‘High Fidelity’: Top 5 Reasons I Was Wrong About Not Wanting The Series Adaptation

When the series adaptation of High Fidelity was first announced in April 2018, I was not pleased. The 1995 Nick Hornby book and 2000 film played integral parts in my coming of age, and reboots can often let you down. After all, if it ain’t broke…

However, upon seeing the trailer for the Hulu series, my internal doom and gloom subsided, and I committed to giving the series a chance. Boy, am I glad I did. Apropos to the world Hornby created, here are my top five (spoiler-free) reasons why I was completely wrong about not wanting this adaptation of High Fidelity.

• 5. The series earns its TV-MA rating.

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  When news of the ‘High Fidelity’ series broke via Deadline, the series was originally attached to Disney+ with an aim of being targeted to teens and more “family friendly.” Fortunately, the series ended up at Hulu with a TV-MA rating which is definitely more in line with the general theme of the movie.

• 4. The Bruce Springsteen-style cameo was perfection.

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  For those that fondly remember the film adaptation, The Boss made a memorable cameo in ‘High Fidelity’ where he talked to Rob (John Cusak) about revisiting his top five all-time breakups. In the Hulu series, another iconic artist gives Rob (Zoe Kravitz) a pep talk, and it’s just as memorable and, depending on your tastes, maybe even cooler.

• 3. The series fleshes out Rob’s colleagues at Championship Vinyl

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  As delightful as Dick (Todd Louise) and Barry (Jack Black) were in the 2000 film, their 2020 series counterparts Simon (David H. Holmes) and Cherise (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) get more screen time both literally and when it comes to their characters. It’s a welcome break from when Rob is being self-destructive, but if you’re familiar with either the book or the film, that behavior is pretty much expected.
• 2. The series trades snobbery for smarts.

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  In the series, the crew at Championship Vinyl definitely know their music history and aren’t afraid to show it, but they never come off as “music snobs” like in the book or the movie. (There is a moment involving selling a copy of Michael Jackson’s ‘Off The Wall,’ but it’s nowhere near as absurd as the infamous Stevie Wonder “I Just Called to Say I Love You” moment.) While those snob moments are certainly memorable, it’s nice the series found a balance between being intelligent and pompous.

• 1. The series proves ‘High Fidelity’ is a universal story, not just one for men.

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  The 1995 book and 2000 film are very much pieces aimed at men, and that’s not a stretch considering the protagonist is a man and his two best friends are men. With the series reboot, the gender roles are reversed, which, like gender reversals in the past, plenty of people (i.e.: Men, including John Cusak) had a problem with it. But Kravitz’s Rob, whose top five breakups include women, plays the character and their flaws brilliantly. Hornby even defended the gender reversal in a piece for ‘Rolling Stone.’ “I couldn’t be more proud of the show,” wrote Hornby. “And if I catch anyone saying it’s self-consciously ‘woke,’ what with its gender reversals and its inclusion of more than one race/sexuality, I will come ’round to your house and put you back to sleep. Because, guess what: ‘High Fidelity’ isn’t just about you. It’s about people who aren’t like you, too.” In other words: Being kind of crappy at romance while being super passionate and knowledgeable about music isn’t just reserved for cis-gendered men. And if you have a problem with that, you can exit through the record shop.