Tuesday, October 28, 2008

USA Network's The Starter Wife

Debra Messing The Starter Wife


"And she does it all with perfect hair"---No i'm not referring to myself [hardly]---it's a line and a very accurate one may i add from USA Network's The Starter Wife, produced by and starring Debra Messing.

If you liked Ms. Messing in Will & Grace, that admiration will definitely continue here. The Starter Wife is about Molly Kagan, mother of one daughter, 7yr old Jaden, and dutiful and faithful wifey of a top of the food chain Hollywood producer, living a life of privelege and all the glam and responsibility that goes with being the spouse of a Hollywood mogul. Then without warning, Molly literally gets a wake-up call. After 15 yrs of marriage, hubby phones her to say he wants out. As in now, today, immediately. And while this does not leave Molly homeless, she does have to quickly adapt to a lifestyle that is slightly reduced from the one to which she had become accustomed. Also the chi-chi cliques she was once welcomed in have shunned her, save for her core and true friends. Judy Davis' performance as her friend Joan is golden.

Starter Wife is based on the Gigi Levangie Grazer novels, and ironically Ms. Messing's character in the books is named Gracie Pollack. i guess the decision to change the name for the show was to avoid comparisons to Grace Adler, Messing's character from her previous hit Will & Grace. But not to worry, there is not a trace of Grace Adler in Molly. While Molly does have neurosis [who wouldn't living in Hollywood?] she's more confident than Grace Adler and bounces back quickly from adversity---well if you can call having a friend who offers their Malibu home to re-group when your dealing with divorce, adversity. Before she married, Molly was a moderately successful children's author. She considers returning to that, but her diary which dishes much dirt has a higher market value.

i like this show. The dialogue is snappy, funny, and true. i've never lived among the Brentwood/Malibu/Hollywood social set that Molly does, but i've known people who have, and there is not one false note here. And the shoes---my, my, my, Laboutins, Prada, Jimmy Choo and the like. It's girly girl heaven. Also the opening credits are really cute: Molly as paper doll. See molly's huge rock of an engagement ring, see Molly's Rodeo Drive shopping bags, etc. Lots of beefcake too. Hart Bochner is one love interest. There was a mini-series/pilot that preceded the series---True Blood vamp Stephen Moyer portrayed Malibu beach-bum Sam. Need i say more.

The next Starter Wife ep airs Friday Oct. 31st at 9pm on the USA Network. So, while you're tending to the Halloween trick-or-treaters, take an hour to check it out.

Happy Halloween aka Samain everyone.

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