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To be clear,  this isn't pedantic superfan nitpicking.  This was not good filmmaking or storytelling.  It was regressive and reductive on key topics (Smile, the group's feelings about the genius narrative,  etc.), and the pacing and coverage of post-1967 was the documentary film equivalent of someone rushing through the end of an awards show speech as the house orchestra starts playing music to edge you off the stage.

A couple of things I did like:
1. Seeing a few more seconds of that footage of 1970s Brian looking at the camera and hiding his face, now in color and including Marilyn.
2. Brian's smile at Paradise Cove when he greets Al.

Thoughts about Mike getting choked up in that interview near the end?

not sure if this is the Dionne Warwick footage you mentioned but it's great: https://youtu.be/iBUDjZxC4co

Such great clips.  Thanks for posting.
Warwick + Bacharach + David = pure magic.
 

The SF Chronicle this morning aptly described the film as a "Cliffs Notes" version of Beach Boys history.  

I didn't hate the film.  It is what it is... a mostly sanitized,  mostly glossy, candy-colored promo film for the "Beach Boys" brand that is now majority owned by outside investors who intend to monetize this brand into perpetuity.

But I didn't love it.  Other than a bit of home-movie footage, there was nothing new here. Nada, zilch.

I guess the thing that bothered me most was omission of any sort of discussion of the deaths of Dennis and Carl.  On one level, I get it that if your goal is basically to make a glossy promo fiim, Dennis' tragic final act along with Carl's illness and death are kinda buzzkill.  Still, you torpedo the conceit that this is a documentary rather than a promo film when you make such a glaring omission.

Also, I thought it was strange that Smile was discussed in a weirdly anachronistic way with just pre-2004 clips of Brian, Mike, VDP and Carl discussing the topic.  Hell, if you're going to do that, at least put a note in the closing credits explaining that Brian revisited Smile to great success and the Smile box won a couple Grammies etc.

Just watched. It’s what I was expecting. Definitely a mixed bag and then some. Disappointment is to be expected when you’re a hard-core Beach Boys fan. Definitely not definitive, but whatever. This is what happens when you match Disney with a Director who probably is not a true beach boys fan. We need people like Alan Boyd, Howie Edelson at the helm. This should’ve been like a 7 to 10 part series with each hour or two focusing on 4-5 years and stuff like that it would’ve been more Focused and direct in my opinion.
I’ll stick with the E! True Hollywood Story, The Endless Harmony Documentary, Brian Wilson Songwriter and Dennis Wilson The Real Beach Boy.

Could have done without Kokomo over the credits too

"Kokomo" is linked with the film Cocktail, which was released by Disney's Buena Vista / Touchstone pictures. No way Disney's not going to include it in the doc. The credits are the perfect place.

My question is what's the deal with ADITLOAT being played over the Paradise Cove footage?

I am glad if the documentary is decent. Personally, I am not spending money on Disney, the butcherers of Star Wars. Have no sympathy for the project however, for how F. M. treated freakin' AL JARDINE, for the Paradise Cove "problem", and for Baby Blue Bathing Suit. More than enough is more than enough. And I think we don't need yet another narrative where the Beach Boys did nothing important after 1966/1967.

Amen!

not sure if this is the Dionne Warwick footage you mentioned but it's great: https://youtu.be/iBUDjZxC4co

It's ok for what it is, it wasn't designed to be a dig deep documentary. It was well produced and the music sounded great, loved the new interviews too. But it seemed like it rushed the last 1/2 hour or so, from the 60's to the end. Too bad it didn't end in 1980, but just very rushed. But I enjoyed what there was of it.

Just finished part two. Very interesting and putting some fresh perspectives on the whole saga. Thank you!

One point you mention that I also always wondered about is that anyone would doubt the commercial potential of an album with "Wouldn't it be nice", "Sloop John B." and "God only knows" plus Brian's "Caroline no" on it.
I'm looking forward to seeing the other parts.