Starter Wife?

I admit, I'm a Debra Messing fan. And I had great hopes for Starter Wife, the new mini-series on USA channel on Thursday nights. After all, shouldn't it be easy for first wives to identify with Molly, who learns with a sudden shock that she is a 'starter wife'?

Molly's lifestyle is unrealistic compared to mine, but I understand why the producers decided on a Hollywood background: It's more interesting to watch a continuing series about the rich and famous.

While there are some realistic touches (the waffling friends; the change in lifestyle; the constant shocks as the abandoned but perfect wife goes through one situation after another) I was saddened to see the series descend steeply into Soap Hell. Towards the end of the first episode, I felt I had very little in common with the beauteous Molly.

It's too bad that this mini-series didn't stick to a more substantial premise. Last year one young lady told me, "My first marriage is for practice; my second marriage is meant to last." Huh? Is this the new attitude among the young? If so, this t.v. series has missed out on a rich goldmine of topics and an opportunity to delve deeply into this issue.

I'll continue to watch the show for a while, hoping I can relate to it. But I won't stick with it if it remains trite.

This critical Washington Post article sums the show up best.