Take That – the three-part docuseries on the career of the legendary boyband born in 1990 – is available from today on Netflix. Highly anticipated, it is a work rich in unpublished materials which comprehensively recounts one of the musical phenomena of the 90s. And which donate to Gary Barlowthe author of all the group’s hits (as well as the main lead vocalist), all the honors it deserves. Honors almost never recognised.
Take That the docuseries about the 90s boyband on Netflix, how many episodes, streaming
Using archive images and many private shotsdirector David Soutar reconstructed therefore life, death and rebirth of the most famous boyband English as always. Not all band members participated with fresh testimonies. The voices are those of all five artists, Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Mark Owen, Jason Orange and Robbie Williams reminisce (but the interviews with Jason and Robbie are archived).
Formed in Manchester in 1990 as the British answer to The New Kids on the Block, Take That – initially only three – were soon signed by manager Nigel Martin Smith. Impressed by the writing ability of the very young Gary, Smith decides to build a five-piece band around him. After about two years of touring in clubs, especially gay ones, the first hit arrived in 1992: It Only Takes a Minute – contained in the album Take That & Party.
“Take That” Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Mark Owen, Robbie Williams and Jason Orange (Netflix)
With the disc Everything Changes (1993) “Take That mania” breaks out – individuals Pray, Babe And Relight My Fire they make teenagers, especially European ones, fall in love (the boy band never managed to break through in the United States, except in ’95 with Back for good). A meteoric rise that culminated two years later with Nobody Else and the hit Back For Good. In the meantime, the first cracks arrive – as per every band’s tradition. Robbie Williams, progressively restless at being one of the five and Gary’s prominence – in fact he wants more autonomy -, he decides to leave the group. The band did not last, and only six months after Robbie’s departure, in 1996 (exactly February 13th – Robbie’s birthday), it broke up definitively.
Each to their own, the members have varying solo fortunes. The first to have success is Gary (both with his debut album and with a “reject” of Madonna, Love won’t wait). However, it is Robbie who won it over the long distance, achieving his position as a star today thanks to the single Angels. The band just gets together in 2006 – with a reunion which brings them back to the top in Great Britain. In 2010, Robbie participates in the album Progressfollowed by sold out concerts around the world. After the tour, Robbie returns to march alone – but it was already in the plan – and in 2014 he also leaves Jason Orange. Since then Take That they continue to make records and tour with the formation composed of Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald.
The review
With thirty-five years of rare archive material, unreleased footage and personal content – as well as exclusive interviews with Gary, Howard and Mark –, Take That offers an intimate look at the highs, the lows and the indelible legacy of one of the most successful bands. The docuseries traces the camaraderie, chaos and resilience that marked their risethe sensational breakup and one of the greatest comebacks in the history of British music. All with the sole aid of repertoire and voices.
In the three episodes of the docuseries The figure of Gary Barlow emerges forcefully. A point of view which makes it seem Take That built specifically to restore the glory to the singer. There he has always been the true creative force of the bandhis crystalline talent as a singer-songwriter who, since childhood, locked himself away and experimented in his bedroom to compose excellent pop songs, sacrificing his adolescence. With extreme sincerity, Barlow also looks back on the humiliation caused by the failure of his solo career after the exploit of Open arms. The kilos takenfeeling like the “loser” of the group for not being one of the handsome ones but the good one, the whole thing his existential crisis.
Howard Donald and Gary Barlow in a scene from “Take That”. (Netflix)
Furthermore, the third episode, which lasts an hour, is something of a long one my fault of Barlow. Who admits her prima donna attitudes towards his bandmates. But also the reluctance to involve them in the songwriting process and, by extension, in the songwriting process division of profits.
If Robbie Williams told his side of the story in the Netflix series of the same name about his life in 2023,Take That It’s Barlow’s revenge. Of a talent never appreciated enough. Able, unlike Williams, to look at himself in the mirror with rare honesty. A documentary that is more than a simple photograph of an unrepeatable era, the 90s, but which avoids the nostalgia effect thanks to a package that has nothing superficial about it, as the boyband of rocking singer-dancers was labeled.