★★★★★ 0/5

US crits: Judy Davis “spectacular”

Critics are raving over our Judy in the series version of The Starter Wife.

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The new series of The Starter Wife, the miniseries that was shot in Queensland, has just nabbed good reviews in the US.

Produced for the USA Network, it again features Judy Davis who won an Emmy for her role, is being lauded by critics. Miranda Otto is absent this time around, probably because she went over to the short-lived Cashmere Mafia.

Meanwhile, Hollywood loves our Judy, who has no less than ten Emmy nominations, and three wins. Add to that another 6 Golden Globe and 2 Oscar nominations.

Here’s a sample of what they’ve been saying.

Variety: Davis, however, is so good in her part as the newly sober Joan that, signed only for three episodes, her eventual absence risks unbalancing the show. While the characters here haven’t yet had the chance to become as interesting as Carrie Bradshaw and company, this great adaptation of Gigi Levangie Grazer’s story should help fill the void left by “Sex and the City.”

Hollywood Reporter: Years of honing her comedy skills on “Will & Grace” have turned Messing into a superb comic actress. It’s worth watching just to see her expressions as she gets in and out of predicaments, including especially the theft of her journal, with its treasure trove of embarrassing stories. Add to that, the spectacular Davis, whose hilariously cynical Joan struggles with sobriety while holding down a part-time job at a ritzy residential rehab. There, her nemesis is spoiled actor David Shea (guest star Daniel Gerroll), who finds new and imaginative ways to get away and get drunk.

LA Times: As Molly’s best friend, Davis, Emmy notwithstanding, is also better served this time out. Her hapless alcoholism in the first season grew wearing. Now sober and working as a chauffeur-minder for a rehab spa and saddled with the care of a difficult Irish actor ( Daniel Gerroll) with whom she will probably have an affair, she gets to be funny and spiky and not just out of control.

No sign of an Aussie screening just yet…..

5 Responses

  1. In fairness, I’m also seeing bloggers saying the new series is better (and Tv critics are easily saying this new show is much better, too) than the original miniseries, the new cast great, and that it’s still quite funny. Viewers who are disappointed seem to be the ones who were stuck on having the same actors and characters in the show and wanting the exact same storylines continued (ie., homeless guy, etc…). If the series does well and gets picked up for another season, producers have hinted Miranda Otto may return. To hear Judy Davis is in only 3 episodes……. I thought she was doing 8 of the 10. She’s the only reason I’ watch the show. Oh, well. I don’t think she wanted to move her family over to LA just to do the show. In any case, they shouldn’t be saying she’s a regular cast member. More like a special guest appearance like Joe Mantegna.

  3. Critics in US are praising this new series over the original miniseries, but many fans of the mini are voicing disappointment in USANETWORK messageboards. They say the new casting and different tone to the show (more serious and not so ridiculous) is not what they want. People who’ve never seen the original seem to like the new series a lot though.

  4. I actually really enjoyed The Starter Wife. After the mini-series, I had heard it was going to be turned into a proper series but it took a while for things to get moving so I was afraid it wasn’t happening.

    I hope Mirando Otto returns to the show. A few guest appearances would be great but I’d rather she her as a regular. I’d also love some guest appearances from Joe Mantegna.

    From what I’ve read about, Judy Davis is only in three episodes? Why is that? And who will make up the rest of the cast?

    I never liked Will & Grace AT ALL but Debra Messing is really great in this. I took to her character right away.

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