Writer & Director: Matthew Carnahan
Cast: Courteney Cox (Lucy Spiller), Ian Hart (Don Konkey), Josh Stewart (Holt McLaren), Alex Breckenridge (Willa McPherson), Ryan Eggold (Farber Kauffman), Laura Allen (Julia Mallory), Will McCormack (Leo Spiller), Jeffrey Nordling (Brent Barrow), Shauna Stoddart (Terry), David Figlioli (Miles), Anne L. Nathan (Dr. Shalba), Tom Schmid (ER Doctor), Saundra McClain (ER Nurse), Anna Khaja (Nurse), Shi Ne Nielson (Emma), Ashley Johnson (Sharlee Cates), Robert Benedict (Keith Straub) & Kiersten Warren (Martina Linn)
Lucy awakens from her coma after the knife attack by Julia, as Don's schizophrenia improves... "Listen, if I can survive whatever is lurking inside
Don's car, I can survive anything!"
Don's car, I can survive anything!"
-- Lucy Spiller (Courteney Cox)
Last year I took a chance watching Dirt, fuelled only by a fondness for Courteney Cox (although I detest Friends), and I was glad I took the risk. Dirt was certainly flawed and a bit lazy in its ambitions at times, but it was usually good fun and superficially entertaining – like the gossip rags it revolves around. Cox was good as tabloid editor super-bitch Lucy Spiller, Ian Hart regularly stole the show as ratty schizophrenic paparazzo Don Konkey, and the array of zany storylines across its 13 episodes kept my interest.
The show returns for a second season, sadly cut down to 7 episodes because of the US writers' strike. And there are other tweaks to the show that might cause some upset. All the episodes will be more self-contained (which isn't a bad idea, as the narrative became impenetrable for newcomers last year), there are snazzy new opening credits (a dubious rock n' roll version of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"!), and a few cosmetic changes to things like location legend graphics. But the really notable changes come from the toning down of the characters; which is sure to cause a split amongst fans...
Welcome To Normal is a fitting title, as last year's exaggerated outlook on tabloid journalism is reigned in considerably here. Lucy obviously survives the knife attack by Julia (Laura Allen), who is rather oddly written out in this premiere's teaser – as Lucy's brother Leo (Will McCormack) hits her with his car as she flees the crime scene. Indeed, it's quite irritating how quickly last year's cliffhangers are wrapped up, although I'm sure Leo's hit-and-run incident will come back to bite him. Its a shame Julia's gone, but understandable. Her character had nowhere else to go after a hectic and very eventful role in season 1.
Before too long, Lucy comes out of her coma and starts trying to run her magazine from a hospital bed, much to best-friend Don's utter dismay. But she's clearly needed back at DirtNow, as her staff have failed to capitalize on the Lucy/Julia story that fell into their laps, enabling rival publication Icon magazine to make some headway in sales. After hiring Farber Kauffman (Ryan Eggold), an enterprising reporter from L.A Weekly who manages to sneak into Lucy's room for an exclusive story, Lucy's soon back at work trying to rally her troops and make DirtNow #1 again...
But it's a different Lucy than we're used to. She's still determined, razor-sharp, opinionated and intrepid, but there's less of the overt cynicism and bitchiness. Her brush with death seems to have given a different outlook on life, as she tackles her work for sheer enjoyment – with no hint of the overzealous pursuit of success, power and influence from season 1. It remains to be seen if this tweaking to Lucy's character will work, but it's fine for this post-coma episode at least. One thing Dirt did struggle with last year was how best to write Lucy – as super-bitches are great characters, but can alienate viewers who just find them dislikeable. It seems that creator Matthew Carnahan (writer and director of this premiere) has decided to soften Lucy a bit... but hopefully she won't lose her edge too much.
Don is also altered, as he begins to realize his schizophrenia is drying up now he's taking regular medication. This is perhaps a wise move (for the time being, at least), as some of Don's bizarre visions last year became slightly overbearing and often seemed to treat schizophrenia too lightly. Don is definitely one of the most engaging characters on the show (as the only "nice guy"), so hopefully we can look forward to seeing more of him as a three-dimensional person, rather than a lens for weird visuals and abstract kookiness. This episode already has him taking care of Lucy after her trauma (in a nice reversal of their relationship last time), so things look promising...
The actual tabloid-related plots are rather bland here, unfortunately. The edict in season 2 is apparently to have storylines and celebs based on real-life events and people. So here we find Sharlee Cates (Ashley Johnson), a Britney Spears-style pop princess in the midst of a public meltdown, and Martina Linn (Kiersten Warren), clearly based on gold-digger Anna Nicole Smith. Both characters are set-up to be continuing threads for the season, even if each episode is going to reflect the weekly "issue" format of the fictional DirtNow.
But is it wise for a show like Dirt to rip characters straight from reality like this? The show already struggled to outdo real tabloid stories last year, so I don't see the sense in copying them outright. Why should viewers tune in for pale imitations of real people and real lives? I don't need a TV show for that fix, I can pick up Heat magazine.
Overall, I was a bit disappointed by this premiere. Season 1's life-or-death cliffhanger was brushed under the carpet within minutes, and I have a suspicion that the show's change in attitude will lead to weaker episodes. I agree with the decision to ditch the intense serialization, but softening Lucy and journo Willa (Alex Breckenridge) seems like a mistake. I'm personally hoping Lucy gets her groove back soon, and hope the show's quest for reinvention doesn't lead to it becoming a pale, toothless hack...
28 April 2008
Fiver, 9.00 pm
