In late January, a mid-air collision over the Potomac River between American Airlines Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter resulted in the loss of all 67 people on both aircraft. Among the reasons for the tragic accident, the one that stands out most comes from a report from the New York Times – the pilot may have overlooked instructions from her co-pilot to alter course.
Sorry, I know that was a lot right up front – but that’s exactly where Nathan Fielder’s The Rehearsal, an HBO Max original in its second season, lands with such an impact.
Fielder’s history in television isn’t easy to describe. It’s like telling a joke secondhand. In your head, it’s hilarious; but when you actually try repeating it, you sound like an idiot.
You may recognize his name from Nathan for You, a Comedy Central show that aired from 2013-2017. Fielder played an exaggerated version of himself – a “consultant” of sorts – offering ridiculous marketing advice to struggling small businesses. The show was the origin of many viral stunts you may recognize, such as “Dumb Starbucks” or a video that a “bystander” took of a pig rescuing a goat from drowning.
The Rehearsal, while entertaining, is nothing like Nathan for You. It’s not exactly satire or reality TV, though it takes the most interesting elements from both. At its core, The Rehearsal is about human behavior.
In season one, Fielder helps everyday people rehearse for big or small life moments. They rehearse confessing things to loved ones, tough conversations, and even parenting – all while using extremely detailed sets and hired actors. The show never loses its humor, but as the season goes on, the rehearsals reveal more about Fielder himself than his actors/subjects. I won’t spoil anything, but the payoff is absolutely gut-wrenching and somehow hilarious along the way.
Season two takes that premise further, except with extremely higher stakes. Instead of “everyday” people, this season is focused on commercial airline pilots – specifically on how communication errors between the pilot and co-pilot could be among the main reasons for aviation disasters.
Fielder takes his “rehearsals” to the next level this season – from building an exact replica of the George Bush Intercontinental Airport terminal (IAH) in Houston as a set, to faking a singing competition just to study how pilots handle the task of rejecting prospective singers.
Where he runs most wild, however, is in the season’s third episode, “Pilot’s Code.” Fielder fixates on Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger and the famous “Miracle on the Hudson,” where he successfully landed a plane in the Hudson River after both engines lost power due to a bird strike. His decision to land in the Hudson saved all 155 people on board.
In the episode, Fielder embodies Sully, literally rehearsing his ENTIRE life just to understand his mindset. Fielder isn’t a pilot – but what if he went to the extreme to UNDERSTAND how one thinks.
Fielder obsesses over a moment in the cockpit voice recording – 23 seconds of total silence between co-pilot, First Officer Jeffrey Skiles, and Sully, after both engines fail. Zero talking, no panic – just silence. Finally, a decision is made – Sully decides to land in the Hudson River.
Fielder fixates on that 23 seconds of silence. He eventually comes to a conclusion – Sully mentions in his book being a fan of music, even directly referencing Evanescence. His iPod was recovered from the wreckage. Fielder notes the chorus of “Bring Me to Life”, just so happens to be 23 seconds long.
What if, Fielder asks, Sully had that song in his head during those 23 seconds? Could Evanescence be the reason behind Sully’s decision making that day, saving 155 people?
I know it all sounds a bit convoluted, but believe me, the payoff provided one of, if not the best, episode of television I’ve ever seen.
Look, maybe I’m biased – I fly a lot for work. I’ve always been nervous about flying, no matter how many times I do it. Because of how much I travel, I may have a deeper “connection” to this topic than others.
However (follow me here), the whole 23 seconds bit is about so much more than I could describe. It, and the entire show, is meant to examine what we think about in uncomfortable situations – like music, memory, instinct, or fear. That’s the real punch of The Rehearsal – why it’s so important.
We’re only five episodes into a six-episode season as I’m writing this. Just like telling a joke secondhand, trying to explain The Rehearsal is hard. You just have to feel it (and watch it, of course).
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