Them clones

as they tote their Guccis and Diors around Manhattan.
Wendy chases movie stars as a studio chief in the day and a husband and young daughter as a dutiful wife and mother once home. Nico,a fashion magazine editor tries to manage the neglect of her husband and the attentions of toyboy. Victory,a fashion designer,could well be a model herself. With a bat of her eyelids,she gets billionaire financier Joe Bennett to court her.The women,at the same time,are best friends who can’t live a day without meeting each other — probably a requisite to survive the nasty world they live in.
If this gives a sense of déjà vu to ardent fans of SATC, it isn’t accidental. Lipstick Jungle is based on a book by the same name,authored by Candace Bushnell who also wrote SATC.

Who’s in it? Lipstick Jungle marks the return of Brooke Shields on screen as the classy Wendy though it’s heartbreaking to see her age this way. At the same time,it’s her looks that add the conviction to her mature character. Viewers may recognise Kim Raver from 24,where she was paired with Jack Bauer in a marginal role. Here,she transforms into a confident editor-in-chief but her heart stays fickle. One also wishes that alongside the confidence,she’d exhibit some sex appeal fitting for her character. That,however,is made up for by Lindsay Price as Victory. The vivacity and nonchalance that she adds to her character makes her engagement with a billionaire (Andrew McCarthy) believable. However,this seems to have been balanced out by making her a tad fluff-headed.

What’s hot? Shields may not have gained repute for her acting skills in movies but on television,she adds a touch of elegance to this show that centres on women in the late evening of their youth. Since the storyline of a comedy drama with a glam background can be quite predictable,what works best for the show is the strength that the protagonists display in taking tough decisions. Bushnell’s feminine wit from SATC too is visible.

What’s not? The reason we mention the humour at the end is because it falls short when compared to its popular predecessor. The fact is that it lacks the light-heartedness of SATC. Also,there are times when one wonders about the script’s many loose ends. For example,for a trio that ranks among the most powerful women in New York,they find time to meet for breakfast,lunch and then coffee everyday. That said,Lipstick Jungle any day excels in intelligence and humour when pitted against Cashmere Mafia,another SATC wannabe.

Should you be watching it? Watch it for Shields and Price or to satiate your girlie instincts. But if re-runs of SATC are still playing,you may prefer to switch.