Nicola Peltz Beckham).
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Related: A Chippendales Dancer Reveals He’s—Gasp—Gay!
It’s after the couple takes Banerjee to a night out at the gay bars in West Hollywood that the shrewd businessman has the initial idea for Chippendales (ironic because the club has a history of homophobia): A strip club for women. Paul dismisses it outright, but Dorothy admits she loves looking at naked men—which was apparently a pretty radical thing to say out loud at the time. “The male body is beautiful,” she adds.
That line becomes something of a mantra for the show, as Welcome To Chippendales doesn’t hold back from putting pecs and biceps and butts and bulges on display again and again and again. The club is an instant hit, and it’s not hard to see why, as ladies throw their money—and bodies—at these hot, oiled up men, shamelessly shaking their bodies for all to see.
Things get even more interesting with the arrival of Murray Bartlett, who plays choreographer Nick De Noia. Banerjee initially turns him away—male guests aren’t allowed at the club—but his eyes light up when he realizes De Noia may be able to help him out.
By the time the second episode rolls around, De Noia is Banerjee’s official business partner and choreographer for the dancers. It’s a gag watching the handsome Bartlett lead the troupe in their sexy stripper routines, but no scene can top the one where De Noia bops around his apartment late at night—wearing nothing but short shorts—to the tune of a flamenco guitar.
Related: Murray Bartlett is “surprised” his breakout role came at age 50
There’s also the fact that De Noia is a closeted gay man with a penchant for bathroom hook-ups. If you know anything about the real-life story behind the series, you’ll know that dark things lay ahead for De Noia, and it’ll be fascinating to see how Welcome To Chippendales explores the choreographer’s sexuality, and whether or not it will play into his rocky partnership with Banerjee.
If that’s not enough to get you excited about Welcome To Chippendales, perhaps running down the rest of its killer cast will do the trick? There’s theater legend Annaleigh Ashford, icon Juliette Lewis, plus Queerty favorites Andrew Rannells and Robin de Jesús. Though the latter two don’t show up in these first couple episodes, we’re already eager to see how they’ll shake the plot up moving forward.
Related: Robin de Jesús on ‘Camp’ memories, Chippendales dancers, and the movie kiss that changed his life
And, lastly, there’s rising actor Quentin Plair as ambitious Chippendale dancer Otis. We weren’t super familiar with Plair’s work before, but we sure are now….
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Welcome To Chippendales‘ first two episodes are now streaming on Hulu, with new episodes dropping each Tuesday through the end of the year.
bachy
The fact that Welcome to Chippendale’s is from Robert Siegel sold me from the go. His Pam & Tommy was an outrageously entertaining hoot & a half!
Siegel’s style is a modern, tabloid-y recapitulation of potboilers like Valley of the Dolls.