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Episode 3 of The Franchise season 1 was released on October 20, 2024, on HBO Max. Like the first two episodes, the latest installment continues to deliver biting satire, ridiculing the practices and policies of big film studios and the trend of franchise films.
While episode 1 gave a glimpse of the cold war between Anita and Daniel, episode 2 escalated their feud after Anita became a producer following Justin’s departure. Using her position, Anita gave Daniel a bit of public dressing-down in episode 2.
In the latest episode of The Franchise season 1 as well, the coldness continues between the two. However, by the end of the episode, they realize that they must team up if they are ever to complete the principal photography for Tecto: Eye Of The Storm. Thus, they put aside their mutual hard feelings and come together to finish the project at hand.
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The Franchise season 1 episode 3 sees Anita and Daniel finally team up
Each episode of The Franchise season 1 has so far dealt with one problem, using a satiric gaze to lampoon big studios and their strictly revenue-driven choices. The series shows how superhero films often are a summation of the studio boss’ financial moves rather than a genuine creative endeavor.
In the latest episode, Maximum Studios faces the timely issues of feminism and women empowerment. To create the impression that they care about their female characters, the studio decides to go out of the script at the last minute to empower the Lilac Ghost.
This move, predictably, irritates the lead actor of the film, playing the titular superhero Tecto. The actor, Adam, is also having a hard time coming to terms with the side effects of the supplements he has been taking to get the physique he now has. Further, Peter, the actor portraying the Eye, simply wants to take time off to shoot an ad.
Quinn, the Lilac Ghost of the film, is undergoing problems of her own as she wants to get done with the shooting as soon as possible since she is not enjoying the work. All the frustrations of the actors spill over during a rehearsal run, and the two male actors leave the set after throwing tantrums.
Anita realizes that her push for more empowerment of the female character at the last minute has backfired. She urges Daniel to get help in getting the actors back on the set since they are running a tight schedule.
For the first time in The Franchise season 1, the two openly talk about their past, when they were once partners. Daniel confronts Anita about her selfishness, and while she tries to justify herself, she proposes they work together to finish the project sooner. She also suggests that once the film is completed, she could help Daniel land a directorial role.
Pacified, Daniel tells Anita what the individual problems of the actors are. Anita suggests that he should look after the actors while she handles the studio executives. Thus, they team up and shake hands.
How does Maximum Studios solve "the woman problem"?
Episode 3 of The Franchise season 1 starts with Pat informing Anita of a fresh problem: fans and media outlets think that Maximum Studios has an issue with female characters, especially after the studio axed a project that was supposed to feature female superheroes.
Pat informs Anita that the studio, in order to send a positive message, has decided to “woman the woman problem.” That is, the studio wants the Lilac Ghost, the only noticeable female character in Tecto: Eye Of The Storm, to suddenly acquire superpowers that were non-existent in both the script and the comics.
The latest episode of The Franchise season 1 satirizes how studios often try to focus on tokenistic women empowerment only for commercial reasons and not out of thoughtfulness. It humorously parodies the notion of a “strong, independent” woman as seen in a big budget film.
For instance, towards the end of the episode, Pat cynically tells Anita:
“I heard you fixed sexism, huh?”
Also, during the mid-credits scene, Adam says to the camera:
“Misogyny? No. Genuinely, I can’t even spell ‘misogyny’.”
Do fans like the empowerment, though?
The ending of episode 3 of The Franchise season 1 suggests that fans are not very keen about the last-minute feminist changes made in the film. Quinn’s agent calls her and tells her that her newly acquired stick of superpower has sparked quite a bit of male rage on the internet.
The agent asks Quinn not to check her mentions on social media. This, naturally, unsettles Quinn. After all, she has already got fed up with the uninspired role, and now she is looking at potential backlash from the audience.
The next episode of The Franchise season 1 will be released on October 27, 2024.
