It’s that time of year again… the time of year where the American television industry celebrates the best of the best. The 2012 Emmy nominations are in, so Amber West and I decided to bring back the Tamberny Awards in today’s Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday.
Two weeks ago, we asked our readers to vote on their favorites… and this week, we’re chiming in. Will Amber and I agree?
And for the continuation of the Tamberny Awards, click over to Amber’s blog for our discussion of the nominated comedies and reality series.
We hope you enjoy the show!
*****
Remember to stop by the #watchwed hashtag in Twitter to discuss any of today’s reviews, or to mention any television programs that you’d like to see on Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday in the future.
And, remember to check out my YA Mystery novel, Football Sweetheart… now available on Kindle and Nook!
I know Amber West and I promised to review something new this week on Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday, but we told a little white lie. I know, there we go again with fibbing to our audience, but we have a good reason. Amber brought something to my attention this week—something very important—it’s our anniversary!!
One year ago tomorrow, a friendly face on Twitter reached out to me and proposed we join forces and two of our favorite things—television and food—to help others know which TV shows were worthy of a watch. Because let’s face it, not many people have as much time on their hands to fit in as much television as we do (okay, as I do; I don’t want to make Amber out as a crazy-television-obsessed-viewer like I am), so why not help the channel surfers in the world find that one perfect fit to fill their one or two free hours a night?
With that, Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday was born, and a great friendship blossomed with my girl, Amber. I never really set out to blog three times a week, especially not about TV twice a week, but looking back I wouldn’t change a thing.
So in celebration of our blogiversary, we thought it best to offer up the Top Ten most popular reviews, five here and five over at Amber’s place.
Which TV shows brought the most people over to my WatchWed posts?
I mean really, who doesn’t like the darker look at the classic fairy tale… my guy and I sure do!
Before we go, we want to send out a BIG THANK YOU to all of our viewers who have supported us over the past year! None of this would be possible without you! Amber and I love what we do, but it wouldn’t be nearly as much fun without the great reader interaction we receive week in and week out.
And in staying in-tune with our viewers, what would you like to see as Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday embarks on its second year? Leave a comment or stop by the Twitter hashtag (#watchwed) and let us know!
Now click over to Amber’s blog and see which of her WatchWed reviews cracked her top five. Like me, her shows come with some very sexy arm candy…
Come back next week when Amber and I review something and return to our regularly scheduled reviews, even if we don’t know which shows just yet. Hey, it’s summer… we’ve got fun in the sun on the brain.
A Recap of The WatchWed Review System:
GTV (Gourmet TV): Everything we want and more MacTV (MacNCheese TV): Guilty pleasure. Not perfect, but is satisfies GMacTV (Gourmet MacNCheese TV): A combination of fine wine and comfort food JFTV (Junk food TV): It’s not great for us, but we’ll go back for seconds TBPTV (Twice Baked Potato TV): Part gourmet and delicious, while absolutely horrible for our cholesterol SSTV (Still Simmering TV): It has potential, but the jury is still out NIV (Nyquil Induced Viewing): Perfect for that late night television sleep timer LOTV (Liver&Onions TV): Do we really have to explain? Blech
This week Amber West and I revisit two of our simmering reviews on Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday — ABC’s Scandal and Missing. Are we still watching? Or have we given up completely?
Well, I may not have given up on Missing completely, but it seems the network has. Missing has officially been cancelled — so I guess it’s missing in more ways than one. But for the sake of today’s review, I’m sticking with it… considering I’ve stuck with it every episode along the way.
What would you do if your child went missing while studying abroad?
This frightening situation is the premise behind ABC’s soon to be missing drama, Missing.
The series begins with Becca Winstone (Ashley Judd) as she witnesses, or overhears really, an explosion that kills her husband (CIA Agent Paul Winstone, played by Sean Bean) while talking to her son, Michael, on the telephone.
Missing then fast forwards ten years when a now eighteen year old Michael (played by Nick Eversman) informs his mother that he has been accepted to an architectural summer program in Rome. Becca’s hesitant at first, considering Venice is where her husband was murdered, but agrees to Michael’s study abroad opportunity. The two only have each other, and they share a very close relationship as apparent with his secret “I love you” code — 235@W’ — “23” is Michael’s soccer number; “5” because the heart is the 5th largest organ in the body; and “@W’” because Becca is the head of the Winstone household, thus making her Winstone Prime.
A little while into Michael’s trip, all texts and calls stop. Causing her to worry even more, Becca receives a phone call from Michael’s architectural program telling her that he has missed multiple courses and has since been withdrawn from school. Becca decides to do what any mother would do — she takes it upon herself to travel to Rome to search for any leads and clues into her son’s disappearance.
Becca first visits Michael’s apartment where she discovers spoiled food on the table and his cell phone plugged into the wall charger. What teenager goes anywhere without his or her cell phone? She’s reading his outgoing call history when she is interrupted by a man with a gun. A struggle ensues, but Becca kicks this man’s booty, grabs his gun, and flees from the window after she hears police sirens.
How in the world can a soccer mom (literally, she’s a soccer mom — Michael’s favorite sport is soccer, and this plays into the story in more ways than one) and flower shop owner disarm and kill a man so effortlessly? Because like her deceased husband, Becca is a retired CIA agent (she retires following her husband’s death).
While on the run from authorities, Becca reaches out to an old ally (Giancarlo Rossi, played Adriano Giannini) who informs her that the man she just killed in her son’s apartment is former Italian intelligence. While hiding out and resting at Giancarlo’s, Becca continues to study her son’s phone and its photographs, and discovers that there is a surveillance camera out on the street behind his apartment. She tracks it across town, breaks in, disables the security alarm, and hacks into the video footage of the day her son disappeared (she knows Thursday was the last day anyone saw him alive). Becca watches the surveillance as two men grab Michael and throw him into the back of a black van with French plates. A mother’s worst fears realized…
Becca manages to track down clues, but constantly runs into more men and women with guns. Not only is she frantically searching for her son, hopping European cities left and right (Missing was filmed on location in Europe — eight different cities, I believe), and dodging foreign police, she’s also attempting to trust other CIA operatives (led by Agent Dax Miller, played by Cliff Curtis). She needs help, but Agent Miller’s team definitely doesn’t trust Becca because of the size of her CIA file — “the thinner the file, the better the agent.” After a few chance encounters with the operatives, Becca also begins to run from her former employer’s new team.
She can’t trust anyone. TWIST. Or can she? TURN.
Without giving too much away for those who haven’t seen it and still wish to, despite the cancellation — hopefully it will be available on Netflix and worthy of a watch — know that no one is as they seem. No one. TWIST and TURN.
With only the season finale left, the series has impressed me in that the action never slows down. The twists kept me on my toes and impressively answered questions along the way, while of course throwing more twists right back at us. Considering the network’s cancellation, I really hope the season finale wraps things up. I want to see Becca — a woman on a mission, comparable to a female Jack Bauer — beat the living daylights out of the bad guy and wrap her arms around her son.
And despite the network’s cancellation, I can’t help but award Missing with the MacTV rating. Not only do I like Ashley Judd (I can watch Double Jeopardy and High Crimes over and over again), but the non-stop action and numerous twists adds heat to the already rapidly boiling water — perfect conditions for a warm bowl of our favorite cheesy pasta.
If anyone missed the series, Missing may totally be worthy of a spot on a Netflix Queue when available – well, depending on how the season finale (eh-hem, I mean series finale) wraps up. If the episode ends on a cliffhanger, a cliffhanger that will never see answers, I might recommend everyone steer clear of Missing. There’s nothing quite like investing hour after hour in something to only be disappointed at the end. Thanks a lot, ABC…
But if the finale ends with Becca kicking booty and finding Michael, it’s definitely worth a watch!
What do you think? Did you watch Missing? Was this series cancelled too soon? I’d love to hear from you!
Now click over to Amber’s blog and find out if Scandal has passed her DVR queue test… is she still watching?
Come back next week when Amber and I review two of the USA Network’s dramas – the new series, Common Law, and the sophomore surprise, Fairly Legal.
Remember to stop by the #watchwed hashtag in Twitter to discuss any of today’s reviews, or to mention any television programs that you’d like to see on Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday in the future.
A Recap of The WatchWed Review System:
GTV (Gourmet TV): Everything we want and more MacTV (MacNCheese TV): Guilty pleasure. Not perfect, but is satisfies GMacTV (Gourmet MacNCheese TV): A combination of fine wine and comfort food JFTV (Junk food TV): It’s not great for us, but we’ll go back for seconds TBPTV (Twice Baked Potato TV): Part gourmet and delicious, while absolutely horrible for our cholesterol SSTV (Still Simmering TV): It has potential, but the jury is still out NIV (Nyquil Induced Viewing): Perfect for that late night television sleep timer LOTV (Liver&Onions TV): Do we really have to explain? Blech
This week Amber West and I return to somewhat of a normal Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday review – last week’s sex conversation had me all sorts of flustered.
What do girls do when they’re flustered? We rely on our girlfriends… which is why my TV partner-in-crime and I thought it best to review two television programs that feature women and their ever-important relationships with their girlfriends – Best Friends Forever and GCB.
Originally Good Christian Bitches and later Good Christian Belles, GCB follows a former high school Queen “B” (Amanda, played by Leslie Bibb from Crossing Jordan) after she returns to her home town (Dallas) following the death of her husband. Along with her two teenage children, Amanda moves in with her mother (Annie Potts, Designing Women) and attempts to pull her life back together – not only did her husband die with another woman by his side, but he was also guilty of embezzling millions of dollars from his clients (yet another TV show with a ponzi scheme storyline).
Amanda and her family
Despite the fact that Amanda left her “mean girl” days behind her, the girls she terrorized in high school haven’t quite forgotten the way she treated them. Everyone, including Amanda’s mother, seems to be stuck in the past and the tables have turned on her.
GCB also stars Kristin Chenoweth (Pushing Daisies) as Carlene, Marisol Nichols (24) as Heather, Jennifer Aspen (Party of Five) as Sharon, and Miriam Shor (Damages) as Cricket, the girls Amanda terrorized in high school still living in Dallas – the girls she donned the “javelinas” (ugly girls). Of course, not one of these women is physically ugly by any means, but they do mask their true intentions by hiding behind His Word and their church.
THE Christian B, Carlene. Boy, is she not happy to see Amanda…
Each and every one of these ladies are successful in their own right, but for three of them life wouldn’t be the same without their husbands: David James Elliott (JAG) plays Carlene’s husband, Ripp Cockburn (one of the best Texas names I’ve ever heard, and I live in Texas) who owns massive real estate, local businesses, and anything else that makes tons of money; Brad Beyer (Jericho) plays Sharon’s husband, Zack Peacham who played professional football for the Cowboys and now owns a struggling luxury car dealership; and Mark Deklin (Lone Star) plays Cricket’s husband, Blake Reilly, a “real” cowboy who happens to have a Dallas-sized secret of his own (he’s gay).
The Reillys are good at keeping secrets…
When I first saw the previews for GCB, I hoped it was ABC’s next Desperate Housewives. The potential for massive drama is there – Ripp seems to be one of the many that Amanda’s ex-husband ripped off, and he wants his money back – but as the show title indicates, the series is mostly dramedy showcasing the teeny-tiny cat fights the girls always find themselves wrapped up in.
Will Ripp rip Amanda for her husband ripping him off? Sorry, I couldn’t resist…
Carlene always leads the pack, horrified by everything teenage Amanda did and said to her. Sharon is not at all confident and constantly fears that Amanda is going to steal her man, much like she did Cricket’s high school boyfriend (Amanda’s deceased husband). Heather appears to be the only rational member of the foursome, and actually accepts Amanda’s apology and refrains from any of the vengeful games the others launch at her (unless she’s being threatened by Carlene, Sharon, or Cricket for whatever reason).
Amanda’s entrance catches Sharon and Heather by surprise as well…
As usual, the show takes the regular Texas accent and twists it into the hideous Texas TV Twang we’ve grown accustomed to over the years. Seriously Hollywood, we don’t sound like that! And let’s not forget the idealism that everything is bigger in Texas, they play that up to a “T” as well, in addition to the Texan’s love affair with the 2nd Amendment and BBQ.
Gotta have guns…
But bottom line, GCB is fun. It’s not great, it’s not even a series that I would rank in my top twenty – but it’s fun with its over-the-top humor (Annie Potts steals the show, hands down). I do laugh, but I still haven’t decided if I’m laughing at the show or with the show.
I’m torn as to how to rate GCB – it’s definitely not LOTV, nor is it NIV. But what is it? After watching the conclusion of the first season, GCB earns the JFTV rating – but it’s the kind of junk food that we should only reach for when we’ve kept to our workout regimen and there’s nothing left in the cupboard besides that bag of chocolate we know deep down we really should avoid.
Maybe if it makes it to a season two, GCB will redeem itself and move up the scale. I know it has the potential to be better than it actually is. And like I said, now that Desperate Housewives is done, I’m looking for a show to fill the Wisteria Lane gap. I’m not hating here… really, I’m not. I just want more.
What do you think? Did you watch the first season of GCB? Do you agree or disagree with my rating? Who’s your favorite character and why? Do you think the show will be back for season two? I’d love to hear from you!
Now click over to Amber’s blog and see what she thinks about another show that focuses on the relationships between female characters that also happens to form another acronym, BFF or Best Friends Forever…
Come back next week when Amber and I revisit a few of our SSTV reviews… How will Scandal and Missing fare today?
Remember to stop by the #watchwed hashtag in Twitter to discuss any of today’s reviews, or to mention any television programs that you’d like to see on Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday in the future.
A Recap of The WatchWed Review System:
GTV (Gourmet TV): Everything we want and more MacTV (MacNCheese TV): Guilty pleasure. Not perfect, but is satisfies GMacTV (Gourmet MacNCheese TV): A combination of fine wine and comfort food JFTV (Junk food TV): It’s not great for us, but we’ll go back for seconds TBPTV (Twice Baked Potato TV): Part gourmet and delicious, while absolutely horrible for our cholesterol SSTV (Still Simmering TV): It has potential, but the jury is still out NIV (Nyquil Induced Viewing): Perfect for that late night television sleep timer LOTV (Liver&Onions TV): Do we really have to explain? Blech
This week Amber West and I are trying something a bit different on Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday. We’re still reviewing TV, of sorts… Amber takes a look at the Hulu original, Battleground (only available online), and I’m reviewing a reality show on Lifetime that I never thought I’d watch.
“Can Sex Mend a Broken Relationship?”
The Lifetime Network poses this question to troubled couples each week on their new reality program, 7 Days of Sex.
When I first saw the advertisements for this show, I had no idea what was in store for us. I didn’t know if it was a traditional drama like Lifetime’s other new racy series, The Client List, or if it was something else all together.
It is something else all together.
I emailed Amber about it and somehow I was tasked with the review. To be honest, I would have never watched otherwise. I’m not a prude (even if I feel a bit like one typing this review), but I also don’t watch shows like Wife Swap, The Bachelor/Bachelorette, or anything else relationship oriented. It’s simply not my cup of tea.
But I took one for the team with this one…
Each episode features two “real” life couples who aren’t having sex for one reason or another. In the pilot, one couple was married with three young children and the other couple had been married longer but without children. The couples vow to have sex once a day for seven days straight to re-energize their relationships.
Will it work?
Besides the fact that these couples are technically broadcasting their sex lives to the world (don’t worry; it’s PG-rated), the most intriguing part of the show happens to be the similarities between these couples and the relatability of men and women’s views on sex.
First, the most obvious difference between men and women’s views of sex:
What is sex to a man? A physical need; they should have sex every day.
What is sex to a woman? A moment of intimacy, a “deed” or a job.
Moving on, why don’t couples have sex?
For couples with children, it’s hard to find alone time for “nookie”
Husbands and wives aren’t on the same page about starting a family
Women feel uncomfortable about their bodies and don’t want to be seen naked, not even by their partner
Finances
Control Issues
Lack of respect for one another
Married woman from the couple without children... Her generalized thoughts: I'd like to be in control every once in a while...
Regardless of the whys and the why nots, these couples pledged to have sex for seven days straight. So how do they feel about this? The men are excited… and the women are afraid their “lady parts” will be sore.
I could go on and on about the experiences of these couples throughout their week-long pledge, but I’ll try to summarize my favorite parts instead.
Men think that taking women out to a nice and fancy dinner will help them get “lucky” later
Women would prefer to nap than have sex
Men think that taking women on a surprise camping trip will help them get “lucky”
Women will try to bargain their way out of having sex; “How about we skip tonight and have a double feature in the morning?”
Men will do anything to have sex
Women want to be spoiled and wowed
Men feel sex isn’t complete without the woman reaching orgasm
Women don’t care about reaching an orgasm every time they have sex
Married husband from the couple with children... His generalized thoughts: I'm really looking forward to this Sex Pact!
And maybe it’s because I’m a woman, but I also found these points interesting and somewhat valid:
Women will set “rules” for a “sure thing” – rules instructing the men to be sweet and not do or say anything to anger her (that’s like walking in a landmine, isn’t it gents?)
If a woman buys her own “sexy” lingerie and toys, the men should prepare for a “fun” night
If a man buys a woman “sexy” lingerie and toys, the woman doesn’t feel nearly as comfortable
If one tiny thing goes wrong, say the man doesn’t help around the house with chores that the woman hasn’t told him about but feels he should automatically know, the woman is “closed” for business
Pouring hot wax over one another is not such a great idea, especially when you have children asleep in the other room
Anyway, after the seven-day pact, both couples reconnected; both felt like more of a team. Taking it one step further, the married couple with children wrote promises to one another going forward and the married couple without children vowed to have a “7 Days of Sex” anniversary every year. The sex vow seemed to work for these two pairs… but will it always?
Now for the fun part, how does Lifetime’s 7 Days of Sex rate? It wasn’t the worst thing I’ve ever watched on TV, but I also probably won’t watch it again unless I’m in bed waiting to fall asleep and there’s nothing else on. Therefore, I give it the NIV rating (Nyquil Induced Viewing): Perfect for that late night television sleep timer.
Sorry Lifetime, but as expected, it’s just not my cup of tea. I think having watched one episode, I’m good to go…. This is a very interesting conversation piece, but a series? I was thinking more like a one or two-hour special like the basic cable networks offer.
What do you think? Did you watch 7 Days of Sex? Do you plan to catch at least one episode – why or why not? Do you agree with any of the above assessments about how men and women feel about sex? I’d love to hear from you!
Now click over to Amber’s blog and see how the Hulu original, Battleground, fares in her opinion…
Come back next week when Amber and I review something fun and interesting…although it probably won’t be anything like 7 Days of Sex!
Remember to stop by the #watchwed hashtag in Twitter to discuss any of today’s reviews, or to mention any television programs that you’d like to see on Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday in the future.
A Recap of The WatchWed Review System:
GTV (Gourmet TV): Everything we want and more MacTV (MacNCheese TV): Guilty pleasure. Not perfect, but is satisfies GMacTV (Gourmet MacNCheese TV): A combination of fine wine and comfort food JFTV (Junk food TV): It’s not great for us, but we’ll go back for seconds TBPTV (Twice Baked Potato TV): Part gourmet and delicious, while absolutely horrible for our cholesterol SSTV (Still Simmering TV): It has potential, but the jury is still out NIV (Nyquil Induced Viewing): Perfect for that late night television sleep timer LOTV (Liver&Onions TV): Do we really have to explain? Blech
This week Amber West and I flip channels over to SyFy to review two of their science fiction dramas on Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday — a revisit to the soon to end series, Eureka,and a look atthe Canadian hit picked up by U.S. television, Lost Girl.
What if we made a habit of waking up next to dead lovers?
That’s the story of Bo’s life (Anna Silk) — her life as a succubus. Of course she doesn’t know what she’s doing or what her powers are called; she only knows that she has the tendency to kill those she is intimate with. Over the years, Bo has learned to keep a stash of fake identification documents handy and to flee her whereabouts at a moment’s notice to keep her secret safe.
Bo "sucking" the life out of someone deserving, I'm sure...
But Bo’s life is about to change forever.
After saving a human girl’s life (Kenzi, played by Ksenia Solo) from an overly aggressive man looking to take advantage of her, the human actually sticks by Bo and the two become fast friends and roommates. Throughout the investigation into the dead man, Bo also meets Dyson (played by Kristen Holden-Reid) and Hale (played by K.C. Collins), two detectives who understand her more than anyone has ever understood her in her entire life.
Dyson and Hale
Courtesy of Dyson and Hale, Bo finally learns all about her supernatural powers and about the Fae organization. Dyson and Hale also belong in this world – Dyson is a wolf shape-shifter and Hale is a siren.
The Fae is broken into two groups — the Light and the Dark — the good and the evil. The leaders of the Fae world insist that Bo choose a side, but she fights for her freedom and remains neutral — a rare oddity in the Fae organization.
Succubus or no succubus, Bo can take care of herself...
Regardless, Bo has finally found a home.
Lost Girl follows Bo as she attempts to control her power and balance her supernatural and human lives. She works alongside a combination of supernatural beings and human friends as a private investigator, hired by those who can’t seem to find help anywhere else — human or supernatural.
Kenzi works as Bo’s partner, and uses her history as a scam artist and her “street” talents to their advantage. The two constantly rely on Dyson and Hale, not only for their access to the police department but also because of their knowledge of the Fae worlds. Also helping the team from time to time is: Lauren (Zoie Palmer), a human doctor with valuable knowledge of the supernatural Fae organization; and Trick (Rick Howland), the owner of a town pub where Light and Dark Fae comingle.
Bo and Kenzi
In addition to previously not knowing about her powers and the Fae existence, Bo also doesn’t know anything about her birth parents. She now understands that either one or both belong to the Fae world — her mother could be another succubus; her father could be an incubus; or her mother and father could both be “sex chi eaters” — regardless, Bo wants to know more; and for whatever reason, Dyson and Trick are keeping her past from her.
Lost Girl has aired in Canada for the past few television seasons, and has been renewed for a third. The SyFy network recently acquired the rights to air the first two seasons, and the series premiered this winter.
A little Bo-candy for the guys...
The succubus storyline is a nice twist on the usual vampire, werewolf, and witch filled supernatural TV programs, plus the special effects are great. Perhaps it’s because the series originated outside the U.S., but the language and sexual situations are far more risqué than what we’re accustomed to here in the States.
One might wonder just how much the sexual element plays into the story, and that would be a lot. See, Bo uses sex with Dyson to curb her succubus cravings and to heal. In bed, where she’d normally kill a human, Dyson can take it. It may drain him, but he keeps her satisfied. And, to test her ability on controlling her powers, Bo played a little sexual game with Lauren. It seems Bo can’t make up her mind — Dyson or Lauren; Lauren or Dyson?
Bo needs just a little of Dyson to heal or cure her cravings...
So how does Lost Girl rank? For now, we’re giving the SyFy series a solid JFTV rating; like Bo, every once in a while we need to satisfy our succubus cravings (only ours come in the form of chocolate miniatures). The show might rank higher, but considering we’re not current on the episodes and tend to let them stockpile on the DVR queue tells us that it’s not quite a MacTV favorite.
However, give us some more shirtless Dyson, and Lost Girl could move up the WatchWed food chain overnight…
Some eye-candy for the girls...
What do you think? Have you watched Lost Girl? Who’s your favorite character and why? If you could have any one supernatural power, what would it be and why? I’d love to hear from you!
Before we go, give Lost Girl a chance — don’t give up after watching the pilot. The episodes get much better…
Now click over to Amber’s blog and see her continued thoughts about the soon to be gone Eureka.
Come back next week when Amber and I review something fun and interesting…
Remember to stop by the #watchwed hashtag in Twitter to discuss any of today’s reviews, or to mention any television programs that you’d like to see on Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday in the future.
A Recap of The WatchWed Review System:
GTV (Gourmet TV): Everything we want and more MacTV (MacNCheese TV): Guilty pleasure. Not perfect, but is satisfies GMacTV (Gourmet MacNCheese TV): A combination of fine wine and comfort food JFTV (Junk food TV): It’s not great for us, but we’ll go back for seconds TBPTV (Twice Baked Potato TV): Part gourmet and delicious, while absolutely horrible for our cholesterol SSTV (Still Simmering TV): It has potential, but the jury is still out NIV (Nyquil Induced Viewing): Perfect for that late night television sleep timer LOTV (Liver&Onions TV): Do we really have to explain? Blech
This week Amber West and I review two new 2012 midseason replacement dramas filled with scandalous client lists and female leads on Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday – Lifetime’s The Client List and ABC’s Scandal.
Back in 2010, the Lifetime Network aired The Client List starring Jennifer Love Hewitt. Love, as she’s been referred to many times in the media since her role on Party of Five, plays a mother who takes a position at a massage parlor to make ends meet after her husband suffers an injury that prevents him from working. She later learns that her fellow masseuses are actually turning tricks and earning a fine living as prostitutes, serving some of the most prominent members of her community.
The fictionalized story is inspired by actual events that took place back in 2004 in Odessa, Texas — my hometown’s neighbor, fifteen miles to the west. It took me a while to put two and two together, but this story captured everyone’s attention in West Texas, especially mine. Why? Because one of my former high school teachers was included in the list of “Johns” at the time. Wow. Right? But I digress…
Now two years later, Lifetime is banking again on the popularity of the story and Jennifer Love Hewitt — The Client List is now a series on the television network for women. The names have changed (Samantha Horton is now Riley Parks); the basic plot has been tweaked (the injured husband is now a husband that has abandoned his family); but the general idea remains the same (a mother goes to work as a prostitute to make a living for her children).
Riley Parks (Hewitt) lives in Beaumont, Texas with her unemployed husband and two small children. Convinced she needs to save her family, Riley hits the pavement in search of work. Unfortunately, she can’t find a day spa hiring any new masseuses. On her way out of another failed interview, Riley runs into an old friend and former co-worker who is doing seemingly well for herself working at a parlor an hour away. Riley accepts her friend’s business card and drives to Sugarland, Texas where she checks out this parlor — The Rub.
Georgia, owner & operator of The Rub
The Rub is a legitimate massage parlor operated by Georgia (Loretta Devine) — ninety percent of the time anyway. The other ten percent consists of “The Client List” — guys looking for a little extra, or “happy endings” as we’re more familiar with today. Riley insists that she will not provide any “extras” — even though “the girls that don’t do extras, don’t really do that well” at The Rub. That is until she comes home to discover that her husband has abandoned her and she’s in danger of losing her home.
Riley needs to make more money; She needs a name off “The Client List.”
Mortgage Money!!
As expected, she’s uncomfortable at first, but later proves to be a natural. She makes enough in cash tips to pay her mortgage and even saves the marriage of one of her clients. Saves a marriage? Yes; she listens to him and give him advice on how to reconnect with his wife. She even has a heart-to-heart with the wife (Mimi Rogers) after the wife vandalizes Riley’s car, stalks Riley, and follows Riley home.
I know what everyone is thinking — Mimi Rogers — now that’s a big name for a guest appearance. Well, how about Cybill Shepherd? Cybill plays Riley’s mother, Lynette. There’s another big name…
The always beautiful Cybill Shepherd...
With only two episodes so far, what do I like about The Client List?
First, I was impressed with a few of the one-liners:
As Riley walks around the lobby area of The Rub, she notices that it is “not at all what it looks like on the outside.” Nice pun.
When asking for a flexible schedule to care for her children, Georgia tells Riley that “this job is all about flexibility.” Another nice pun.
I also like Riley’s best friend (Lacey, played by Rebecca Field). She plays a minor role but seems to be a character full of spunk and pizzazz, like when she rushes over to console Riley after her husband’s departure: “I brought some Xanax because I know how you can get,” and then Lacey pops a pill in her mouth.
As much as I appreciate the one-liners and the character of Lacey, there are also a few aspects of the series that bother me.
Like other television programs, The Client List uses an over-the-top Texas accent. As Texans, we’re not supposed to hear our own accents, which is probably why I have such a hard time with TV’s Texas Twang. Not all of us sound like that folks, honest.
And as if Riley’s job isn’t awkward enough as is (rumor has it that The Client List has angered “real life” massage therapists for giving masseuses a bad name), the obvious sexual tension between Riley and her brother-in-law (played by Colin Egglesfield) is really awkward, even for TV.
Okay, so who can blame Riley if she does indeed crush on her brother-in-law?
Will The Client List be like Ghost Whisperer where Love cries in every episode? Maybe, but honestly I hope not. I loved Ghost Whisperer, but watching Love cry on cue was almost worthy of becoming a fun drinking game all in itself — take a shot every time Melinda cries…
But back to the program at hand… Have we seen enough to award The Client List with a rating higher than the SSTV rating? No; Not yet. The Client List is like a pot of water sitting on the back burner where the coils aren’t even red yet. We definitely need more to determine whether or not this series will be worth a watch.
And before we wrap, I’d be remiss to not add the irony of The Client List airing on Lifetime (television for women), considering Love’s The Rub attire is more like television for men… I’m just sayin’. And yes, I’m am a bit jealous. What woman doesn’t want to look like that in lingerie?
Ooo-La-La...
What do you think? Have you watched The Client List? Did you watch the 2010 Lifetime movie? I’d love to hear from you!
Now click over to Amber’s blog and see what she thinks about ABC’s Scandal. From the episode we’ve seen, it looks like Olivia Pope has her hands full with the President of the United States…
Come back next week when Amber and I review two SyFy dramas – Amber revisits the soon to end series, Eureka,and I take a look atthe Canadian hit picked up by US television, Lost Girl.
Remember to stop by the #watchwed hashtag in Twitter to discuss any of today’s reviews, or to mention any television programs that you’d like to see on Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday in the future.
A Recap of The WatchWed Review System:
GTV (Gourmet TV): Everything we want and more MacTV (MacNCheese TV): Guilty pleasure. Not perfect, but is satisfies GMacTV (Gourmet MacNCheese TV): A combination of fine wine and comfort food JFTV (Junk food TV): It’s not great for us, but we’ll go back for seconds TBPTV (Twice Baked Potato TV): Part gourmet and delicious, while absolutely horrible for our cholesterol SSTV (Still Simmering TV): It has potential, but the jury is still out NIV (Nyquil Induced Viewing): Perfect for that late night television sleep timer LOTV (Liver&Onions TV): Do we really have to explain? Blech
This week Amber West and I review two new 2012 midseason comedy replacements on Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday – ABC’s Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23and NBC’s Bent.
Comedy seems to be at the top of this year’s midseason replacements with many of the networks picking up new sitcoms. While it is annoying to watch our favorite series end a bit early this year, we can also see the upside to introducing these new programs in April so that the decision makers don’t necessarily cancel a popular show just to test the waters with a pilot (we’ve seen that happen one too many times). With this in mind, we’re tuning in to these newbies and trying to not hold any grudges.
Bent follows recently divorced attorney, Alex (Amanda Peet), as she tries to pick up the ”bent” pieces of her life post-divorce. With sole-custody of her daughter, Alex buys a small home that is in need of renovations. She hires Pete (David Walton), a contractor who is a recovering gambling addict trying to pick up the pieces of his “bent” life as well.
Alex and Pete...
Alex and Pete are nothing alike — Alex is a responsible person with a no-nonsense personality, while Pete flies by the seat of his pants. From the first episode, we could already smell the romance brewing between these two and we wonder how long it’s going to take before they get together. But wouldn’t that be the kiss of death for the new sitcom? TV audiences have proven over the years that they like the chase and romantic tension between leads, and ratings plummet once the couple gives in to their sexual urges (we’re specifically thinking of Moonlighting here and hoping we don’t see the same fate with Bones). Not to mention, Alex has a serious boyfriend (Ben, played by Matt Letscher) who can also sense the attraction between Alex and Pete and who conveniently intervenes anytime the two get too close.
Alex and Ben...
That’s right — Bent has a love triangle…
The two leads aren’t the only ones living “bent” lives. The new comedy also stars Jeffrey Tambor as Pete’s “bent” father, Walt. Walt is a struggling actor working feverishly to land a new agent since his has recently died. We’re led to believe he’s never really had a successful career, but he’s positive and has never given up hope. Walt’s life is also “bent” considering he is still madly in love with his ex-wife (played by Marcia Gay Harden), who is a successful stage actress over in Europe.
Jeffrey Tambor knows comedy...
Pete knows the flame still burns between his parents, and he knows that his mother will tug at his father’s heart strings before returning to her life overseas; therefore, he tries to keep the two apart. Pete’s reaction to his parents is almost a realistic, rather than an optimistic approach which is a nice deviation from most fictional characters on television today.
The series also stars Margo Harshman (Sorority Row) as Alex’s sister, Screwsie. Screwsie is a hoot; while her life is anything but perfect, she does seem a bit less “bent” than the rest. She owns her own catering business, which seems very lucrative, and she almost always has a drink in her hand (tequila, wine, or coffee). She’s young and enjoys not being tied down, especially when that means she can manipulate one of Pete’s workers (Gary, played by Jesse Plemons from Friday Night Lights).
Wrapping up the Bent cast is Alex’s daughter, Charlie (played by Joey King from Ramona and Beezus) and the rest of Pete’s contracting crew: Clem (comedian J.B. Smoove) and Vlad (Pasha D. Lychnikoff).
Charlie really likes Pete...
Each episode focuses on the home renovations and at least one other story line. Honestly, I wonder what will happen if or when the construction job is complete — will the show fizzle out and die, or will Alex find something else to keep Pete and his crew busy? The general plot idea definitely works at first, but there is also an obvious end to the storyline which leads us to wonder if the creators have thought that far out or if they’re just hoping to get picked up and they’ll take it from there.
While Bent has only aired for three weeks, viewers have been lucky enough for a double dose each of the past three weeks giving us six episodes to date. I personally love the banter between Alex and Pete; Pete and Ben; Alex, Pete, and Ben; as well as Pete and his crew, and Screwsie (isn’t her name awesome?!?!) and anyone else. The dialogue is sharp, witty, and a lot of fun. That said, I award Bent with the JFTV rating. I’d like to give it more, but I simply can’t; it’s not the best comedy I’ve seen, but it is one of the most enjoyable airing now on Wednesday nights (now that Whitney and Are You There, Chelsea? have aired their season finales). For the time being, Bent will have to settle as one of my favorite TV snacks…
Before wrapping, I just want to add that David Walton (Pete) is adorable!! I didn’t really know him before and wondered why they didn’t get someone familiar to play opposite Amanda Peet, but now I am more than happy with the selection.
And by the way, I really love the message of the show — our life can always bend, but it’s up to us whether or not it breaks. Cheers!
What do you think? Have you watched Bent? Which character do you like or relate to the most? I’d love to hear from you!
Now click over to Amber’s blog and see what she thinks about Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23. Thanks to Hulu, she got a sneak peek! And I don’t know about everyone else, but I am really looking forward to James Van Der Beek, playing James Van Der Beek, and poking a little fun at himself…
Come back next week when Amber and I review two of TV’s newest dramas dealing in scandalous affairs and shady clientele – Scandal andThe Client List.
Remember to stop by the #watchwed hashtag in Twitter to discuss any of today’s reviews, or to mention any television programs that you’d like to see on Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday in the future.
A Recap of The WatchWed Review System:
GTV (Gourmet TV): Everything we want and more MacTV (MacNCheese TV): Guilty pleasure. Not perfect, but is satisfies GMacTV (Gourmet MacNCheese TV): A combination of fine wine and comfort food JFTV (Junk food TV): It’s not great for us, but we’ll go back for seconds TBPTV (Twice Baked Potato TV): Part gourmet and delicious, while absolutely horrible for our cholesterol SSTV (Still Simmering TV): It has potential, but the jury is still out NIV (Nyquil Induced Viewing): Perfect for that late night television sleep timer LOTV (Liver&Onions TV): Do we really have to explain? Blech
With over forty Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday posts under our belt, can anyone believe that Amber West and I have yet to review any reality TV programs? I’m shocked… especially considering I am one of the millions guilty of watching “real” television throughout the year.
During our WatchWed holiday-like hiatus, Amber and I published our DVR priorities where I listed reality TV as one of my number one DVR must-records. Why? Because most reality sensations don’t air again if missed at the original time slot, and I don’t want to miss out.
This week, Amber and I review two of Mark Burnett’s reality shows — the no-nonsense Shark Tank and the no-holds-barred Survivor.
Now in its 24th season, Survivor follows tribe members (contestants of all races, ages, and backgrounds) as they battle it out to win immunity, hoping to Outwit, Outplay, and Outlast the other contestants. They are isolated, usually at a beautiful tropical location with gnarly storm seasons, and they must build a shelter to survive. During physical and mental competitions, the tribes earn rewards — flint for fire, fishing equipment, tarps, and luxury items (such as pillows and blankets — yea, not very “luxury” by our definition, right?). But no single prize is as great as the immunity idol.
An example of a physical competition...
The competitions aren’t the only obstacle standing in the way of the Ultimate Survivor winning the one million dollar cash prize. The elements are intense, sometimes so brutal I don’t know how the contestants find the will-power to keep going.
Fire is life; without fire, even the water isn’t safe to drink. I’m amazed every season at the number of contestants accepted onto the show who haven’t learned to master starting a fire using nothing but twigs and patience.
And then there are the bugs. The bugs are the number one reason why I could never play this game that I love. Call me a pansy; call me what you will. But I hate bugs — Bugs that crawl; Bugs that fly; Bugs that breathe. Period. The number of bug bites on the contestants makes my skin crawl.
Everything considered, the most important aspect of playing Survivor is one’s ability to socialize — to form alliances. Without the votes of the fellow tribe members, a contestant’s days on the island come to an end at tribal council (considering they don’t hold the immunity idol or a hidden immunity idol, of course).
"Immunity is up for grabs..."
Winning competitions over and over again does not guarantee the million dollar prize (does it, Colby?). Aligning with the perfect partner/partners can carry someone all the way to the end.
Speaking of Colby Donaldson... Guns Up, Red Raiders!!
One of the best alliances of all time might just be Rob Mariano and Amber Brkich (now Mariano) in Survivor All-Stars. The two were playing the game for the second time and formed what many considered to be an unlikely alliance, but one that took them both to the end. Together they claimed both the first and second place cash prizes, and later pocketed the ultimate prize when they married and started a family. I actually think Survivor has been more successful with couples marrying than the Bachelor and Bachelorette. But I digress…
Survivor's "Godfather" -- Boston Rob
Sometimes being the villain of the group also pays off. How? I don’t know, but we’ve seen it on multiple occasions. Heck, I’ve even gone from despising a contestant one season to liking them later on (Coach, a.k.a. “The Dragon Slayer” had this effect on me, but it took him three seasons to do it). Villains do rather well most of the time – Parvati, Russell Hantz, and even Boston Rob (yes, the same Rob Mariano as mentioned earlier.) Russell was so evil that his own nephew didn’t want the other contestants to know he was related to him when he played on a later season.
Are these people really villains? No, of course not. But do they play the game of Survivor to win at all costs, no-holds-barred? Yes, and quite well at that.
Hosted by the ever-adorable Jeff Probst, Survivor has earned multiple award nominations and won. The show is such a success, that CBS has already ordered two more seasons following the conclusion of the one currently airing. Yay!
The Probster...
But does that mean Survivor earns a GTV rating? No, but it is definitely a guilty pleasure and sits firmly as a MacTV favorite. Survivor is one of my favorite reality programs. I have never missed a season. Never. Call me crazy, but I literally get giddy as the clock inches closer and closer to 7pm CST on Wednesday nights — kind of like a young child standing nearby as his or her mommy makes mac-n-cheese for dinner. It’s exciting.
"Your tribe has spoken." Yes, that is Jimmy Johnson (the former NFL coach). The last words any contestant wants to hear...
What do you think? Do you watch Survivor? Who’s your favorite contestant over the years? Mine are Boston Rob and Colby Donaldson, if you haven’t gathered from my mentioning above… Have you considered Outwitting, Outplaying, and Outlasting the competition enough to apply for CBS’ reality hit? Do you watch any reality TV? I’d love to hear from you!
Now click over to Amber’s blog and see what she thinks about ABC’s “real” TV, Shark Tank.
Come back next week when Amber and I review something interesting…
Remember to stop by the #watchwed hashtag in Twitter to discuss any of today’s reviews, or to mention any television programs that you’d like to see on Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday in the future.
A Recap of The WatchWed Review System:
GTV (Gourmet TV): Everything we want and more MacTV (MacNCheese TV): Guilty pleasure. Not perfect, but is satisfies GMacTV (Gourmet MacNCheese TV): A combination of fine wine and comfort food JFTV (Junk food TV): It’s not great for us, but we’ll go back for seconds TBPTV (Twice Baked Potato TV): Part gourmet and delicious, while absolutely horrible for our cholesterol SSTV (Still Simmering TV): It has potential, but the jury is still out NIV (Nyquil Induced Viewing): Perfect for that late night television sleep timer LOTV (Liver&Onions TV): Do we really have to explain? Blech
We skipped February so it’s time for The Ooo Factor’s next installment of MarvelOoous Mashups. This month I’m including a few awards that my fellow bloggers so generously awarded me, as well as participating in the widely spread Lucky 7 Meme.
First up, a big HUGE thanks to Marcy Kennedy for awarding me the Liebster Award!
Liebster is the German word for beloved person. If anything, I have definitely developed a close friendship with Marcy, even though we’ve never met in real life. She is one of the most supportive writing friends a girl could have, and I look forward daily to her tweets, emails, posts, and smiles.
In turn, I award these great blogging friends with the Liebster Award: Amber West and Jen L. Kirchner. They’re my liebsters and excellent bloggers.
Jen has previously written a few great Vote Your Own Adventure blog series, but she’s now venturing out into the Sci-Fi world and provides great Gaming Reviews for Girls as well as Sci-Fi Pin Ups each month.
Amber, in addition to all of her blogging greatness, has started a new series of her own where she takes inspiration from her blog commenters to build the next portion of her story. Her tale has just begun, so be sure and stop by her blog to contribute to her Tell Me a Story series.
I’d also like to express a big HUGE thanks to Martine Svanevik for awarding me the Kreativ Blogger Award and Fallon Brown for the Versatile Blogger Award.
I’ve done this a few times, but still feel like I should share the love and award a few new bloggers with the same honor.
Let’s see….who’s Kreativ? Definitely Myndi Shafer. Myndi blogs about anything and everything, but my favorite series is her I am Beautiful posts where she features women’s beauty from the inside out.
Who’s deserving of the Versatile Blogger Award? Lydia Sharp of The Sharp Angle. Lydia blogs about everything from vivacious spring colors, to the writing craft, and in one of my favorite segments, she promotes other writers and their books out in the market today in Fresh Baked Books.
THANK YOU, everyone! Winning these awards for my posts means so very much to me, AND congratulations to the new recipients.
*****
In addition to these fabOoolous bloggers deserving of the awards, be sure to click on these sites featured in the March edition of MarvelOoous Mashups!
PART I: FabOoolous Writerly Posts
When writing, we’ve all heard to be careful with our use of flashbacks. Luckily, Lydia Sharp helps us along with her post: Good Flashbacks, Bad Flashbacks.
All writers waffle back and forth as to whether or not they should travel down the traditional publishing route, the indie publishing route, or the self-publishing route. These next two posts explore two of the three roads: The Ins and Outs of Indie Publishing, a guest post by PJ Sharon courtesy of Catie Rhodes, and Publishing with Small Press, a guest post by Laura Kaye courtesy of Stacy Green. These are fabOoolous reads for all writers considering their publishing options.
Show Don’t Tell – one of the most popular phrases a writer hears when attending self-editing workshops. Thanks to the great Angela R. Wallace, I found this wonderful example of how to show and not tell by Ilona Andrews. Thanks for sharing, Angela!
What do we do when we want to talk about a controversial topic on our blog? Taking a side in any controversy can be controversial in itself. Thanks to August McLaughlin, she offers up a wonderful summation of just what to do in her post: Controversial Blog Posts – How to Make them Work.
It’s Martini O’clock! When in need of a fancy cocktail to get us through the night (or day in some circumstances), Jillian Dodd has just what we need: the Thin Mint Martini and the Salted Caramel Chocolate Martini. YUM!!!
Part III: FabOoolous True Crime Stories
Jeffrey Dahmer didn’t corner the market on homosexual oriented serial killings. Kansas City had its own monster: Robert Berdella, a.k.a. the Butcher. While Dahmer killed his victims fairly quickly, Berdella liked to torture the young men he seduced for days and sometimes weeks. He kept a “torture book” detailing his sadistic activities.
Ooo, Stacy really grabbed my attention with this one! When I see an introduction like this, I’m interested. For more about Bob’s Bazaar Bizarre, check out Stacy Green’s thrilling post.
What ‘s better than True Crime? Throwing ghosts into the mix. The Devil’s Weekend by Catie Rhodes does not disappoint. To quote Catie quoting Joseph Conrad: “The horror! the horror!”
Part IV: Just Because They’re fabOoolous
Anyone who knows me, knows I love scary movies. Especially slashers. Which is why it should come as no surprise that one of my favorite links these past few months is Sonia G. Medeiros’Creepiest Movie Quotes.
My vote for creepiest movie quote – “Your blood, all over me” from When a Stranger Calls (2006)
Can anyone name a few Songs that Became Movies? It’s a lot harder than it seems. Check out a few of the lyrical sensations that took Hollywood by storm, courtesy of Catie Rhodes.
Ever wonder what in the world the kids are talking about today? Take a trip down memory lane with these Excellent Generational Phrases by Erin Brambilla.
Who is a Larger than Life Character? Check out this very interesting blog post by Julie Glover where she explores theconcoctions of an author’s mind who take on their own identity and become conversational touchpoints…
Julie picked Hannibal Lector as one of her top six. I have to agree…
Ever wonder what a logline would be like if we combined two movies together? To be honest, I hadn’t either. Not until I read Loglines from the Edge of Ridiculousness by Myndi Shafer. This post is brilliant and very entertaining.
We can never be too safe in today’s digital world, which is why I absolutely recommend this fabOoolous Tech Safety and Security blog with Ian Thompson courtesy of Amber West. Is it just me, or does anyone else feel like the hackers are growing exponentially today?
1. Go to page 77 of your current MS.
2. Go to line 7.
3. Copy down the next 7 lines (sentences or paragraphs) and post them as they’re written.
4. Tag 7 writers and let them know.
Everyone knows that I’m working on my first YA mystery novel, but very few know anything about it. I’ve kept pretty mum on my title and storyline, but considering I’m almost done with my cover and am in the final editing stage, it’s time.
So here’s an excerpt from the rough draft of my first book… drumroll please…
Football Sweetheart
Whew! That’s the first time I’ve publically announced the name of my book!!
I’ve been editing for the past few months and I’m really not sure if this scene will actually end up on page 77, but it’s there now. So here goes…
Aimee glanced up while singing along to Snoop Dogg’s “Gin and Juice” only to notice Jeanie wasn’t standing in the circle any longer. She slowed her swaying, and started looking around. Jeanie was new to the school, new to the group, and had never been out to Uncle Marty’s — not with the girls anyway. Just as she started to panic, Aimee spotted Jeanie across the dark street talking to Bobby.
“The nerve!” Aimee spewed spit with the exclamation, luckily keeping her tone low enough to only grab the attention of her friends.
Okay, so it’s not much… but I did play by the rules – page 77, 7 lines down, 7 lines of my novel.
I’ve read some great excerpts of those participating in the Lucky 7 Meme tag game these past few weeks, and I’m looking forward to more. Here are my Lucky 7 that I’d like to return the favor and slap on the back — TAG, YOU’RE IT!
This was really out of my comfort zone to announce the name of my book as well as include a small excerpt. But why not? I sure hope my Lucky 7 take the plunge with me, but I also understand if they don’t.
What blogs have you read lately that have really stood out among the rest? Have any good blog posts for writers regarding self-publishing or e-books that you’d like to share? Recipes? How about a favorite true crime story that sends chills down your spine? We’d love to hear from you!
Tiffany A White's Ooo Factor 