Last summer I was pregnant and spending my evenings alone, as Mark was already working evenings. So I’m not sure what stopped me from watching “The Starter Wife,” a miniseries on USA. It wasn’t good taste or wise judgment. I know it wasn’t that. For whatever reason, though, I didn’t watch the show.
That all changed when I ventured into the world of Hulu.
Based on a novel that is the epitome of “chick lit,” Starter Wife was first a miniseries and, as of this fall, a regular series on USA. It stars Debra Messing as the wife of a movie producer who gets dumped by her husband and then by her so-called friends and Hollywood society perks. But don’t cry for her, Argentina. As with most stories in this genre, our plucky heroine pulls herself up by her Jimmy Choo bootstraps – with the help of her few loyal friends and new love interest(s), of course.
I readily agree with the Wall Street Journal on this one; it is “pure fluff.” And I can’t argue with the Seattle reporter who wrote, “It’s probably unfair to say that flanking Messing’s character with a rich drunkard and a gay husband is a throwback to ‘Will & Grace’ but how can a person not notice?”
Really, the premise of the show is silly, and the writing was largely clunky and clichéd. But after watching the first three hours of the miniseries last night (and staying up past my bedtime – good job, Photoqueen), I’m pretty sure I’ll watch the rest tonight just to see if the predictable ending comes true.
I’m not sure what about this show has caught my attention. I could be watching Arrested Development or West Wing or any number of shows now available online. I could be doing laundry. (Okay, not really.) I think it might be because I just love redheads. No, not like I want to marry a redhead. More like I want to be a redhead.
Anyway. That’s what I watched when I discovered Hulu. Anybody else watch this show? Or read the book? Or have an inexplicable desire to devour fluffy chick lit/flicks like a box of cake donuts? Or want to dye your hair a fiery shade of red? Anyone?
I used to have naturally strawberry blond hair…the strawberry part used to be more pronounced in the sun. Since I’ve had kids, my hair has darkened substantially so that I now have light brown hair and you can only see the red when I’m in the sun. My husband REALLY wants me to dye my hair red…I mean REALLY. I happen to have a good friend who is a cosmetologist and has won awards for her hair dying skills…she REALLY wants to dye my hair red also. So, someday when I have 3 hours to myself I might get my hair dyed red…someday…
Oh…and the heroine in my novel has fiery red hair :-D…
Triple and I have talked about Debra Messing’s (or at least Grace’s;) great hair before. And I do like red hair, but I’m not sure it matches my personality. As for an explanation as to why you chose to watch something like this instead of the other shows you mentioned? Because you’re you (I’m not surprised at all, based on your description of the show;).
Well, coming from a “true redhead” I really never thought of Debra Messing as a red-head…but I suspose she is, in an auburn kind of way.
I love being a red-head, some men-namely my husband, definately have an afinity toward redheads, which is interesting. I don’t think there are any pictures of me on my blog, but there’s a recent one of my son, who inherited my flaming mop of hair. I think it makes me unique…and people who dye their hair red, usually have pretty unique personalities, at least in my book.
As far as chick flicks…shows etc…I secretly watch too many of them, and as with you photoqueen, I can’t quite put my finger on the “Why” I watch them. ;)
HM, I think it sounds like you need to make an appointment to get your hair colored! (And for the record, 3 hours to do that is much better than 6 hours watching a miniseries. If you ask me. Which you didn't.)
Chelley, I'm afraid you're right. I don't believe you are a redhead at heart. But yes, Messing has especially great hair on the early episodes of W&G.
HipMama, I saw the pics of your son and my thought was, "Wow! He has RED hair!" :) Not to be confused with Debra Messing's red hair. He has RED hair (and I bet you do, too!). :)
i’ve always wanted red hair. when i was little it was redder. i’m always mad when my mom brings up the sensitive subject that my g’pa and great-g’pa had red hair and i don’t. seriously, gene pool, what’s that about?
Never heard of The Starter Wife, but, wow, that is some gorgeous hair!
If I had red hair, even though I like it on other people, I bet I’d hate it like Anne (of Green Gables). Of course, the good thing about that might be that a Gilbert Blythe would like me… ;)
Didn’t you use to dye yours red, Mel?
i always dye mine with a red tint. i’m too scared to go too different, though.
Go for it! (says the girl who’s never dyed or highlighted her hair at all;)
I love it when people say I remind them of Anne of Green Gables (that’s the best compliment a redhead can get, in my book!)People are always trying to find shades of red in littledoo’s hair, but I tell them that if it was red, they wouldn’t have to squint to see it. My dad announced when each one of us were being born (crowning) whether or not we had red hair (three of the four ended up with it, for those of you who don’t know), so I believe it should be immediately obvious to be called red.
Oh, I forgot to say that Debra’s isn’t even naturally red (A few years ago, I looked up her haircare regimen to see if I could reproduce it). I think it’s actually closer to your color, Photo. I also found out it took something like three hours for them to do her hair for Will and Grace with touch ups throughout the taping. They put all sorts of products in it and curled it with different sized curling irons to make it look natural and “messy”
It’s funny what it takes to look “natural,” isn’t it? ;)
Oh, Triple, I’m so glad you came back despite my unfortunate dislike of whistling.
As for your comments…if I had three hours and the people to do it, I’d definitely be up for getting that “natural” look!!
At first, as I read all these comments, I started thinking maybe I should dye my hair red for real – you know, like a mid-life crisis, but at 30? But I’ve noticed that it’s a big deal to be a REAL redhead, and putting some dye on my hair won’t actually change who I am.
Then again, it might look pretty…