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1[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sexdrugs.jpg]]
2[[caption-width-right:350:They're back! For a second chance.]]
3
4''Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll'' is an American comedy television series created by and starring Creator/DenisLeary as Johnny Rock, lead singer of the fictional band The Heathens, a middle-aged rock 'n roller who desperately wanted to be rich and famous but, so far, he's 0 for 2.
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6The show also stars Creator/JohnCorbett as Flash, The Heathens' guitarist, now a session musician with a regular gig playing for Music/LadyGaga, and Creator/ElizabethGillies as Gigi, lead singer of the fictional band The Assassins, and Johnny's daughter.
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8A 10-episode first season was ordered by Creator/{{FX|Networks}}, which premiered on July 16, 2015, and it was renewed for a second season which began airing on June 30, 2016. On September 9, 2016, following steadily declining viewership the show was [[http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/sexdrugsrockroll-canceled-fx-1201856647/ cancelled]].
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10!!Tropes in the series include:
11* BrickJoke: In the first episode, Gigi gives a selfie of herself in a bikini to Johnny to convince Flash to reunite with the band. Later, in the third episode, she tweets it to gain followers.
12* ChainsawGood: [[spoiler:Gigi takes a chainsaw to Flash's apartment after he cheats on her with Ava.]]
13* ComfortingTheWidow: Rehab tries this with Ava when he believes the hoax about Johnny's death.
14* DaddysGirl: Gigi has grown up idolizing her absentee father at a distance, and yearns to both connect with him and join him in his rock and roll world. Johnny's absence in her upbringing has left her with a love of father figures, which is what attracts her to Flash.
15* DysfunctionJunction: According to Gigi, "This band is so dysfunctional that makes Music/{{Metallica}} look like the freaking Jonas Brothers." The band therapist also proclaims The Heathens/Assassins to be "the most fucked-up band in rock and roll history," which thrilled the band.
16* {{Expy}}: Johnny for Music/DavidBowie, whose hair is compared to on multiple occasions. He is also mistaken for Creator/ChristopherWalken in one episode.
17* FiveManBand:
18** The Heathens / Assassins
19*** Johnny Rock = TheLeader, grizzled and perpetually drunk/high out of his mind, he is [[ItsAllAboutMe self-absorbed]] and irresponsible in his approach to the business of his band.
20*** Flash = TheLancer and reluctant collaborator to Johnny. He's clean-cut, confident, responsible, and a successful backing musician for Music/LadyGaga with little tolerance for Johnny's selfish and self-destructive ways.
21*** Rehab = TheSmartGuy insomuch that he is well-versed in various forms of music and capable of long, over-extended "song cycles" that overwhelm the other band members. Unfortunately for Rehab, the appeal of his eccentric work is lost on his fellow band-members and his work, as well as his ideas, go largely unappreciated.
22*** Bam Bam = TheBigGuy and possibly the most easygoing member of the band. His biggest vice, [[BigEater overeating]], is mostly just PlayedForLaughs and he is without a dangerous and crippling vice, allowing him to provide both advice and comedic relief to his band-members. [[BerserkButton Just don't deny him his drum solo.]]
23*** Ava = TheHeart and moral backbone of the group. When Johnny loses his temper with his bandmates, Ava is often the one to calm him down and keep him working towards the band's goals. She fully supports Gigi in her ambitions and remained a part of the group once Johnny's daughter became a part of their lives, serving as sort of a TeamMom. In Gigi's band, The Assassins, she plays the tambourine and ukulele.
24*** Gigi = SixthRanger. Initially assumed to be a TagalongKid with pipe dreams and questionable potential, it becomes apparent that she has real musical talent and takes her place in the band as a vocalist, re-appropriating The Heathens members as members of her new band, The Assassins, and enlisting Flash and her father, Johnny, to write her songs.
25* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff: An InUniverse example. In spite of the band's struggle to gain solid footing in rock and roll history, they have been adored and revered consistently since the early 90's...in Belgium.
26* HiddenDepths: For all of Gigi's composure and her cool and collected exterior, she confides in her therapist that she is actually constantly fearful and likely suffers from an anxiety disorder.
27* ItsAllAboutMe: Both Johnny and Gigi show this attitude.
28* IWantYouToMeetAnOldFriendOfMine: Creator/RobMorrow, who worked with Creator/JohnCorbett on the series ''Series/NorthernExposure'', guest starred in the episode "Because We're Legion".
29* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Johnny is an egomaniac junkie, but he cares for his long-time girlfriend Ava and his newfound daughter Gigi. n the pilot, after their (disastrous) first encounter, Gigi tells Johnny that she just wants him as a songwriter, but she smiles when she hears him going PapaWolf about her with the band.
30* LongSongShortScene: Most of the songs in the show only appear as very short snippets, with the full versions appearing on the soundtracks.
31* MeaningfulName: The Assassins derive their name from a publicity hoax in which Johnny is believed to have been murdered by Flash.
32* MsFanservice: Both Gigi and Ava have their moments of this. Gigi gives a selfie of herself in a bikini to Johnny in order to convince Flash to reunite with the band; she later tweets it to gain followers.
33* NightmareFetishist: In the second season premiere, after [[spoiler:Micki's (the other back up singer from the pilot)]] funeral, Gigi wants to open the caskett to see [[spoiler:her]] ashes.
34* NobodyLovesTheBassist: Rehab, though competent in his position, doesn't get much respect from his bandmates. In one episode he gets so annoyed by this that he namedrops a few bassists who are associated with [[LeadBassist the other trope about bassists]].
35* PapaWolf: Johnny to Gigi, whom he protects from his bandmates, particularly Flash. He insists that his bandmates not objectify or advance upon his daughter, which is met with amusement and resistance by both the bandmates as well as Gigi herself.
36* SexDrugsAndRockAndRoll: It's the title of the show, folks. That said, the sex and drugs part are more implied or brought up via backstory as opposed to being explicitly shown on screen.
37* SurpriseIncest: In the pilot, Johnny spots Gigi at a bar, walks up to her, and kisses her, only for her to hit him and reveal she's his daughter.
38* SwitchOutMove: In Belgium, during The Heathens' last tour, [[spoiler:Johnny trips out on Rehab's questionable prescription medications and hallucinates that animals have overtaken the stage. Gigi stands in for him and the band begins performing as The Assassins.]]
39* VolleyingInsults: Johnny and Flash prefix insults to one another with "Idea for a song" in one episode.
40* WickedStepmother:
41** Subverted. Ava is totally supportive of Gigi ([[spoiler:even over Gigi's relationship with Flash]]). When Ava calls herself "a cool surrogate mother," Gigi smiles at her.
42** However, Ava does [[spoiler:end up sleeping with Flash and stealing him away from Gigi.]]
43* YoungerThanTheyLook: Flash desperately attempts to achieve this in order to be attractive to younger girls.

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