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Annie Berke - TV Critic
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Director Orson Welles called Los Angeles a “bright, guilty place,” and even those of us who have never travelled there know about Hollywood corruption from movies and television. And just look at media circus that surrounds the Paris Hilton trial: watching a star fall proves even more exciting than watching one rise.
Two series this summer are cashing in on our celebrity obsession and schadenfreude, and both star red-haired comediennes. But only one of these shows is actually funny.
Annie Berke talks about THE STARTERS WIFE
USA’s miniseries, The Starter Wife, starring Emmy award winner Debra Messing, best known for her role as Grace Adler in “Will and Grace.” Those who tune in to reconnect with their favorite sitcom heroine will be sorely disappointed in The Starter Wife and in Messing’s performance. It’s unclear what this series wants to be—a light-hearted send-up of the Hollywood set? A cinematic fluff-fest, gratifying those who didn’t get their fill of snappy outfits in The Devil Wears Prada? Or a story of women’s liberation, an attack on stringent standards of female beauty? I would love to see any of these shows, but unfortunately, The Starter Wife is none of these things. Three hours into this show, the story has still not taken off, and Debra Messing’s performance as Molly Kagan is stilted, uncomfortable, truly self-conscious. Her character remains narcississtic now as she was in the opening ten minutes. And the dialogue is more painful than pithy, a sexy beach-bum calling Molly “dangerous… like [she] might ignite.” Ick. Maybe we can’t blame Messing for a bad script, though we can blame her for taking the project in the first place.
Judy Davis as Molly’s alcoholic gal-pal and Peter Jacobson as Kenny, Molly’s studio executive ex bring this show the little life and humor it has. But nothing can save this show from itself. Sorry Debra—you know I loved you back when you were on primetime, considered you a modern-day Lucille Ball, even—but as it stands, I want a divorce.
Annie Berke talks about LIFE ON THE D-LIST
I have to say right upfront: I’m an enormous Kathy Griffin fan. I watched her reality show last season faithfully. I have watched her Bravo specials multiple times. I have even gone to see one of her comedy shows. I have done everything short of rent “Suddenly Susan” to get my Griffin fix. Consequently, I approached her new special and the season premiere of “Life on the D-List” with excitement and reservation. Will she live up to my expectations, or will she disappoint?
Things have changed for Kathy. The biggest change from last season to this one is her recent divorce from her husband, Matt. (Also, since the wrap of this season, Kathy’s father John passed away.) This is a sadder but wiser Kathy Griffin, one all the more Hollywood for her broken marriage. This is “D-List” with pathos, but her commentary on Hollywood deejays and mugshots are just as sharp and shocking as they ever were. Some may find her humor inexcusably mean, but she has nothing on Sarah Silverman at the MTV Movie Awards this year (search “Sarah Silverman AND Paris Hilton” on YouTube if you don’t know what I’m talking about). While Molly in The Starter Wife never wins our hearts, Kathy Griffin invites us in with her fiery quips and self-depreciating humor.
Rumors are brewing that Kathy Griffin may step in to replace Rosie O’Donnell on The View. While Kathy’s presence on the show would certainly keep things interesting, the question remains: What would Hollywood do without this A+ D-Lister?
The Starter Wife, Thursdays at 9 (USA). Debuted May 31.
Kathy Griffin: Everybody Can Suck It, Debuted June 5
Kathy Griffin: Life on the D-List, Tuesdays at 10 (Bravo). Premiered June 5.
Annie's Pick of the Week: Army Wives. Lifetime, Sundays at 10. Premiered June 3.
Compelling, highly watchable series. As one might expect from a Lifetime series, it is a prime-time soap opera masquerading as serious drama—my favorite!
Annie's Pan of the Week: Hidden Palms. CW, Wednesdays at 8. Premiered May 30.
Kevin Williamson, whatever possessed you to write about the cool kids? Stick to what you know—film geeks like Dawson Leery and Randy Meeks (Jamie Kennedy in Scream).
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