Recap: The Debut Episode of the New SHOWTIME Original Series Roadies Blows Our Ear Drums

It’s all about the sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll on the new SHOWTIME original series, Roadies, created by Almost Famous director Cameron Crowe. The show delves into the dramatic, eccentric, reckless lives of the roadies of a successful arena-level band, who clearly portray that all the entertainment happens off the stage. Starring Luke Wilson, Carla Gugino, and Imogen Poots (who appeared in Out’s 2016 Hitlist), the series premiered last night on SHOWTIME, but you can stream the first two episodes now by downloading the SHOWTIME app and starting a 30-day free trial.

Photo: Courtesy of SHOWTIME

Episode One of Roadies, “Life is a Carnival,” follows the touring staff for The Staton-House Band, as one big happy family— except, maybe not always too happy. From dealing with canceled tour dates, to wiping every fingerprint off a band member’s piano, to keeping the band’s stalker far from the venue (spoiler alert: they are far from unsuccessful), the roadies prove that going on tour is no easy job, but at the end of the day, it really is all about the music. Here's what made episode one of Roadies seriously rock, and why we’re planning on tuning in for episode two.

Photo: Courtesy of SHOWTIME

1. Roadies gives us a rare look at what really goes on before musicians hit the stage.

Photo: Katie Yu/SHOWTIME

Haven’t you wondered how Beyonce’s touring staff pulls off the set for her Formation tour every night? Roadies takes us on a journey through the whole day leading up to The Staton-House Band’s big show in New Orleans. With every task that’s checked off the roadies’ TO-DO list, even viewers feel relief when it’s time to bring the headlining band onstage.

Imogen Poots as Kelly Ann in Roadies. Photo: Katie Yu/SHOWTIME 

2. Imogen Poots’ Character is a Force to Be Reckoned With
Imogen Poots plays Kelly Ann, an outspoken film-school-hopeful trying to find her place in the Staton-House Band touring family. Kelly Ann is a total badass who works as an electrician on the tour, skateboarding through the halls with a bandanna tied around her messy hair. Kelly Ann struggles the most in the first episode, wondering if she should move on to pursue a film degree, or stay on tour with her favorite band. When she speaks up against Reg Whitehead, a financial advisor who only seems to have the band’s commercial interests in mind, it’s clear where Kelly Ann’s heart is. As part of the 2016 Hit List, Poots told Out, “She feels like she’s really a part of something, but she’s sort of a victim of the past and the old way. She feels like now the band is at a crossroads between the commercial route and staying true to what it began as, which is sort of the universal question in any creative endeavor.”

Imogen Poots as Kelly Ann in Roadies. Photo: Mark Seliger/SHOWTIME

3. So Is Carla Gugino’s Character, Shelli 
Female, fearless leaders are all over the “roadie” staff, and Carla Gugino’s character Shelli, the tour’s tough production manager, is no exception. Shelli gets stuff done all episode-long, like when she convinces the venue’s promoter to give Tom Staton a larger dressing room, even after he found out that Shelli’s colleague hooked up with his young daughter.

Carla Gugino as Shelli in Roadies. Photo: Katie Yu/SHOWTIME

4. Luke Wilson is back!
Luke Wilson returns to television as Bill, Staton-House Band’s tour manager who makes sure everything is in place before the band hits the stage. It’s all about the fun and staying young for Bill, who is known for hooking up with younger women on tour, and puts a pie in Kelly Ann’s face before she leaves.  

Imogen Poots as Kelly Ann, Peter Cambor as Milo and Luke Wilson as Bill in Roadies. - Photo: Katie Yu/SHOWTIME

5. What’s a Successful Band Without Their Crazy Stalker? 
Staton-House Band’s biggest stalker, Natalie Shayne, unsurprisingly makes her appearance backstage, despite the band’s restraining order against her. Shayne goes to several insane lengths to make it backstage, which are both hilarious and verging on creepy. She sneaks through back doors, seduces venue staff, and does some unspeakable things with a beloved microphone before Kelly Ann takes her down. 

Jacqueline Byers as Natalie in Roadies. - Photo: Katie Yu/SHOWTIME 

6. Love is In the Air Backstage
The interactions between a few of the roadies make it clear that their relationships of the past and present may stray beyond “professional.” Despite Shelli being married and sometimes talking to her husband on the phone, we never see him on the set, and Bill thinks he’s bad news. With the way Bill and Shelli work so well together, and how they nearly held hands at the end of the episode, we can tell that there is a spark between the two of them that can only shine brighter as the season goes on. 

British accent-faking Guitar tech Milo also reveals his feelings for Kelly Ann, telling Wes that he wishes she could smile at him. The relief on his face when he finds out that Wes is Kelly Ann’s twin brother, and not a love interest, also shows that him pursuing Kelly Ann will surely take place in future episodes. 

For more on Roadies, stream the first two episodes now by downloading the SHOWTIME app and starting a 30-day free trial.

Carla Gugino as Shelli and Luke Wilson as Bill in Roadies (Pilot). - Photo: Katie Yu/SHOWTIME

Peter Cambor as Milo in Roadies. - Photo: Katie Yu/SHOWTIME