Liam Payne shines amid criticism of Netflix's Building The Band reality show
The reality series, which landed on the streaming platform today (July 9), was filmed before Payne's shock death last October aged 31, when he fell from the third floor of a hotel balcony in Argentina. It features the former One Direction star in a key mentoring role.
His contribution - kept in with the support of his family - has been widely praised for its warmth and authenticity, offering one of the few standout moments in a show many reviewers have otherwise called derivative.
Hosted by Backstreet Boys' AJ McLean, with Nicole Scherzinger as lead judge and joined by Kelly Rowland and Payne, the 10-part competition sees aspiring singers attempt to build bands from scratch without input from music executives or producers.
Most damning was The i Paper, which questioned the show's very existence in the wake of Payne's death. It raised concerns about how such talent formats affect young performers' mental health and whether enough protections are in place.
'Obviously, the flashy trailer displays no awareness of the grim irony that were it not for programmes just like this that promise desperate, hopeful singers a future of success and stardom, Payne might still be alive,' it writes.
The Telegraph was also not won over, declaring the show 'an insincere singing contest' and criticising its format as a mashup of The X Factor, The Circle and Love Is Blind.
Still, it highlighted Payne's appearance in episode seven as the emotional high point.
'He judges the acts with kindness and constructive criticism,' the review by the publication read, adding that an Australian contestant's heartfelt story about seeing One Direction as a child visibly moves him. 'It's right that the producers, backed by the family, decided to keep his contribution in. But it's also pretty sad.'
The Guardian, meanwhile, offered a more reserved three-star verdict.
While calling the series 'fine, watchable, well-crafted,' the paper criticised early episodes for feeling 'drawn out and repetitive.' It also questioned the concept's relevance in today's music scene.
'I did wonder why Building the Band would focus on groups in an era dominated by solo artists, but perhaps it's less about music and more about creating spectacle,' the reviewer wrote.
The Standard's own Saskia Kemsley was the kindest, awarding the show four stars.
Kemsley praised Building the Band for tapping into the legacy of early 2000s TV juggernauts like The X Factor, the show that helped launch Payne's career.
'For lifelong One Direction fans, Payne's presence is bittersweet – but he's a grounded, respectful presence here, and the series handles his legacy with care,' the review reads.
She continued: 'Like clockwork, tensions flare. Those who falter often lash out, giving the show its requisite dose of drama. But Building the Band isn't just about meltdowns. It's also a showcase for powerful mentorship, and few moments are more affecting than Payne's.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Elle
40 minutes ago
- Elle
You Know the 'Too Much' Cast from 'Fleabag,' 'Game of Thrones,' and More
For those who have been rewatching Girls recently, Lena Dunham just dropped another new binge-worthy series. Netflix's Too Much—out now—follows Jessica (Megan Stalter), a young woman who moves from New York to London after experiencing a messy breakup. Across the pond, she meets and begins falling for a British musician named Felix (Will Sharpe). And like any Dunham project, the rest of the cast is stacked. 'I honestly can't believe it happened,' Dunham told Tudum about Too Much's all-star ensemble. 'There were so many actors that I respect that I was like, 'Even if the character is in one episode or four episodes, I want to give them something to grab onto.'' Below, get to know the main cast of Too Much. Megan Stalter (Hacks, Problemista) plays the lead character Jessica, a heartbroken young woman who relocates to London for a job after a bad breakup. There, she meets a charming musician named Felix (Will Sharpe). Will Sharpe (The White Lotus, A Real Pain) plays Felix, a British musician who meets Jessica after one of his performances at a local pub. Michael Zegen (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Penguin) plays Jessica's ex, Zev, who dumps her for an influencer. Emily Ratajkowski (Gone Girl, I Feel Pretty) plays Wendy, an influencer and Zev's new fiancée. Lena Dunham (Girls, Catherine Called Birdy) also stars in her series as Nora, Jessica's older sister, who recently separated from her husband. Andrew Rannells (GIRLS5EVA, Girls) plays Jameson, Nora's ex who left her to 'explore non-monogamy with a couple who are both named Cody.' He's also Jessica's boss who sends her to London on a work assignment. Rita Wilson (Asteroid City, Sleepless in Seattle) plays Lois, Jessica and Nora's mom. Rhea Perlman (Matilda, Barbie) plays Dottie, Jessica and Nora's grandmother. The whole family lives in her home in Great Neck, Long Island. Janicza Bravo (Zola, Sharp Stick) plays Kim, a creative director and Jessica's new co-worker. Leo Reich, a British comedian, plays Boss, one of Jessica's Gen Z colleagues and Kim's assistant. Andrew Scott (All of Us Strangers, Fleabag) plays James, another one of Jessica's new London colleagues and a director for the ad campaign she's working on. Richard E. Grant (Saltburn, Can You Ever Forgive Me?) plays Jonno, Jessica's new boss at her London ad agency. Naomi Watts (Mulholland Drive, The Impossible) plays Ann, Jonno's wife. She hosts a dinner party for everyone at the agency, and she and Jessica become fast friends. Adwoa Aboah (Top Boy) plays Linnea, Felix's girlfriend at the beginning of the season. Their relationship doesn't last long once he meets Jessica at the pub. Adèle Exarchopoulos (Blue Is the Warmest Color) plays Polly, Felix's former girlfriend whom he dated for 10 years. The two still remain good friends. Kit Harington (Game of Thrones) plays Jessica's dad. He passed away from Parkinson's disease when she was young, so he appears in flashback scenes. Jessica Alba (Fantastic Four, Honey) stars as herself. In episode one, before Jessica (Stalter) moves to London, she hires her agency to create a commercial for her company in New York. Rita Ora (Fifty Shades of Grey) also stars as herself. She plays Santa in Jim and Jessica's Christmas ad campaign.


Fast Company
an hour ago
- Fast Company
Netflix releases Q2 earnings showing a continued stretch of steady growth
Netflix on Thursday announced another quarter of steady growth as the video streaming service's more than 300 million subscribers have become increasingly attractive to advertisers. It's a familiar script that Netflix has followed for the past three years to widen its lead in video streaming while delivering financial results that have usually easily exceeded the analyst projections that steer investors. While Netflix's profit eclipsed Wall Street's expectations by a wide margin in the April-June quarter, its revenue came in right around the bar set by analysts. The Los Gatos, California, company earned $3.1 billion, or $7.19 per share, a 46% increase from the same time last year. Revenue rose 16% to $11.08 billion. Management also slightly raised its revenue forecast for the entire year, citing a belief that its programming lineup will reel in more subscribers in the second half than the first. 'We're really incredibly excited about the back half of this year and confident that it keeps rolling in '26,' Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos told analysts during a Thursday video conference. Although he believes Netflix remains 'perfectly positioned to keep thriving,' analyst Thomas Monteiro said investors were disappointed that the company didn't boost its full-year guidance for revenue and its profit margins by even more against the backdrop of its accelerating momentum. Netflix's shares slipped 1% in extended trading, indicating investors expected an even more robust performance. But that is a minor stumble, given Netflix's stock price has soared 43% this year. The stock's strong run began during the second half of 2022 when the company introduced a low-priced version of its service with commercial interruptions as an antidote to an abrupt downturn in subscribers. The video streaming service is also faring well in Hollywood, as evidenced by the 120 Emmy nominations showered upon its programs earlier this week — second only to Warner Bros. Discovery's HBO Max. In the past quarter, Netflix hailed 'Sirens,' 'Ginny & Georgia' and 'The Four Seasons' as being among its most watched programming. The popularity of Netflix's scripted programming combined with weekly World Wrestling Entertainment spectacles, high-profile boxing matches and periodic National Football League games have enabled its service to retain subscribers while its prices rise, including on the cheapest tier. Netflix stopped providing quarterly updates on its total subscribers at the beginning of this year, but the company's revenue growth leaves no doubt that the number has grown from the 302 million reported at the end of 2024. It's gradually turning into an advertising magnet, too. Although Netflix still isn't selling enough commercials to require a disclosure of its advertising revenue, management continues to highlight the growth in its results. Netflix said its ad revenue for this year is on pace to double from last year. Unlike most major tech companies, Netflix has had the benefit of peddling a service that so far has avoided being whipsawed by President Donald Trump's fluctuating trade war. But Trump has threatened to introduce tariffs on entertainment made outside the U.S., a move that could hit Netflix especially hard because of its global reach. In an apparent olive branch for the president, Netflix made the unusual move of citing its commitment to the U.S. in its quarterly shareholder letter. The company disclosed that it had invested an estimated $125 billion in the U.S. from 2020-2024 and cited sound stages and production facilities in New Mexico and New Jersey as examples of its ongoing expansion in its home country.


Geek Tyrant
an hour ago
- Geek Tyrant
CAPTAIN PLANET AND THE PLANETEERS Live-Action Series in the Works at Netflix — GeekTyrant
Captain Planet and the Planeteers was an animated TBS series from the '90s about the titular environmentalist superhero, and we are about to see a live-action series adaptation of the show at Netflix with Greg Berlanti and Leonardo DiCaprio as executive producers. Tara Hernandez, best known for creating Mrs. Davis on Peacock and writing on The Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon , is writing the new Captain Planet series. Executive producers include Berlanti, Sarah Schechter and Leigh London Redman via Berlanti Productions and DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson via Appian Way. The series will shoot at Warner Bros. Television, where Berlanti Productions is under an overall deal. Captain Planet has been in development as a live-action adaptation in many forms over the years. Glen Powell had previously been writing a film based on the character for DiCaprio, which was first revealed in 2018 and as recently as 2023, Powell told reporters that his 'subversive and fun and dark and irreverent' take was still in development. According to the Captain Planet Foundation, 'In the show, Gaia, the spirit of the planet, assembles a team of five young 'planeteers' from nations around the world, who can summon Captain Planet to help them solve ecological and other global problems 'by their powers combined.' The show was widely acclaimed for its treatment difficult issues such as pollution, poaching, deforestation, as well as more social issues including drug addiction, HIV/ AIDS, and bullying in a way that educated, entertained, but also activated its young audience.' Stay tuned for updates on the series as it develops. via: Variety