I have now watched the fifth and sixth episodes of Vice's documentary series Dark Side Of The 90s first season. Needless to say, and some of it is a bit repetitive in the same vein as to what I had to critique in regards to the second episode. Ultimately however I've come to realize that it's a sensationalistic conveying of information and general lore about the presented topics; and despite the claim of being 'dark', are rather glamorised in a voyeuristic manner— and more on that subject contextually with episode 6.
Episode 5. Grunge and the Seattle Sound
Sound Garden, L7, Green River, Mudhoney, Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains, and of course, Nirvana. The topic of this episode being the bands under the Sub Pop record label and who in a reverse-British Invasion took hold of the musical world for a few years with the explosion of grunge; a seminal mix of metal and punk rock wearing frayed flannel. Detailing a straightforward overview of the history attached to Sub Pop as a label and some of the notable acts which signed to them; most notably and most talked to obviously being Nirvana. Through that the 'dark side' presented here is the death of half a dozen grunge band frontmen. Heroin usage in the scene was noted earlier in the episode, and like how the second episode of the show had its focal point of River Phoenix's overdose, the suicide of Kurt Cobain is front and center to it all. It's a mundane extreme thing where sure, these people are stars and die young and thus crystallized in that image as they never could falter in that; but as Danny Goldberg noted in his book Serving The Servant: Kurt Cobain was not a saint; he had faults and died as a result of them. If they weren't famous, the deaths would be just a statistic.
Episode 6. Baywatch: Sex Sells
No shit it does, has, and always will.
Voyeurism and proto-influencers is what this episode takes as its main topic as it pertained to the original Baywatch series. It opens with a line from one of the interviewed cast members stating that it induced something about personal image onto younger people that they really didn't need to worry about; as if generations prior weren't concerned with say, getting drafted to Vietnam or working hard labor to sustain their families. It seems quite minimal in at the face of it all as and issue seeing as such is perpetual today to an even more apparent degree from Eugenia Cooney and extreme anorexic (and as a similar side with this, bulimic) disorders; the meth-infused and surgical corrections as means to alleviate dysmorphic tendencies with 'looksmaxxers' like Clavicular; or so called fat activists professing that being overweight is a personal, radically empowering and prideful display of a healthy body. Going into the history of this even with the body modification aspect of with personal augmentation in contrast to the simultaneously glamourised heroin chic. Such insecurities and aesthetic preferences has stuck around, obviously; though the augmentation in all manners, from breasts to height seem to be less of a stigma, just look at The Kardashians as the poignant epitome of it all.
Speaking to the voyeurism involved with the Baywatch show as it was made to be sensually stimulating in its appeal (though in this episode one of its creators claims in a contradictory statement that it was, "sexy, not sexual") with stars like Pamela Anderson coming to it hot off of a Playboy cover. Today this can be seen in its own form with the gained popularity of a starlet like Sydney Sweeney. Madonna had her SEX book— which is briefly noted in the episode— but even then with the hindsight of say, Linda Lovelace in Deep Throat seems repetitive throughout the last 60 years, since feminists were burning their bras.
On that topic it then delves into the tumultuous relationship between Anderson and the rock drummer Tommy Lee and resulting leaked sex tape... while one had gotten her fame from a Playboy cover and the other now occasionally posts pictures with his lower ligature out on social media for all to see. Revenge porn it may have been in its release, but as seen in the infamous event that occurred in the earlier 2010s known as 'the Fappening', this is again only cared about if it's that of a celebrity's privacy breached.
"Babble babble, bitch bitch rebel rebel, party party, sex sex sex; and don't forget the violence" —Marilyn Manson, This Is The New Shit
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