Okay, everybody, heavy sigh of relief. The premiere of "Cashmere Mafia" did not begin with, and nor did it contain, any Carrie Bradshaw-esque voiceovers. And that's just one of the improvements Darren Star has made to his "Sex and the City" follow-up.
After "Melrose Place" and "Beverly Hills 90210", Star hit the big time again with "Sex and the City". Depicting four women and best friends' sexual adventures in Manhattan, the HBO series quickly became a cultural zeitgeist and Emmy magnet. By the time the television curtain fell on Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda in 2004, the series had racked up some 50 nominations.
Now, Star is back with another four-best-friends-in-Manhattan series. And in this "City" fan's opinion, "Cashmere Mafia" hits the ground rolling.
Snappier, more polished, and certainly better-looking, last night's "Mafia" pilot proved the old geezer Einstein right: where the "City" premiere seemed longer than thirty minutes, "Mafia" seemed to zip by in less than its alloted hour.
As far as direction and visual flair go, two scenes in particular stand out: watch when Mia (Lucy Liu), Zoe (Frances O'Connor), and Caitlin (Bonnie Sommerville) band together to tell their friend Juliet (Miranda Otto) the awful truth about her husband. When they sit down to better break and receive the news, the scene is for a moment divided equally between the four women, and you just know that each character is invested in her best friends' troubles.
In the next scene, however, you can see Star knows when to give each woman her spotlight too. Ascending the stairs at a benefit given in her honor, Juliet appears sheathed in a stunning red gown and, framed by her black-clad friends, it is impossible to look away from Otto.
Indeed, in yesterday's premiere, Otto walked away with the episode in her pocket. Armed with the meatiest storyline, she was also given the two best scenes: one where she tells her friends why she stays with her philandering husband, and another where she quietly tells her husband how she will punish him for his affair. I haven't seen Otto in anything other than the "Lord of the Ring" movies, but damned did she win me over completely last night.
Even if Otto dominated the episode, though, the other three characters were given promising storylines. Mia's promotion to big shot at her publishing firm, Zoe's husband getting a job that will take him out of New York and away from her and their children, and, most excitingly, Caitlin's burgeoning lesbian relationship - all of these will undoubtedly lead to some fine material for each actress.
Don't get me wrong: there are some problems with the premiere: Caitlin's abrupt transfer to the gay-lovin' train, the obnoxious CrackBerry appearances, and the anvilicious soundtrack choices are just some. And whether it can transcend its "Sex and the City" roots is still uncertain, as is whether it can similarly define this generation. But as far as being comfort (if a little brainless) entertainment, it's already a hit with this fan.
Besides, you gotta give props to a show that features a lesbian kiss in its very first episode. If that's not gay-friendly I don't know what is.
"Cashmere Mafia" airs every Wednesday on ABC at 10 pm / 9 pm central.
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