Thursday, May 24, 2012

Don't Hold The Bun (Television Review: Bunheads)

I have been experiencing SMASH withdrawals, and I think I have found the next best thing. ABC Family has a new series coming out in June called BUNHEADS, and it stars the glorious Multi Tony awardee Sutton Foster, so I thought, well she has Broadway roots so why not? I don't think I have ever watched anything on ABC Family before, and I guess now is as good time to start as any. This series was created by Amy Sherman Palladino, of Gilmore Girls fame. I never watched that show either, but I do know it has a huge following, some from people whose taste I admire. Sutton here stars as Michele, who was a Broadway Chorus girl turned Las Vegas Showgirl, who is experience career crisis when she quickly marries this man (named Hubble, hello Barbra!) and moves to this oceanside small town. It's a town so small even the local movie theater closed. It was such a quick thing she did not even have time to pack a suitcase, but she still attempts to start a new life. The caveat? He lives with his mother, played by Kelly Bishop. She runs a dance studio, and used to be a ballet dancer herself. I can see that this series may be more dance oriented than anything else, and Sutton, of course, is a great dancer, as evidenced by her performances in "The Drowsy Chaperone," and "Anything Goes." I thought the whole premise was quite interesting, and there's a twist in the end that was unexpected. (I didn't see it coming) It's all exposition, and I guess to make it more interesting for the ABC Family demographic, they introduced four female tween students, who I suspect will make a lot more appearances in the future. My one problem? Sutton's character is supposed to be this great beauty, when Sutton,a s talented as she is, for me is more a brainy, interesting type, physically anyway. But he carries it well, and I thought she showed great acting chops. This has potential to get really good - the writing is excellent - and I hope Kelly Bishop's character gives the show a little sour in all its sweet. I'll be watching. 

2 comments:

  1. i finally just saw it. :) i think it's something that could grow on me for an interesting summer show. it won't replace "smash," but i was definitely intrigued. i didn't see the ending coming either. the one blond tween looks like ivy. and i'm sure you must know that alan ruck, who played hubble, was cameron in "ferris bueller's day off." :)

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  2. Actually, I just realized that - he has such a distinctive face, too, and I thought I knew him from something else!

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