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?
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!