I got hooked on NBC's Lipstick Jungle during its first season, and can't wait to see what happens with the girls in season two, premiering Wed., Sept. 24 at 10/9c. Look for my reviews of the show on TV Squad, as well.
While I've already found my Mr. Right, I still identify with all three women in one way or another. Like movie exec Wendy (Brooke Shields), I'm doing my best to balance career and family. Like Victory (Lindsay Price), I have a whole bunch of dreams and goals on my list. And like Nico (Kim Raver), I'm an overachieving workaholic. And if not for the aforementioned Mr. Right, I'd have a really tough time saying no to Robert Buckley's bedroom eyes, too.
Today was the very last day of the press tour here in Beverly Hills. It was "TCA Day," with members of the association (including me) going to the Warner Brothers lot to visit the sets of ER, Pushing Daisies, and Chuck, where we spoke to cast members and producers (Oh, we went to the set of America's Best Dance Crew, but let's just forget I mentioned that one). Then we bused it over to the Fox lot, where Joss Whedon showed us around the set of Dollhouse, and the entire cast of King of the Hill gave a table read of their 250th episode. All this fun will be in upcoming posts later this summer.
Despite some of the griping you may have seen from me, it's been lots of fun. It's just a very tiring experience. Case in point: On Monday, NBC decided to close out the press conference portion of the tour by having us sit through ten panels, five of them after lunch. Here's a wrap-up post that goes over some of what went on yesterday that I haven't already covered.
(S01E07) "When fortune knocks, offer a chair." - Lorraine, the writer
NBC advertised this week's episode of Lipstick Jungle as the "season finale." Yet, about a month ago, they ordered six more episodes of the series saying that season one would get 13 episodes. NBC probably doesn't want LJ to face shows like Lost; so the network probably decided to air those six episodes next season in a less threatening timeslot. Let's face it, the series, even if it definitely got better over time, is not the best out there. It benefited a lot from the strike since it aired without much of competition.
Even if the season finale could have been more rocking, it was a satisfying episode that left viewers with a few questions such as: Was Charles really cheating?, Did Nico take the right decision?, Did Joe have a one-night stand or was this woman a "regular"?, Will Victory forgive Joe since, technically, he didn't cheat?, etc.
(S01E06) "It must feel like a really horrible surprise party" - Kirby to Wendy
I felt sorry for Wendy as I watched about 4/5 of the episode unfold. (I had to tape the episode and the VCR decided to not be my friend and stopped around 45 minutes in! Thanks NBC for complete recaps of the episodes.) Not only did Wendy go to a meeting she didn't want to go but she had the unpleasant surprise to learn that not only one of her best friend has been lying to her for weeks but that Nico also flew her boy toy half across the world for a booty call!
(S01E04) "People like us are easy targets." - Hector to Nico
If we look at what Lipstick Jungleoffers us, indeed, people in the movie, fashion, or magazine business are easy targets. Wendy's ex-nanny wrote a book, Victory's career was destroyed by one bad collection, and Nico had to face a fake lawsuit that had some truth to it (even Nico admits that what she did could be seen as sexual harassment).
This week's episode closed the books on the lawsuit Kirby filed against Nico but it didn't end their relationship. Why did he really do it? Even if Mike was the snake behind the ordeal, Kirby agreed to go forward yet all he wanted was Nico...
NBC's Sex and the City-like fashionable show Lipstick Jungle received an order of six extra episodes. This means that the series will get a first season of 13 episodes.
TV Guide reveals that the series, based on the book of the same name written by SatC author Candace Bushnell, is winning its timeslot among women of the 18-49 and 18-34 categories.
(S01E03) "I could do a lot worse." - Madeleine about Wendy being her mother.
Indeed, Madeleine could do a lot worse. Wendy may not be a model mother but she is human and tries to make ends meet as best as she can. This week we saw more of how a scandalous book can affect someone and the control damage needed to smooth things over. Good thing that Wendy has a very good friend who is not afraid to play dirty!
(S01E02) "Tsunami for bad mommy." - Janice after seeing a picture of Wendy crying because of the book.
After watching the Lipstick Junglepilot 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.
(S01E01)Earlier today, I gave you a take on what I thought NBC's new dramedy Lipstick Jungle was like. The series, based on a novel penned by Sex and the City author Candace Bushnell, premiered with a slightly revamped pilot and a whole lot of promos for Maybelline.
I won't rehash what I said in my early look post since there weren't enough changes between the two versions of the pilot. The main change is the recast of Wendy's husband (Paul Blackthorne took over the role held by Christopher Wiehl); a good move if you ask me. Wiehl's performance in the pilot wasn't believable and strong enough. Blackthorne is more fitting in the role and will bring in a nice flavor to the show thanks to his English background.
Are you in need for a TV series that may fill the void left by the departure years ago of the Sex and the City ladies and Cashmere Mafia ain't working for you? You may be interested to know that Brooke Shields, Kim Raver and Lindsay Price return to the small screen this week in the new NBC dramedy Lipstick Jungle, based on a novel penned by SatC author, Candace Bushnell.
It's that time of the year. People are being cast in pilots left and right and some interesting stuff has been announced. At ABC, Christopher Titus (Titus) has landed one of the lead roles in an untitled project from Warner Bros. The show focuses on CEOs and also stars Dylan McDermott (The Practice) and Michael Vartan (Alias). McDermott and Vartan as CEOs is an easy sell. But Christopher Titus, Senior VP Harvard graduate? That's different, and something I look forward to checking out.
Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix) is set to star in ABC's Suspect. The show is a procedural that will solve crimes by tracking suspects through a lineup. She's joined by Eric Palladino (ER) and Kathleen Munroe (Beautiful People). The ABC track record for procedurals is less than impressive, but the addition of Guy Ritchie (Snatch) as director is intriguing enough to give this one a look.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Brooke Shields has signed on to star in the pilot, Lipstick Jungle, for NBC. It's the newest creation based on a Candace Bushnell book- she's the author of the book that sparked Sex and the City. Shields will play one of three "power-hungry professional women". Her character is the president of a movie company, and also a wife and mother of three. So naturally she's going to have plenty of time to dine and shop with her girls.
Also, Eric Balfour has landed a lead role in the CBS drama, Protect and Serve. I bet you can guess what this one is about. Balfour will play an "intense and emotional" LA cop. It's nice to see Balfour land a leading role. He has done great work in 24 and Conviction. Let's hope this opportunity is a good one and we get to see him on CBS in the fall!
Funny series of screen caps over at TV Newser. I guess MSNBC went "Breaking News" crazy over the Tom Cruise/Katie Holmes wedding, and actually had a whole series of neverending stories at the bottom of their screen all day long. Hopefully they covered other news that day too.
Did they cover other celebrity stories like this too? "Breaking News: Bob Barker to retire," or "Breaking News: Ben Affleck buys a Mocha Frappucino at L.A. Starbucks."
Maybe - maybe - they could have had one "Breaking News" report at the bottom of the screen, when the couple were actually married. But did they actually have to go add "Breaking News: Tom Cruise arrives at castle" or "Breaking News: Ex Penelope Cruz sends white roses"? Jeez. They could have had a bunch more. "Breaking News: MSNBC puts up a Breaking News logo about Tom/Kate wedding" and "Breaking News: Jennifer Lopez and Brooke Shields among invited guests."
Nip/Tuck writers are running a storyline about Scientology. Creator Ryan Murphy says he's curious about it and not just planning to go this way just for the publicity or the controversy. Too late. Anything involving Scientology becomes controversial. This story arc also happens to include Brooke Shields who bore the brunt of Tom Cruise's anti-psychiatry rants during the year of his melt down. Shields plays a doctor will play a shrink. Just a coincidence says Murphy, who feels Brooks Shields seems "psychiatristy" to him.
It looks like they will be using Scientology pretty extensively, with Kimber and Matt taking long saunas together and "auditing" each other. Nip/Tuck will explore the way people might use a belief system the way plastic surgery is used, and try to open up a religion that's name and celebrity followers is known, but which keeps a lot of its beliefs and rituals secret. Seems a logical step for the series, Matt is one of the most confused characters in the history of original cable series, always looking for an answer in some new extreme way. Kimber and Christian aren't far behind.
I got hooked on NBC's Lipstick Jungle during its first season, and can't wait to see what happens with the girls in season two, premiering Wed., Sept. 24 at 10/9c. Look for my reviews of the show on TV Squad, as well. 
(S01E04) "People like us are easy targets." - Hector to Nico
(S01E03) "I could do a lot worse." - Madeleine about Wendy being her mother.
(S01E02) "Tsunami for bad mommy." - Janice after seeing a picture of Wendy crying because of the book.
(S01E01) 
It's that time of the year. People are being cast in pilots left and right and some interesting stuff has 
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