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USA Breaks Up With The Starter Wife

BuzzSugar — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 11:30:23 -0800

Uh-oh, Starter Wife fans - it looks like this is the end of the road for Molly Kagen. USA has decided not to renew Debra Messing's show for a second season.

When it aired as a miniseries in the Summer of 2007, The Starter Wife was an unquestioned success, garnering 10 Emmy nominations and getting as many as 5 million viewers (though it was closer to 3 million by the end). But as a regular series this Fall, the show averaged just 2.4 million viewers, which, according to Entertainment Weekly, wasn't enough for USA to renew it. In a statement, the producers called the December finale a "satisfying conclusion" to the story.

It's a bummer for me, because I thought the show was much better as a regular series than it had been as a mini. Everything was just higher quality - the storylines were more interesting, Molly's journey of personal growth intrigued me more, and best of all, they did away with the freaking homeless man from the mini-series. Also, I was looking forward to watching Molly get to make her movie, Wife Goes On. And I'll certainly miss seeing Debra Messing on my TV each week, but I'm equally sad to say goodbye to her quirky, lovable friends: Joan and Rodney.

Tell me: Did you watch the series? Will you miss Molly? And what would you like to see Messing do next?

Photo courtesy of USA

Will You Watch the Series Version of The Starter Wife?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 05:30:45 -0700

USA's The Starter Wife returns to TV tonight, this time as a full-fledged series instead of the fun, if fluffy, miniseries that aired back in '07.

Debra Messing is back as Molly Kagan, striking out on her own and trying to decide whether she can really become a writer now that she's free from the clutches of her ex-husband (now played by David Alan Basche, since Peter Jacobson is otherwise occupied). Also returning are Molly's two best friends, Joan (Judy Davis, who won an Emmy for her role) and Rodney (Chris Diamantopoulos), along with a cast of new supporting characters.

The Friday night time slot is tough, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that The Starter Wife can be a special weekend treat on my DVR. What about you? Will you be watching?

Photo courtesy of USA

First Look: The Starter Wife, The Series

BuzzSugar — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 06:30:09 -0700

As Fall gets closer, I'm finding myself looking more and more forward to watching more of The Starter Wife, USA's 2007 miniseries that's now getting another shot on TV as a regular series. They've already made a few changes that I can fully support (giving Debra Messing's character, Molly, a new love interest who is definitely not Sam the homeless guy, for one), and some of the things I liked most about the mini - including Judy Davis as the acerbic Joan - are staying put.

We got to see a couple of clips at the TCA press tour, including one funny moment where Molly's having a crisis about being a writer (Joan suggests Molly would be awesome at collecting urine samples). I don't think that particular scene has turned up online yet, but I caught a promo with some new footage while watching the Olympics the other day, and it still gave me a good feeling about the series. It is weird not to see Peter Jacobson as Kenny Kagan, but I'm liking the addition of Hart Bochner a lot.

How are you feeling about this miniseries-turned-real-series at this point? To check out the clips, just read more.

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The Starter Wife: Molly Gets a New Love Interest

BuzzSugar — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:30:01 -0700

I don't think I'm alone in saying that one of the few things I truly disliked about last Summer's The Starter Wife miniseries was the ending, when Molly (Debra Messing) chose to hook up with the (formerly?) homeless Sam rather than strike out on her own for a while. It wasn't just that I wanted Molly to flaunt her "single and fabulous" status - it was that Sam wasn't a great character, and the actor in the role, Stephen Moyer, lacked a certain . . . oomph.

So it's music to my ears that Molly might - just might - be kicking Sam to the curb when the series version of The Starter Wife begins this Fall. Some casting news has been announced for the 10-episode series, including Hart Bochner joining the show as a love interest for Molly. Bochner will play Zach, a character who starts out as Molly's writing teacher and then moves on to other, presumably more personal entanglements.

Molly's also getting a new sidekick: Liz Marsh, played by Danielle Nicolet. She might be taking the place of Molly's friend Cricket, as Miranda Otto is yet to sign on to the series (though at least we know she's not busy with Cashmere Mafia). Judy Davis will be back as Joan, though, and Chris Diamantopoulos will return as Rodney. Joe Mantegna will be back in a limited capacity as a "special guest," too. Several other folks will be making guest appearances, including Alia Shawkat of Arrested Development. We'll also see a new actress in the role of Molly's daughter, in addition to the new Kenny Kagan.

The show is currently slated to start in October on USA. Do you think you'll be revisiting this story?

USA Renews Its Vows with The Starter Wife

BuzzSugar — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 10:36:39 -0700

USA's miniseries The Starter Wife isn't so mini anymore. The network is turning the show into a weekly series, with Debra Messing reprising her role as Molly Kagan.

USA is on board for 10 hourlong episodes of the series, which will start airing in early summer 2008. No word on whether the rest of the cast will be back (Joe Mantegna, who played Lou, Peter Jacobson, who played Kenny, and Miranda Otto, who played Cricket, are now starring in other series) or what the proposed story line for these 10 episodes will be. Network executives said they're bringing the show back thanks to the creative team's chemistry, the show's commercial success, and its 10 Emmy nominations, including an acting win for Judy Davis.

I enjoyed The Starter Wife when it aired over the summer, but I thought it came to a natural end. I was also hoping we'd never have to actually deal with the fallout from Molly ending up with Sam, which was one of the few things I truly hated about the miniseries. Starter Wife fans, are you on board with this becoming a series? And what do you think happens next?

Photo courtesy of USA

The Starter Wife Author to Write NBC Show About Divorce

BuzzSugar — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 12:29:09 -0700

Gigi Levangie Grazer, author of the novel-turned-USA-miniseries The Starter Wife, will be writing a pilot for NBC all about divorce. The untitled dramedy is "about a couple in their 30s who are going through a divorce. But since neither has enough money to move out, they keep sharing their house while trying to disentangle their lives."

According to Levangie Grazer herself, "The theme of it can be summed up as, 'I hate you, hold me.' It's taking on the idea that divorce is the new marriage." The assumption here is that this project, like The Starter Wife, will most likely incorporate bits of Levangie Grazer's own experiences, as she and her husband, producer Brian Grazer, are in the process of divorcing (though curiously the two showed up together to the premiere of "The Starter Wife," which just seems ironic to me).

I love that this woman has taken the disastrous parts of her life and used them to create successful projects. In addition to the NBC pilot, Levangie Grazer's novel Maneater will be made into a miniseries for Lifetime, so I guess I should get to reading that one soon!

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What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 12:27:00 -0700

All of the new DVD releases hit stores (and Netflix) on Tuesdays. So each week in What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday, I sort through the best of the batch and tell you what to add to your queue. In addition to these titles, the big DVD releases today include the 3rd season of "Grey's Anatomy," the second season of "Supernatural" as well as the second season of "Bones."

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee
This HBO movie is now at the top of my Netflix queue, since I unfortunately missed it when it aired. The story laces together the stories of three characters starting soon after the bloody Sioux victory over General Custer at Little Big Horn. Adam Beach plays Sioux doctor Charles Eastman, August Schellenberg is the proud Lakota chief Sitting Bull and Aidan Quinn plays Senator Henry Dawes. Anna Paquin also stars as a schoolteacher working to improve reservation life. The DVD features some good extras, including one commentary by director Yves Simoneau and another by actors Aidan Quinn and Adam Beach. In addition there are behind-the-scenes featurettes: Making History, The Heart of a People, Telling the Story, and an Interactive historical guide prepared by the film’s screenwriter.

Two more new titles so read more

Away From Her
One of the most lovingly told dramas of the year so far, Away From Her tells the poignant story of a marriage being tested by the onset of Alzheimers. First-time director Sarah Polley provides a truthful and achingly beautiful portrayal of an older couple grappling with this disease. It could have easily fallen into the realm of over-sentimentality, but Polley's deft direction keeps the narrative flowing and the story rooted in reality. To read more of my thoughts on Away From Her, check out my review.

The Starter Wife
This summer's USA mini-series based on the Gigi Levangie Grazer novel features Deborah Messing in the role of wealthy LA mother Molly whose divorce leaves her feeling old and unhinged. She stays at her friend Joan's beachside home and has an extremely eventful summer, including new friends, a couple love interests and a very funny scene in which Molly pretends to be Joan's trashy sister in order to break her friend out of rehab. I'm not thrilled with the way the mini-series ends, but the rest of the series is a satisfying watch. Plus, it was nominated for 10 Emmys so it must have done something right!

Snap Judgment: Emmy Odds and Ends

BuzzSugar — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 05:30:28 -0700

I've already told you my thoughts on the drama and comedy nominations for this year's Emmy awards. But I didn't want to neglect the many, many other categories, so I've picked out a few of the best, worst, and most bizarre:

Wow, I guess I should have watched "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee," huh? Seventeen nominations, and I've got nothing intelligent to say.
The single greatest category in this year's Emmy awards: Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics. Among the picks: "Dick in a Box" from "Saturday Night Live" and "Everything Comes Down to Poo" and "Guy Love" from the "Scrubs" musical. I hope the presentation of that award is televised, because it would be so amusing to hear an A-list celebrity read that list of nominees.
I guess "The Starter Wife"'s last-ditch attempt to sneak in before the Emmy deadline paid off. The USA miniseries racked up 10 nominations, including Debra Messing, Joe Mantegna and Judy Davis (yay!) in the acting categories.

More great stuff, so read more

How is it, exactly, that "Antiques Roadshow" got a nomination for best reality program? On the good side, though, I'm glad to see the fearsome tandem of "Project Runway" and "Top Chef" in the reality competition category.
Three cheers for the "This American Life" show! The Showtime series racked up three nominations for the "God's Close-Up" episode from its first season.
Hey, guess what? "On the Lot" got nominated for an Emmy! It's for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music, but hey, Fox can now advertise this as an Emmy-nominated show. Among the other unlikely nominees: "Kidnapped" and "Ghost Whisperer" for Original Dramatic Score, "CSI: Miami" for Outstanding Stunt Coordination, and "Meerkat Manor" for editing and cinematography.
Did you know there was an Emmy for Outstanding Hairstyling for a Series? Me neither.

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Rewind: This Week's Buzz

BuzzSugar — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 09:03:00 -0700

This week, I challenged you to come up with 50 songs for 50 states, and you did ... in about 20 hours. Whoa. But I'm still taking suggestions for the playlist.
Speaking of playlists, I gave you a great set of vacation songs. And if you need other weekend listening, check out the new Ryan Adams album or videos from Kanye West and Amy Winehouse.
With this weekend's opening of Michael Moore's controversial Sicko, I asked you if you typically see documentaries in the theater or wait to rent them.
This week we learned that Harry Potter is looking for a few good kids, while Cameron Diaz will try her hand at horror and Ryan Gosling will play the dad in The Lovely Bones. No Susie yet, though.
Were you as surprised as I was about who got kicked off "So You Think You Can Dance" and which guy Molly chose at the end of "The Starter Wife"?
If you could recast "I Love Lucy" with modern-day actors, who would you pick? And speaking of great comedy, check out my favorite five (living) comedy couples.
What do you make of Brett Ratner's Hugh Hefner biopic and Laurence Fishburne's adaptation of The Alchemist?
And finally, this week marked Pearl's final acting performance. Let us all take a moment of silence.

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"The Starter Wife" Recap: "Hour Six"

BuzzSugar — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 11:15:49 -0700

So "The Starter Wife" came to a close last night with some lovely glimpses of the new, independent, don't-need-a-man Molly. Well, until the end, that is, when she had to go and ruin it all for me. Sigh. Other than Molly's big choice, though, I thought this episode was a good end to the miniseries, showing how far everyone had come since Molly got kicked to the curb. Here were a few of my favorite moments:

Sometimes "The Starter Wife" has won me over by doing something cheesy, then acknowledging that it was cheesy. Case in point: The episode starts with a really overblown dream referencing Titanic, as Sam slips under the water and Lou throws Molly a life preserver that she can't quite reach. Then Molly wakes up, and her voiceover says, "Well, that's not very hard to analyze."
But then there are the moments that are just a little too much, like Molly telling Sam that if he doesn't want to "catch up," it's a shame his life isn't one worth saving. Wow, Molly, way to throw his terrible line back in his face. I'm sure that hurt.
How funny was the scene where Molly ordered Kenny to leave the house? Debra Messing was absolutely towering over a very tiny-looking Peter Jacobson.

More thoughts, so read more

I loved how one of the first ways new, independent Molly expressed herself was by telling one of the country club ladies to bite her. I didn't realize that becoming an independent woman also required using the language of a middle schooler, but whatever.
Molly asks Lou if her new, big locker at the country club is the one all the girlfriends get. Lou replies: "It's the one the wives get." Oh, that's so much better.
Shoshanna generally did little for me over the course of this show, but she did give me one great new expression last night: "totally geezed."
I guess we're supposed to believe that Sam just cleaned up and got a job in about 30 seconds ... but it's also not that much less believable than everything else about Sam's character.

My favorite part of the Lou/Sam fight: "I have never worn a dress." "I have never worn red shorts 365 days a year!"
Just for a brief second, when Molly left the guys on the beach, I thought she was going to go back to Kenny. Luckily for all of us, she just went back to Joan's house to make up.
I love that the teeny closet was what shattered Molly's dreams of moving back to her old apartment building. A glam girl can only sacrifice so much.
Today's Pond's experience: Molly staring at the "42 and Savvier" billboard after telling Kenny she was taking her name back and insisting that they split the divorce settlement money down the middle. At least she didn't talk to herself in the mirror again.
The official episode description said the flash-forward at the end was a year in the future, but it must have only been six months, right? Otherwise, Cricket would have had her baby and Joan presumably would have had more than six months sober. Also, I totally teared up during that scene, even though I saw it coming.
So I was floating along, all happily loving Molly and her children's book career and her independent life, and then she has to go and ruin it for me by picking Sam. Literally picking him, too, just declaring that she was ready for a relationship. Sure, they looked happy at the end, but I would have thought the "new Molly" would have wanted to fall in love, not just decide that she might as well be with this guy for lack of any other.

And, well, that's our show. Were you satisfied with the ending - or as peeved at Molly as I was? What were your favorite moments?

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