TV.
Since I have my fellow Indelibles to be informational and inspirational, talking about books and writing and publishing, I've taken it upon myself to bring you an advertisement/endorsement of a TV show.
The following is not a review. There was a reason I was a Theatre major instead of an English major, and that reason is critical thinking can suck it.
Bunheads
I'm in love with this show. It's written and produced by Amy Sherman-Palladino - the woman who wrote most of the seasons of the Gilmore Girls. Now, if you haven't watched that series, which ended in 2007, go do that.
I'm serious, go watch the whole thing. Jess, Dean, Logan, Luke, Christopher, these names might mean nothing to you now, but you'll see, I've just suggested a whole new group of fictional boyfriends for you. Not into boys? Lorelai, Rory, Layne, Suki, y'all. Thank me later.
Back to Bunheads - it's about Michelle (played by the awesome Tony award winning actor Sutton Foster) who is a Vegas showgirl that marries an admiring and persistent fan and moves to his home in Paradise, CA. Her husband dies in a car crash by the end of the first episode - I'm not giving anything away here, the show wouldn't work otherwise - and leaves her his house, which he shared with his eccentric ballerina mother (Kelly Bishop!), and a ballet studio that is on the property.
Hilarity ensues.
If you've missed Sherman-Palladino's fast talking ways and her ability to make a show appeal both to adults and teenagers, Bunheads delivers. There are lots of Pop culture references for us old folks and the teens on the show ACTUALLY look and act like teenagers. They're awkward and silly and bitchy and trying to grow up to be good people.
Paradise isn't quite as quirky as Stars Hollow, but it does have a couple funny weirdo standouts. Truly (played by Stacey Oristano - Mindy on Friday Night Lights) is the quintessential woman raised in a small town that's never been anywhere else. She's a 60-year-old trapped in a 35-year-old body. Truly owns the only clothing shop in town and she has the unique ability to "know what everyone needs" except for herself. The banter between Michelle and Truly is delightful.
There's also a local bar owned by a burn-out hippie couple that lends to the California feel of the dialogue. They're the one time things slow down, way down, man.
Bunheads is on Monday nights on ABC Family, which has nearly as good of a track record for cancelling shows I love as FOX, but I'm willing to bet this one stays around for at least another season. (No such luck for The Nine Lives of Chloe King - my fave teen show from last summer!)
Don't worry if you've missed the first five episodes - they do a great "previously on" at the beginning that will get you all caught up.
I hope you all give it a try and if you ever want to talk TV, I'm here for you. I watch all the things.
Stacey Wallace Benefiel is the author of the Zellie Wells trilogy, the Day of Sacrifice series, The Toilet Business - a collection of essays, and multiple short stories. She sometimes goes by S.W. Benefiel, but knows she's not foolin' anybody. Stacey lives in an orange house in Beaverton, OR with her poet husband and their two young children.
For more info on Stacey and her books, please visit her website: http://staceywallacebenefiel.com
