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Visual Jane Austen

For those of us just beginning to enjoy a visual Jane Austen, there is a new adaptation of Sense & Sensibility playing on PBS. I barely remember the1995 version with Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet.

Although serious fans of Austen may balk at any movie version, it still may peak interest in such period pieces. This new version of Sense & Sensibility is breathtakingly beautiful, the costumes alone are at the very least, worth a look. Part II airs 2/8/09 at 9 p.m.

Also see: Review of Miniseries North and South

Don't Call Me If I'm Watching Lipstick Jungle

If its Wednesday night at 10 p.m. please don't call me. If you do call, I probably won't pick up as I am watching season two of Lipstick Jungle on NBC. This show was developed from Candace Bushnell's best selling book of the same name. Bushnell is also the creator of the well known Sex in the City series characters.     

Yet, aside from having the same setting (NYC), fantastic fashion and female camaraderie,  Lipstick Jungle isn't a carbon copy of SITC.  In fact, its  more tame than Sex in the City (meaning there aren't new guys in the ladies beds every other episode). Plus, we actually see the women working!

Brooke Sheilds character, Wendy, is a top movie executive and mother struggling to juggle the needs of her family and her career. The dazzling Kim Raver plays Nico an editor-in-chief of a magazine who is dating a younger man. Lindsay Price is Victory Ford a fashion designer with the guts to dump her billionaire boyfriend to maintain her independence. 

The women are supportive of each others goals and man trouble. Their relationships frequently emphasis caring for one another over caddy backstabbing. Sure, this is still TV and there are a few unrealistic moments. But Lipstick Jungle is worth taking a peak at. If you missed the first season, its available on DVD.

Writer's Strike & TV Withdrawal

So how about that writers strike? You know the reason why our favorite shows are currently in re-runs and why late night TV has this distinctive feeling of deja vu. Writers of the Daily Show created a special educational video on YouTube explaining their position Not The Daily Show, With Some Writer. You know what, I get it that the writers just want to get paid. I mean seriously, I can relate.

I'm giving them bonus points for altering Shakespeare's Richard III opening line to read, "Winter of our Dissed Content." Now that's just funny-smart at its finest.

But can't we all just get along? Why not give the writers a tiny percentage off ad sales? Who would that hurt, exactly? If you're like me suffering from withdrawal of your favorite shows (Moonlight, Chuck, Grey's etc.) then at least there is Netflix to rent great DVD's that are worthwhile . But why, oh, why do the talks keep "breaking down." And what does that mean, exactly?

Well, anyway if you really need mindless stimulation there is always: Smartest Yorkie Puppy Ever!
Or you know, TMZ.

Fall TV Season

It's here! It's here! The fall TV season. Finally! So what's good and what's not? Keep reading to find out! Fan favorite Grey's Anatomy introduced Meredith’s sister, Burke is gone, and finally George is seeing the Goddess doctor that is Izzy. I have a feeling that this season will bring on the drama making Thursday nights at 9 pm sizzle.

ABC's Sunday night Desperate Housewives along Brothers and Sisters stepped right back into their quirky drama. So what's with the new neighbors on Wisteria Lane? Way to go Firefly's Nathan Fillion for landing a mysterious role! Hasn't Susan at all questioned who is her baby's daddy?

Tim Gunn's Guide to Style: New Bravo TV Show!

Bravo just premiered a new TV show with Project Runway's Tim Gunn called Tim Gunn's Guide to Style. At first glance this show appears to be "another makeover program" but upon deeper examination its so much more! Its about making a lifestyle transformation. The gist: fashion-challenged women aren't just provided new outfits they are re-styled and taught how to bring the best of themselves out. At first, Tim can be harsh calling one woman's clothes "slutty" to her face and others outfits a "disaster" but after a one-week process Tim and his assistant former model, Veronica Webb, help turn one fashion-challenged woman into a fashion maven!

For more information on time(s) that this show airs as well as bio's, blogs, message boards and fashion tips check out Tim Gunn's Guide to Style Bravo Website.   

TV Shows to Skip: Entourage and Age of Love

Sometimes I see things TV wise that make me go seriously? Case in point, two shows I will never ever watch again because they are absolutely degrading to women: Entourage and Age of Love.

I recently rented Entourage from Netflix because there was much hype about the show. Essentially, the premises is that a group of guys from Brooklyn move to L.A. to “support” (read: mooch off) their friend. They treat women like they are disposable, going to trendy parties for one purpose only: to shop at Sluts-R-Us. Not to forget that they curse like their sailors. I don’t think the characters are aware that it is possible to extend ones vocabulary beyond four-letter words. Trust me when I say, this show isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. Entourage is chauvinism at its finest.

Age of Love isn’t any better. The exception is that it makes the point to objectify older *and* younger women by encouraging them to compete for one man’s affection. During the first episode the bachelor (Mr. Bad Tan Tennis Player) is devastated/pissed/concerned when he realizes that the first group of woman vying for him happen to be older. His personality, by the way is about as interesting as the air inside those green felt balls: seriously lacking.

This post has been dedicated to the low life  who wrote “get boob jobs” as a comment for this blog on Reddit. Thanks for your support, we appreciate it, seriously.