TVSquad

(S01E02) "Tsunami for bad mommy." - Janice after seeing a picture of Wendy crying because of the book.

After watching the Lipstick Jungle pilot last week, some of TV Squad readers commented on the fact that the series was not true to the book and that it was not light enough. One commenter even said that it left an ABC romantic TV movie aftertaste in her mouth. Other people thought it was good but not fantastic and that the actresses gave fair performances. Not having read the book, I cannot compare. The pilot didn't wow me but was interesting enough to have me turn up for more this week. However, "Nothing Sacred" was a let down and, if it had not been for the fact I had to write this review, I think I would have switched channels to watch Eli Stone live instead of tomorrow morning.

I don't know what I was expecting exactly this week. But it wasn't what I was offered by the NBC series.

The book storyline was interesting as it gave us a few juicy details about Wendy "The polar ice cap" Healy and gave us a take on how "famous" people deal with such books and how it affects them. However, I felt like we didn't learn enough about the book to truly find it a piece of trash that should not be published. What was most appealing about this storyline was the fact that some of the most jaw-dropping stories in the book came from Shane. The Healys have been on shaky ground for a while (we saw a taste of it in the premiere when Shane wanted to have his own project) and this ordeal will clearly cause the rift to widen between husband and wife.

The ongoing war between Wendy and Janice (played by Lorraine Bracco) is getting fierce and ugly. Janice seems to be holding quite the grudge against Wendy to not only get the book published but also have a photographer follow Wendy to get not so great pictures published on Page Six. The events surrounding the book and its potential release can provide promising scenes if the writers were able to capitalize on it.

Another storyline that could become intriguing is the one involving Victory and her ex-assistant. I would have liked to see more of it right away but I guess I must be patient. They can't reveal everything at once now can they? When Victory finds her clothing (and not just a hat she designed years ago as a student) being sold in stores with another designer's name on it, you can bet that she'll change her tune and want to seek revenge. Will billionaire Prince Charming Joe save her once again?

The hat storyline was not interesting at all. I get that it was to show that Victory thought she didn't have any new ideas to offer and that her past was when she was at her best, but it was a long and not that useful. It was clearly also used as a comic relief but the joke felt flat. I grinned once when Victory tried to get in the apartment building with her hands full but had enough when she went in and then wanted out because the old lady was wearing the hat. Dear LJ writers, if that's all you can come up with comedy-wise, please drop the act. Victory is indeed your best character for that sort of scenes but at least give her some good scenes to have fun with!

Nico, Nico, Nico. Where to begin? I rooted for Kim Raver in 24 and even on The Nine. But this week, she was painful to watch and it wasn't really the actress's fault but the material she was offered. It was a good idea to have Kirby turn up at the magazine and have the two not focus on the meeting at all and just think about the time they shared together. But after that? That sex scene at the studio was not that hot to watch. It felt forced. It was out of place. The editing of the scene seemed too slow especially when compared to what we saw last week. Nico and Kirby are lusting for one another, can we please feel it when we watch them together? This show airs at 10 p.m., so scenes can be a bit hotter and snappier. They are having a torrid affair, no?!

The royal theme issue problems were not that entertaining either. Nico is gutsy. Nico is not that good a team player. Didn't we get that last week? Am I too harsh on Nico's storylines?

I usually give new series three or four episodes before officially dropping them from my viewing schedule. Since the pilot and the second episodes are usually shot months apart, it's to be expected that they won't be the best (except if your series is Lost or Heroes). Per the previews, it seems that next week may be a better episode: Victory gets a new assistant who is as though as Joe's assistant, Wendy and Janice face off as kids would do, and Korby shows up on Nico's doorstep when her husband is at home.