The Actor Factor: A Design So Fine

Designing Women first appeared to me as a tiny little blurb in TV Guide. Now, when I was a kid, there was something magical about the “special fall preview” edition of TV Guide. The magazine was just a digest then, and it looked like a shiny little bible containing shoulder pads and ten-gallon hats instead of arks and abominations. The fall preview would include sneak peeks at upcoming new shows, and previews of returning favorites. Seeing the Designing Women blurb, I remember thinking that it looked like a Golden Girls knockoff, with younger, sexier female protagonists. Still, I decided to give the new sitcom a shot. As we all know, Designing Women proved to be anything but a Golden Girls rip-off, and went on to become one of the best written and topical sitcoms in television history.

The cast was made up of seasoned television actresses, and their sparkling chemistry was immediately apparent. Linda Bloodworth-Thompson, the show’s creator and most prolific writer, was a TV veteran herself who had previously written for several well-known shows, including M*A*S*H. Thompson’s sassy and satirical dialogue sprang to life and gave voice to the Modern Southern Woman, making us rethink the classic stereotypes of the “Southern Belle.” America was a bit slow to catch on, though, as the show was bounced from timeslot to timeslot. However, one of the few successful fan-based letter-writing campaigns in television history brought the show back from cancellation for a second season (now available on DVDfor the first time).

The show’s sophomore season proved to be one of its strongest, tackling many controversial issues with a classy and often sophisticated southern humor. One episode revolves around Charlene (Jean Smart) at odds with her pastor over his refusal to allow women to preach. Another episode finds Julia (Dixie Carter) and Suzanne (Delta Burke) debating the merits of joining a country club that maintains exclusivity clauses. However, the most poignant episode of the season, especially to the GLBT community, is the episode entitled “Killing all the Right People.” I remember seeing this episode when it first aired. As a closeted gay teen at the height of the AIDS scare, it was one of the most powerful things I had ever seen on television. And it was in a sitcom no less!

A young gay man, portrayed by Tony Goldwyn (Ghost), asks the women of Sugarbakers to “design his funeral.” We learn that he has been diagnosed with AIDS, and what follows is an episode deftly written and frankly informative, especially for the time. The episode title comes from a guest character stating that this seemingly selective disease is “killing all the right people.” This statement is shot down in one of Julia’s brilliantly written and delivered diatribes, pointing out that: “If God was giving out sexually transmitted diseases to people as a punishment for sinning, then you would be at the free clinic all the time!”

Thompson’s own mother had died of AIDS, and this episode was written, in part, to inform and educate the public about the disease. The episode culminates with a PTA debate concerning sex education and the use of condoms among teenagers in which Mary Jo (Annie Potts) raises the point that in whatever sexual activity teens may or may not engage, they shouldn’t have to die as a consequence. Pope Benedict XVI could learn a lot from this episode.


Of course, what really matters in a sitcom is the laughs, and this season abounds with them. Many of the laughs can be attributed to the delightful Alice Ghostly (Esmeralda on Bewitched). Her portrayal of Bernice Clifton abounds with southern flavored dementia and an on again off again arterial flow which always hits a perfectly timed comedic mark.

After an initial strong run in syndication, Designing Women is finding less airplay on television. The release of entire seasons on DVD, after a “Best of” release (don’t you hate those) is a welcome gift for fans. Here’s hoping we get the entire series, or at least the first six seasons released on DVD. It has been a long time since we’ve seen such a well-written and topical sitcom on network television (or anywhere for that matter). The show is in a class all its own.

Long after the final notes of the ending credits have played, Georgia and its Designing Women are still on our mind.

The Actor Factor: A View from Both Sides of the Camera is by James Jaeger, Los Angeles based actor and resident television critic of Movie Dearest.

Reel Thoughts: Wild About Harry

When a film series reaches its sixth installment, usually the well is running pretty dry (think Halloween or Friday the 13th). Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince succeeds beautifully in continuing the series and deepening the characters, relationships and upcoming menace. And the cast is uniformly terrific as it matures before our eyes.

Harry Potter benefits from its strong literary source novels by J.K. Rowling, but that by no means makes filming her works a piece of cake. Call it Harry Potter and the Raging Hormones, since this is the first time we see the kids really grappling with their sexuality. Being more of a casual observer of the films, and never having read the novels, I wondered where Harry’s love interest from the previous film went, and why he suddenly had the hots for Ron Weasley’s ginger-haired sister, Ginny (Bonnie Wright).


I only point that out as a way of saying that for the first time, you can’t watch the new film without being familiar with the series. As wonderful and entertaining as Half-Blood Prince is, its best moments come in seeing new sides and levels to characters we’ve grown to love over the past years. Evanna Lynch steals her scenes as the ethereally kooky Lana Lovegood, and Sir Michael Gambon is the best he’s been as the embattled Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore.

As Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermoine Granger (Emma Watson) return for their sixth year at Hogwarts, the work of the Dark Lord Voldemort grows so brazen that even muggles (non-wizards) are getting killed in mass numbers. Everyone knows that Harry is the “Chosen One,” and he’s as beloved in the wizardly world as Radcliffe is in real life.


In this, the sixth of seven books, Dumbledore has a vital mission that involves bringing back an old professor (James Broadbent) who knew Voldermort when he was a student. Broadbent is wonderfully duplicitous, coming across as dithering yet manipulative, and the central mystery of Half-Blood Prince concerns what he knew and how he helped Tom Riddle become the Dark Lord, who murdered Harry’s parents. The title refers to a mysterious inscription Harry finds in a book of potions he is lent to attend Broadbent’s potions class. In addition, the book is full of “the Half-Blood Prince’s” notes that fix errors in the text, and make Harry seem like a star pupil.

Like The Empire Strikes Back, Half-Blood Prince revels in being an open-ended and darker entry in the series. It packs a huge dramatic event that you probably already know. Director David Yates creates a sense of menace and suspense and leaves you anxiously awaiting the two-part Deathly Hallows that closes out the saga in November 2010 and summer 2011. I can’t say if the film does justice to the novel, but it certainly is a shining addition to the Harry Potter film chronicles.

UPDATE: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is now available on DVD and Blu-rayfrom Amazon.com.

Review by Neil Cohen, resident film critic of Movie Dearest and Phoenix's Echo Magazine.

Reel Thoughts: Summer Lovin'

In a marketplace flooded with silly, predictable and mostly Katherine Heigl-starring romantic comedies, (500) Days of Summer is like a breath of fresh air. Make that, like a blast of 115-degree air when you walk out of an air-conditioned theater.

Following in the footsteps of such punny-titled films as Poetic Justice (Janet Jackson was Justice, who wrote poetry), Gray Matters (Heather Graham played Gray, who … mattered), and Beethoven’s 2nd (Beethoven was a dog, and the film was a big No. 2), (500) Days of Summer tells the literal story of greeting card writer Tom Hansen’s (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) 500 days with his co-worker/object of love Summer Finn (Zooey Deschanel).

Outfitted with a narrator like the late, lamented Pushing Daisies, director Marc Webb warns us that this is not a love story. Oh, Tom loves Summer alright, but Summer is one of those infuriating objects of desire that we’ve all had who “just hasn’t found the right man yet” to make her believe in love.


As a slot machine of a ticker spins back and forth to specific days (one through 500 of course), we learn how Tom, the naïve dreamer, could fall under the spell of a person so clearly not in it for the long haul. They meet cutely at work, hit it off, and start playing “relationship” – even running through an Ikea to test out their kitchen, living room and bedroom. Click forward to a day in the 200s and Summer won’t even let Tom hold her hand.

Webb directs lovely work from Gordon-Levitt and Deschanel, and even though the film feels a little contrived, it really nails this particular level of romantic hell; being with a gorgeous person you just can’t have (despite their lead-ons to the contrary). I never much cared for Gordon-Levitt as a child actor, cheering when he got an ice skate to the head in that Halloween sequel. But he is such an interesting performer now, I’m excited to see what’s next. Deschanel is just gorgeous, so what’s not to love about her?

It’s bracing and invigorating yet not that unexpected, since you’ve been through it before. Yet, as a fun counterpoint to what’s out there, I think you’ll be glad to experience these (500) Days of Summer.

UPDATE: (500) Days of Summer is now available on DVD and Blu-rayfrom Amazon.com.

Review by Neil Cohen, resident film critic of Movie Dearest and Phoenix's Echo Magazine.

Reverend's Reviews: A Filmic Feast

Anyone foregoing butter in their diet either due to weight or health issues should probably avoid Julie & Julia. That's the only constituency, however, who should consider missing this thoroughly wonderful movie.

Amy Adams gives yet another delectable performance as Julie Powell, a government drone working in post-9/11 New York City. She spends her days fielding phone calls from people affected by the recent terrorist attacks, either directly or indirectly. If her job wasn't stressful enough, Julie is on the verge of turning 30 and feels she hasn't yet accomplished anything of note in her life.


In her duel attempt to undertake a hobby that will help her decompress from work and see a project through to its conclusion, Julie decides to cook all 500+ recipes in Julia Childs' Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and do so by the end of one year. Her husband (the yummy Chris Messina) convinces her to blog about her experience as a form of accountability and, perhaps, inspiration.

Julie's story is juxtaposed with episodes from Childs' own life story. The late gourmand is something of a camp figure to many gay men, and perhaps anyone who doesn't have an interest in cooking but caught glimpses of Childs on her TV series. Big (she was over 6 feet tall), bold and enthusiastic, Childs' later-life image belied her significant past as an espionage secretary during World War II and as the wife of a globetrotting US diplomat (played in the film by Stanley Tucci).

Here, Meryl Streep impersonates Childs, and as usual does so marvelously. She injects much humanity into a role that could have become a caricature in lesser hands. Most striking are a couple of brief moments in which Streep makes palpable Childs' sorrow over not being able to have children.


Out lesbian actress Jane Lynch appears as Julia's sister, Dorothy. Not only does Lynch have great chemistry with Streep but she, in playing an unapologetic heterosexual, succeeds spectacularly in broadening her image beyond the bitchy-dyke parts in which she seems to be increasingly typecast.

Julie & Julia touches on much more than a single topic — in this case, cooking — as the best movies do. The script by Nora Ephron, adapted from both Childs' and the real-life Powell's memoirs, takes on such weighty topics as what makes a marriage work, McCarthy-era politics, interpersonal communications in the Internet age, and the sacrifices required in the pursuit of self-fulfillment.

Ephron also directs, and Julie & Julia is her best-made film to date. Fans of Ephron's past hits Sleepless in Seattle and You've Got Mail will find this a weightier but no less enjoyable achievement. One final word of warning, though: don't see it on an empty stomach, or else be prepared to go out for a gourmet dinner immediately afterward. The film's namesakes wouldn't have it any other way.

UPDATE: Julie & Julia is now available on DVD and Blu-rayfrom Amazon.com.

Review by Rev. Chris Carpenter, resident film critic of Movie Dearest and the Orange County and Long Beach Blade.