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'Lipstick Jungle': Any publicity is good publicity
Lipstick Jungle is the strangest show. Each episode is packed with plots that move the show at a quick pace, but it still manages to be deadly boring. It takes either incredible skill or incredible ineptitude to create a paradox as pronounced as this. My vote is ineptitude, which is a shame because the lively cast is more than up to the task of creating a fun, watchable show. The writing simply won't let them get there.
The only spoilers I wear are Louboutins.
The main thing moving the plot this week was the premiere of Wendy's new movie, Bombay Highway. Although others at the company want a limited art house release, Wendy pushes for a wide launch and a crazy, India-themed premiere party to kick things off. The one thing she needs (besides elephants) is her young, hip star in a great dress. She calls Victory to design something for Hollywood darling Chloe, but when Wendy sees the dress she asks Victory to make dramatic modifications. Even though Victory does not like the changes, she still makes them and basically allows herself to be completely bossed around by Wendy. The whole thing blows up when Chloe gets dumped by her hipster boyfriend and spends the afternoon drinking the entire contents of Victory's liquor cabinet to drown her sorrows. You know you're in trouble when you start mixing your liquors.
When Victory arrives at the premiere with a drunk Chloe in tow, Wendy and Victory get in a huge fight at the most inopportune time, right when Chloe sees her ex with a new, porn star date on the red carpet. Drunk Chloe steals the limo to get away from them and crashes it right in front of all of the paparazzi. She ends up in jail, but everything essentially still comes up roses because Victory gets her dress name-checked during Chloe's perp walk of shame out of the police station, and all of the buzz surrounding the scandal is causing people to talk about the movie. I recall more than a few movies with behind-the-scenes scandals that didn't fare well at the box office, but I suppose for every Proof of Life that bombs, there's a Mr. and Mrs. Smith that doesn't. Also, the Hollywood stories on this show are about as subtle as a sledgehammer, aren't they?
The other big plot point this week was Nico and her struggle with Kirby's lawsuit. She claims to Hector and the legal department she doesn't know Kirby and Hector completely backs Nico, telling legal to do whatever it takes to clear Nico's name. Tired of feeling guilty and secretive, Nico decides to tell Wendy and Victory about her affair and the subsequent lawsuit. They react with a nice mixture of loving the gossip and hating the friend for doing something they feel is morally questionable. It is nice to see a bit of subtle shading in their reaction. Subtle is good, show. Keep it up.
Nico thinks everything is under control, but she soon learns just how deep this thing goes when legal tells her they have a witness who saw Kirby talking to her at the web launch party (from the pilot) and then following her into the ladies room. Ruh roh! It turns out, however, that this is a good thing and the lawyers plan to use this to form a defense that says Kirby is the one who pursued her and is now just suing because she spurned his advances. They ask Nico to sign a document declaring that he attacked her, which she is conflicted about until she talks to Wendy (who tells her to sign) and spends some time with her husband. I don't know why she doesn't just talk to her husband about what is bothering her, but whatever.
She signs the papers, but after an encounter with office rival Mike realizes there's more going on here than she realized. She visits Kirby at his new bartending job and realizes office rival Mike goaded him into filing the lawsuit by telling him Nico has a history of seducing younger men at work and then getting them fired. Cold, Mike. Kirby ends up dropping the lawsuit after their conversation, and at the end of the episode admits the only thing he really wants is her. And then NICO GOES HOME WITH HIM. Oh, Nico. This is not going to turn out well for you. But I can't say I blame you, the boy is smoking hot.
What did you guys think? Is Nico a fool for continuing the affair? Was Victory's premiere dress fab or fug? And why was Andrew McCarthy even in this episode?
No matter how much this show is annoying, I am somehow sucked in. So what about the not so subtle hints of Nico's hubby cheating with his student?
Ally | Feb 29, 2008 4:37:03 AM | #Victory's premiere dress was definitely fug!
Kim | Feb 29, 2008 6:24:49 AM | #Ally,
Yeah I was gonna say the same thing re: Nico's hubby's student. I am almost 99% sure something is up with him, especially with him leaving the party early. He didn't seem so innocent and 'boring' anymore!
rabs | Feb 29, 2008 7:41:14 AM | #I had skipped this show in favor of Eli Stone because I thought that if it was anything like Cashmere Mafia, I didn't want to get NEAR it.
BUT - last Saturday afternoon, all three episodes were on O and I watched them and really got hooked.
Then I got sidetracked last night and missed BOTH shows.
I'm having huge problems with Kim Raver's character, though. I guess it's hard to separate the fact that I've always liked her with the really reprehensible things she does as Nico.
Jan | Feb 29, 2008 8:38:57 AM | #plus, it was looking like maybe Nico's husband isn't so loyal?
Terry | Feb 29, 2008 9:28:17 AM | #I actually really like this show, and have tossed over "Cashmere Mafia" in favor of it.
I wondered in the pilot why Nico's husband couldn't be bothered to attend the party with her, which is how she met Kirby in the first place. Has everyone forgotten that it was the husband's utter lack of noticing his wife with Kirby's number scribed on her inner thigh that pushed her into having the affair to begin with?
I wondered at the envelope that the student brought to Nico's husband at the diner, and then HELLO! he acted mighty guilty making excuses for how that same student had his home number. He was making excuses for Nico not to get the phone because it was the dean. All very suspicious.
I like the bonding between these three women, even in times of moral questionability. And how surprising was it to see Brooke's character on the washing machine during the spin cycle? LOL.
Nolette | Feb 29, 2008 9:37:08 AM | #I actually really like this show, and have tossed over "Cashmere Mafia" in favor of it.
I wondered in the pilot why Nico's husband couldn't be bothered to attend the party with her, which is how she met Kirby in the first place. Has everyone forgotten that it was the husband's utter lack of noticing his wife with Kirby's number scribed on her inner thigh that pushed her into having the affair to begin with?
I wondered at the envelope that the student brought to Nico's husband at the diner, and then HELLO! he acted mighty guilty making excuses for how that same student had his home number. He was making excuses for Nico not to get the phone because it was the dean. All very suspicious.
I like the bonding between these three women, even in times of moral questionability. And how surprising was it to see Brooke's character on the washing machine during the spin cycle? LOL.
Nolette | Feb 29, 2008 9:38:29 AM | #I actually really like this show, and have tossed over "Cashmere Mafia" in favor of it.
I wondered in the pilot why Nico's husband couldn't be bothered to attend the party with her, which is how she met Kirby in the first place. Has everyone forgotten that it was the husband's utter lack of noticing his wife with Kirby's number scribed on her inner thigh that pushed her into having the affair to begin with?
I wondered at the envelope that the student brought to Nico's husband at the diner, and then HELLO! he acted mighty guilty making excuses for how that same student had his home number. He was making excuses for Nico not to get the phone because it was the dean. All very suspicious.
I like the bonding between these three women, even in times of moral questionability. And how surprising was it to see Brooke's character on the washing machine during the spin cycle? LOL.
Nolette | Feb 29, 2008 9:39:03 AM | #I don't dislike this show (I couldn't even get past the pilot of Cashmere Mafia, but find this one watchable). I like the cast and the friendship moments. It's just amazing to me that they can fit so much plot in but have it feel so dull sometimes. All of Wendy's work shenanigans make me want to take a nap.
Good catch, everyone, with Nico's husband being shady this week. I completely forgot to mention that in my recap. So, new question then. If your husband cheats, does that give you a free pass to cheat as well (and vice versa)? I am definitely enjoying the moral ambiguity of Nico's character.
Carrie | Feb 29, 2008 10:00:52 AM | #I can't believe I watched this awful show again, or half watched as I kept getting distracted and getting up to clean something.
It's like someone in junior high wrote some of this stuff, it's that bad. I can't believe Brooke Shields could even say some of the lines; has she no say?
The fight between the two women was so contrived; it leapt up out of nowhere, like "insert fight scene here." This should could have been written by a software program--a really really BAD software program.
Jane | Feb 29, 2008 11:28:46 AM | #I totally agree with Jane...it's all so mechanical & I'm having the hardest time believing this"friendship" without seeing nothing but actors !!
The storylines do have the upmost potential, however, again,the job of an actor is to make the character believable...not the case here...oh- Kirby...My oh My..only thing, weak name. Kirby? So unmasculine. Jack, maybe..Sam,strong, but Kirby??? LOL..
I watch it not because its so good, but because I like all 3 stars (Brooke, Kim, and Lindsay) and plus its after Celebrity Apprentice!!
It was very cool to see Lorraine Bracco as a guest star. Too bad she is not part of the cast officially. Good character.
M.F. | Feb 29, 2008 12:45:16 PM | #I know that love is supposed to be blind but does it have to be deaf, dumb and stupid too?? I'm sick of stories about powerful women being in relationships with men clearly unworthy of them. these women are hot, get rid of the dead weight. Nico's husband is clearly not into her anymore so dump him and move on, that way she can have a proper relationship with hot Kirby instead of what? - not even attempting to make her marriage work? If your husband doesn't notice a phone number on your leg (pilot) at least ask him if he needs to revisit his optician. And why did Nico get Kirby fired in the first place that made no sense and was bound to blow up in her face what did she think the poor guy was supposed to do for a living? he's a photographer not a bartender and for what, making her feel attractive - way to thank someone for giving you the big O, damage his rep and get him fired - nice one Nico!
Victory's the worst kind of designer, I'm surprised she makes any money at all, she must have family money. I know of no designer who would allow someone else to tell them how to design clothes, Wendy knows what Victory's designs are like so she had no business trying to change her at this late stage - go to Macy's if you want to be less cutting edge.
Incidentally, after watching Delinda Deline's perfect pins in Las Vegas every week without nary a sign of a puffy ankle it's nice to see Brooke Shields legs have gone the way of real women her age legs have gone - they are not so perfect as they were in her youth (whose are?) but she still looks fantastic. This show was never supposed to be like Sex and the City but the critics keep harping on about it because god forbid, there is a show on TV with 4 women in it that isn't supposed to be just like the one big success previously! We won't mention, Designing Women, Golden Girls, all half hour comedies granted but give shows like Lipstick and Cashmere mafia a chance to find their niche and yes, Carrie to get rid of the cliched writers who think women have not moved on from speaking their minds and trying to get men into trouble.
OK, so again, not exactly fast paced action drama, but still a solid episode which moved along. I find these women's relationship shows fascinating! All the women in my life have been fascinating. As a man, I wonder sometimes if it really works this way, as portrayed on the show, in real life. I find myself with some feelings of jealousy, that as a man I do not have these kinds of relationships in my life. I envy this ability women have. I wonder what happened to the envelope Charles' groupie left at the table? Didn't he walk off and leave it? I'm sure I saw it there as Nico signed the papers and Charles was speaking with someone as he was walking out of the coffee shop. The phone call from the groupie raised suspicion for me, and then Charles not staying has clinched it for me that he IS stepping out with the teeny-bopper which is why I think Nico went back to Kirby for one last time at the close and walked off with him, Nico knows... And no, I do think an affair is OK under any circumstance though I know people do it all the time. I love Brook Shields. I always have. She is aging SO very gracefully and has real womanly curves in all the right places for my eyes. The dress, much better without the jacket...
xyzzy | Feb 29, 2008 6:32:38 PM | #What came first? The chicken or the egg? I still don't see the difference between this and Cashmere Mafia except I prefer Luci Liu... And Nico seems to have gone to the school of overplaying the porno-ish scenes... Don't really care for her... Will someone please chop off Brook's way too long mane? And how can one wrap one's mind around the morphing of Soprano's quietly sophisticated psych into a raving BITCH? Whew! Too much for a gal to bear!
msparces | Mar 2, 2008 12:40:30 PM | #
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