I was ready to declare the CW’s new series Privileged an ill-advised knockoff of the 2007 flick The Nanny Diaries. I mean, come on, does any of this sound familiar to anyone else?
• Girl moves in with hoity-toity richies to tend to spoiled brat children
• Girl "studies" family
• Girl meets hunky next-door neighbor, flirtatious banter ensues
• Girl has verbal altercation with matriarch
Not to mention both are based on novels (Zoey Dean’s How to Teach Filthy Rich Girls is the inspiration for Privileged). But that’s where the similarities mostly end. Megan (pictured left), played by one of EW’s 15 fall TV stars to watch, Joanna Garcia, is a plucky type-A with almost a little too much quirk about her. Yet her can-do attitude makes her light-years more likable than Scarlett Johansson’s sullen, whiny Annie Braddock (pictured right). (Plus it takes only one episode for Megan to tell off snotty twin Sage and her enabling grandmother Laurel, played by Golden Globe winner Anne Archer.) With an interesting backstory — after Manhattanite Megan relocates to posh Palm Beach, Fla., we find out she’s actually a native and has yet to tell her family she’s returned — and a faint glimmer of a love triangle involving Megan, neighbor Will, and BFF Charlie, the clever dramedy has just the right amount of intrigue and suds to be my new Tuesday-night guilty pleasure.
What do you think, PDubs? Did any of you catch last night’s premiere? Want to weigh in early on whether Megan should choose friend Charlie or rich boy Will? Will Megan ever win over Sage? What do you think of the new series?
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I was pleasantly surprised by this show! I liked it enough to give it a series recording on my DVR (for now, at least).
Loved the book – was prepared to hate the show – but I liked it a lot.
Definately not “Nanny Diaries”, more like ‘Babysitting the Hiltons’ (lol)…will this be at least a mini watch, if not a fullout TV Watch? Please?
“The Nanny Diaries” came out in 2007, not 2005.
Maybe this is way too soon to say BUT after watching the 1st episode I think it’s safe to say this will be my long anticipated replacement to Gilmore Girls! It’s Great to see Joanna Garcia in this role, she is one of my favorite actresses.
I was really impressed by this show, which I begrudgingly watched on DVR after running out of Cold Case, Law and Order, and People’s Court episodes.
It’s actually intelligent. And, as a recent graduate of an Ivy League college (Harvard in my case) who is, like Megan, an aspiring writer, I was happy to see an accurate representation of the settling-for-less, connections-are-everything world of aspiring media types. Well done, CW — I’ll be watching, if only to glean a few more tips about how to make it.
It charmed my socks off! After two nights of disappointing trash (cough, True Blood, cough) and not being thirlled with my shows, I was prepared to hate it. But I loved it!
I’ll watch anything with Michael Cassidy aka Zach from “The OC” in it! Even that crappy Hidden Palms show!
I thought it was cute – and I’ll definitely tune in next week! However, something seemed off either with the character of Sage or the actress who played her. I can’t really describe it; maybe it’s just that the actress who plays Rose is much prettier (I know that’s mean, but it’s true).
It’s a shame this under-the-radar show is getting ignored, while the underwhelming 90210 has all the hype. I can’t say I’ll continue watching Privileged, but it is a quality show that deserves an audience.
Loved this show. Great to see Joanna Garcia again! I miss Reba sooooo much–thank heaven 4 reruns. Have always loved Anne Archer–great cast–great setting. Will look forward to Tues. nite again. Interesting premise–I hope this show makes it ’cause it’s certainly charming!
Definitely my new guilty pleasure…good show, loved Joanna Garcia (she was great in Reba also). I hope this show sticks around, I think its better than the new 90210!
I definitely liked Privileged enough to watch it again. JoAnna Garcia was very cute and charming as Megan. I definitely vote for BFF Charlie, like Sarah, I also suffered through Hidden Palms for Michael Cassidy, and he is too cute. Rich boy Will is pretty boring in comparison.
I loved it!
Loved the show, loved the cook, and really loved the music! Can’t wait to see more!
Does know if the CW is re-airing the pilot or if it is online anywhere? I thought it started next week! Love Joanna from Reba!
I really loved it and enjoyed seeing Anne Archer as the Grandmother. Joanna Garcia did a great job. I hardly recognized her from the ding a ling she played in Reba. I loved this more than 90210.
Much cuter that I thought it would be. Now I have to add yet another show to the DVR. Argh!
Amy Wilkinson
I would like inform you that Scarlett Johansson (actress)actually is a clone from original person,who has nothing with acting career.Clone was created illegally by using stolen biomaterial. Original Scarlett Galabekian last name is nice, CHRISTIAN young lady.I’ll tell you more,those clones(it’s not only one)made in GERMANY-world leader manufacturer of humans clones,it is in Ludwigshafen am Rhein,N. Bavaria, Mr. Helmut Kohl home town.You can’t even imaging the scale of the cloning activity.But warning. H. Kohl clone staff 100% controlling their clones spreading around the world,they are very accurate with that, some of them are still NAZI type disciplined and mind controlled clones,be careful get close with clones you will be controlled too.Original family did not authorize any activity with stolen biological materials,no matter what form it was created,it all needs back to original family control to Cedars-Sinai MedicalCenter in LA.Original Scarlett is not engage,by the way.
What a surprisingly charming show! I hope you guys keep writing about it because it definitely deserves the attention that the inferior 90210 is getting. Definitely a fun and delightful new show. My favourite new show of the season so far!
I actually did like the show! I am now putting it on my DVR …
Joanna Garcia was great on Reba and is great to see her on this new show … good for her! Best of luck!
Scarlett Johansson actress? …. hhmmm
Enjoyed the show, but when casting sisters shouldn’t producers make some effort to have them look at least vaguely alike? The girl they cast as Joanna’s sister has a narrow face as compared to Joanna’s round face, and she’s at least a foot taller than Joanna. It’s as bad as when they cast Parker Posey and Lauren Ambrose as sisters in that recent short-lived comedy.
I also was very surprised at how much I enjoyed this show. I actaully giggled out loud a few times. The only thing that was off to me was that Megan looked and sounded younger than her supposedly younger astranged sister. Plus, they looked nothing alike. Casting was weird there. Otherwise, I found it more fun to watch than 90210 and I’ll be tuning in again.
I LOVED this show and have it set to record from now on. My daughter, who misses the OC and Gilmore Girls, also enjoyed it and says it may be the replacment she has been looking for (along with Greek, of course)
(this is not the Jenn from earlier BTW) – I definitely enjoyed it and to the person who asked about finding the pilot somewhere, I found it on YouTube (which will probably be how I’ll be viewing this show since I don’t have DVR and my Tues. 9pm slot is devoted to Fringe right now). I definitely liked it more than I thought. The previews made Joanna Garcia seem much like the Cheyenne she played in Reba and I was worried she might be a one-trick-pony, but I was pleasantly surprised by her acting chops. Sister casting was a little odd but maybe there’s a story there too. Who knows. But I’ll be watching it again definitely. And my vote is for BFF =)
I stuck around and watched this show after bouncing between it and Fringe (which, btw, is a little too X-Files for my taste). I really enjoyed it and certainly plan to keep watching. With all the surprisingly good shows coming out, I think I’m going to have to invest in DVR after all!
I was plesantly suprised. I too it will be a TV Watch.
Well — Fringe is still in my dvr queue and may not be watched until this Friday night — I loved the premiere of “Privileged!” I read the book when I heard it was going to made into a new series, and they have it captured nicely. The twin brats could be a little more bratty, but all in all its a nice little show and a perfect replacement for my beloved Gilmore Girls!