Variety Reviews ‘Cashmere Mafia’
January 4, 2008 by Chandra
…and it ain’t pretty, folks.
ABC’s latest romantic dramedy, Cashmere Mafia, doesn’t premiere until this Sunday, but already critics have started to sink their fangs into it. You’d think producer Darren Star—he of Sex and the City acclaim, of course—would command a bit more soft-pedaling, if not outright respect, from the media during this prolonged writers-strike era. If so, though, you’d be thinking about 180 degrees wrong.
Here’s part of what entertainment rag Variety has to say about the show that thousands upon thousands of Sex fanatics are probably drooling to see. The series stars Lucy Liu (Kill Bill), Frances O’Connor (Artificial Intelligence: AI), Miranda Otto (The Lord of the Rings), and Bonnie Somerville (NYPD Blue), all accomplished actresses, even if Variety seems not to care in the least.
The only real difference between “Cashmere Mafia” and ABC’s already-on “Women’s Murder Club” is the lack of murders. Having tried the gender reverse with “Big Shots,” the Alphabet web trots out another uninspired hour about women attempting to balance fabulous lives and careers with romance, but other than a lesbian liaison, it all feels about as fresh as “That Girl.” Series gets a post-”Desperate Housewives” push before taking up residence Wednesdays, but the first of the dueling “Sex and the City”-like projects to arrive merely fosters appreciation for that earlier hit.
Ouch! And the review/tar-and-feathering only gets worse from there.
The other show referred to in the excerpt “dueling ‘Sex and the City’-like projects” is NBC’s Lipstick Jungle. After reading Variety’s review of its rival, I sincerely hope the Peacock’s Sex knockoff gets a warmer reception from the press. Otherwise, eager viewers just might find themselves completely deprived of Sex stuff on the tube yet again.
I didnt know that a show about well-dressed [women], backstabbing,lying and being shallow unfufilled who try to hide their husbands nuts in the family jewel box would last more than three weeks. After the network decides to roll out all the crap that they have in layaway please put these [women] back in Filenes Basement,marked down of course.
[Edited for language.]
Darrell, a whole lot of TV viewers and critics share your opinion. Then again, there’s a sizable number of fans who’ve been waiting a long time for this show and who might stick with it just because. Thankfully for those who can’t stand it, there’s always the other channels on the TV.
No magic. Cashmere Mafia is to Sex and the City as Commander-in-Chief was to The West Wing.
Well, that’s generous, David. I personally don’t think Cashmere Mafia is anywhere near as good as Commander in Chief was near the beginning. If it weren’t a dramedy and therefore fair game for this blog, I wouldn’t even bother watching Mafia.