At the beginning of last night’s premiere of Lipstick Jungle, Victory Ford’s fashion collection gets panned. "Out with the old, in with the ‘Ew,’" one pun-friendly critic writes. Funny, because that sentiment could express my feelings towards NBC’s estrogen-filled gabfest, too. (Read Ken Tucker’s official C- review of Lipstick here.)
I get that woman can be sexy and powerful and vulnerable all rolled together into one delicious chunk of cookie dough, but in our post-feminist world, do Wendy, Nico, and Victory really have to play to such tired clichés? I was disappointed by the tell-don’t-show strategy of Lipstick. I know it’s not HBO, but women simply talking and high-fiving about how high-powered they are doesn’t do anything for me until I actually see it.
Never mind that the three woman are among the list of "New York’s 50 Most Powerful Women," because we’re asked to empathize with their plebeian problems. Most sympathetic for me was Brooke Shields (pictured) as Parador Pictures prez Wendy, locked in a power struggle with her emasculated British husband, who’s basically just a chauffeur for their children and all-around Wendy-dissenter. But after Wendy’s deadpan assistant points out that she’s, uh, got muffin crumbs on her chest — ba da bing! — I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. And then there’s cheating Bonfire magazine editor Nico, whose husband barely acknowledges her two heaving breasts. As Nico, Kim Raver didn’t appear to be having any fun when her character turned melodramatically orgasmic when confronted with Herbie the hunk (and in post-coital numbness allowed him to photograph her naked). And let’s not forget fashion-designer Victory, someone who couldn’t possibly be a runway success given that her apartment was two shades too close to becoming an Easter Egg basket. Not to mention that, despite all that talk about being an independent woman, she gleefully accepts private jet rides from Tokyo to New York. It all reeked of… yesterday, not of female empowerment.
It doesn’t help that the script is chock-full of lines that are supposed to make you go, "Dayum straight, sistah!" like when Nico speechifies to a young male businessman, "You know, when a women expresses her concern that an important business matter be dealt with correctly, she’s not throwing a fit — she’s doing her job." Meryl Streep’s Devil Wears Prada mag maven could’ve gotten the same point across with a curt "That’s all."
What did you think, PopWatchers? Am I way off with my disappointment over this overstated Sex and the City, or are producers wise to water it down for primetime? And will you continue watching the show?
stop spoon-feeding me! I’ve met these women before and they don’t say things like, “sure everyone thinks i’m optimistic….” They just don’t answer the phone if they’re crying. Real women who are among NY’s 50 most powerful are too smart to allow themselves to be photographed naked, have better taste in men and certainly won’t let a 25-year-old anywhere near their thigh with a sharpie. And Wendy, your daughter must be, what? 9 by now? you and the Brit haven’t figured this stuff out yet? come on.
Well this show should be perfect for someone who seems to believe we are in a “post feminist” world. Doesn’t a show like this prove there is still a need for a feminist eye on pop culture?! It’s called Lipstick Jungle for God’s sake!
it’s not great, but its better than cashmere mafia. that show is terrible. cashmere mafia tries to haard to be hip and quirky. the fashion is really bad, atleast this show people dress more realistic. i think this has potential. but how the fash designer girl looks much younger than the other 2. and i am so tierd of these shows that have a successful woman but all of their husbands/ boyfriends cant deal with their success or are not as successful as them, its such a cliche
I thought this was much worse than Cashmere Mafia. Bad enough that I won’t be watching it again next week.
I love Andrew McCarthy, but I can’t watch the show just for him. Maybe I’ll tivo it, and fast forward through all the parts that he and the designer girl aren’t in.
I watched the pilot online, but I don’t remember the post-coital photo session. Perchance NBC took it out of the Web version?
That being said, where can I find an emasculated architect-by-day, househusband-by-night man? They’re running rampant in Cashmere and Lipstick land.
the problem with the show is that it is based on the book but it should emulate it more. Like the part when Victory pays the check should’ve been shown. I am not so sure if lindsay price was well cast in this show. In the book Victory is a woman in her early 40′s and Nico and Kirby didnt work together he was just a model.. I hope the next episodes improve so i can keep watching..
I attempted to endure the first 10 mins. of this very boring show..and was very surprised at myself for lasting that long.
The shoe isn’t as exciting as I had hoped for but did anyone else notice the new lips on Lindsey Price! Hollywood has to put a stop to the excessive use of lip plumper!
I liked it tho it isn’t a world-shaker yet. I read the book and instantly remembered cool stuff from the book, so liked it for that definitely. Brooke is the best character and actor on it, her part is pretty robust and she’s natural. The other 2 are a bit thin character-wise, with Victory being i guess the Eva Longoria of the show, all cutesy and humor-seeking. I will watch it again as I’m curious how it plays out, but they do have to deepen the other 2 characters’ roles. Otherwise it could just be the Brooke show — and that’s not all bad!!
I liked it tho it isn’t a world-shaker yet. I read the book and instantly remembered cool stuff from the book, so liked it for that definitely. Brooke is the best character and actor on it, her part is pretty robust and she’s natural. The other 2 are a bit thin character-wise, with Victory being i guess the Eva Longoria of the show, all cutesy and humor-seeking. I will watch it again as I’m curious how it plays out, but they do have to deepen the other 2 characters’ roles. Otherwise it could just be the Brooke show — and that’s not all bad!!
The show.. sorry
There was no post-coital photo session. And the “sex” scene was pretty mild, I was checking to see what the show was rated once I saw that. I do agree with someone’s comment that Victory is way too young for the book character and for hangin’ with the other 2 gals, and Nico is both a miscast and not at all how I pictured her from the book. My input is to simply beef up the Brooke Shields story ine as she is the best part of it, very natural acting, not so high-anxiety as the other too, and her character mix is good and realistic with the hubby. The 3 gals don’t really seem like they’d hang together much, those scenes seem “thrown in.” Just keep it more a straight show about each woman and her scenario, not a “we 3 mod gals” theme, and it’ll do better. Yay Brooke!
It’s good fluff and much, MUCH better than Cashmere Mafia (which is cold, two-dimensional and boring). This one has some warmth, some reality amid the fluff and shows promise. Most shows need a few episodes to show what they’re made of and I’ll keep watching to see what this grows into.
This show rocked! It’s WAY better than Cashmere Mafia and I can’t wait to keep watching.