Debra Messing in "The Starter Wife"
courtesy of the USA Network
“The Starter Wife” (USA Network)

Last year the USA Network introduced the much acclaimed series “The Starter Wife.” This mini-series starred Debra Messing of “Will and Grace” fame as a woman living in LA who had a successful husband and a beautiful daughter. Her life was perfect until her husband dumped her. It seems she had only been a “starter” wife and her time in the sun had expired.

Now “The Starter Wife” is back for a second season and more adventures for Molly Kagan (Messing). The series focuses on her and her two best friends Joan (Judy Davis) and Rodney (Chris Diamantopoulos). Molly is searching for a new career, trying to keep her daughter’s life secure, and trying to come to terms with the irresponsibility of her ex-husband Kenny (David Alan Basche).

The series works primarily due to the talent of Messing. She looks great in this new role and she isn’t the ditzy person that Grace was. Molly has intelligence and heart. She is a fixer whether it be her daughter, her ex, her friends, or her life. She doesn’t hide from life but faces it head on and does it in a charming and totally endearing way.

Messing gets great support from Davis as Joan McAllister, a recovering alcoholic. Joan is so funny and so sharp that this character should have her own series. She takes over any scene in which she is in and the makers of this series wisely give her plenty of space on the show.

Unlike many series today where you just don’t care that much about the characters, “The Starter Wife” gives you people you want to succeed and who you want to let into your life. Messing shows her success on “Will and Grace” was no fluke as she handily makes this series “must watch TV.”

So get ready for another season of one of the best written, best acted series on the air this fall. Debra Messing and company make “The Starter Wife” a show that you will want to take custody of every time a new episode airs.

“The Starter Wife” premieres Friday, October 10 at 9PM on the USA Network.
 

 

 

 

 

©2008 Jackie K. Cooper

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