Fame

Right now you can watch Fame in the US on fuboTV and MGM+ Amazon Channel, and in the UK on MGM Plus Amazon Channel — and it is funnier than its reputation suggests. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. A 6/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Watch it for Kay Panabaker — stay for everyone else around them. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on fuboTV.

There is a reason Fame keeps coming up in conversation. Fame gets the fundamentals right first, then finds room to get weird with it. At New York's High School of Performing Arts, students from all walks of life get the chance to hone their skills as singers, actors, dancers, and more. Over four years, these young men and women will see if they truly have the dedication and talent to achieve success, while still juggling regular schoolwork, feelings of self-doubt, and budding romances. Kay Panabaker and Walter Perez lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2009. Fame earns its laughs from character rather than situation, which is why it does not wear thin the way pure farce tends to. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

For viewers who want something light without wanting something stupid, Fame respects your intelligence. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Kay Panabaker is funny in a way that holds up on rewatch. Put it on when you need something guaranteed to land.