Cashmere Mafia divides critics

While nobody is doing cartwheels, reviews seem to be divided over Cashmere Mafia, the new drama from Darren Star, which premiered yesterday in the US.

Starring Lucy Liu, Bonnie Somerville and Aussies Frances O’Connor and Miranda Otto, it is being dubbed a Sex and the City clone. All rather unfortunate given writer Candace Bushnell will launch Lipstick Jungle (the show Star was once-developing with her) in February. Maybe that feud would make a better show?

In Australia, Nine has Cashmere while Seven has Lipstick. It wouldn’t be the first time genres have doubled concurrently (Addams Family / Munsters, Dallas / Dynasty anyone?). But the TV landscape has changed a lot since then.

Variety called it, “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.“

It added the show was “barely like a tolerable dramedy, demonstrating that at least for viewers, it really can be a jungle out there.”

NY Times was kinder, saying, “The heroines could be the mothers and stepmothers on Gossip Girl, but mostly the series functions as an entertaining if pale sequel to its HBO prototype. Sex and the City focused on four women who were struggling to find romance and high-flying careers, while Cashmere Mafia explores the more insidious battle to hold on to those elusive trophies.

“The most intriguing of the four is Juliet (Miranda Otto), a Balzacian heroine, a silky chief executive and socialite burdened with a philandering husband. Whenever one has a problem, they all get on their Blackberrys. ‘Usual place,’ the text message reads. ‘Urgent.'”