Younger & SATC’s Anniversary
If you asked me years ago if I'd name a show on TV Land as one of the best of 2018, I’d have laughed in your face. But here we are, and Younger, starring Sutton Foster and Hilary Duff, is entering its fifth season on a network known for I Love Lucy reruns. Like most shows, the first few episodes of Younger are a bit clunky, filled with too many “kids these days” jokes and references to emojis and Lena Dunham. But from the start, the show always balanced out its crazy premise – Sutton Foster plays a 40-year-old divorcee, Liza, pretending to be 26 to get a job in publishing after her daughter leaves for college – with plenty of heart. Sutton is a delight. Her youthful face and energy make her the perfect choice to star in the series and she steals every scene, transitioning from innocent to funny to stern parent in the blink of an eye. As the show grew into itself and moved beyond its premise (and the threat of everyone finding out Liza’s age), it became a true ensemble comedy. Nico Tortorella plays the sexy, yet soulful, Josh, who meets Liza at a bar and assumes they are the same age. Their first interaction and chemistry had me hooked. Josh is always more than just a fling and he and Liza begin a real relationship. They have their ups and downs when it comes to secrets and plans for their future, but their friendship remains strong and runs throughout the course of the show.
Debi Mazar plays Liza’s best friend and roommate, Maggie. She's a free-spirited artist who always offers excellent advice and gets to have fun and hang out with Liza’s twenty-something friends. Miriam Shor plays Liza’s tough boss, who softens and shows her cracks as the series goes on. Peter Hermann plays Charles, the charming head of the publishing department. He's also a divorcee with children and he and Liza form a bond and thus begins a complicated love triangle between him, Liza and Josh. This is one of the few shows that I’ve seen pull off a convincing triangle that has me switching sides depending on the episode and wondering if Liza can't be with both guys?? Molly Bernard plays Lauren, a twenty-something social media guru who is always experimenting and knows the best places to be in NYC. And course, there's Hilary Duff, who has grown a lot as an actress throughout the series. She plays the business-savvy and love-troubled Kelsey, who takes Liza under her wing and turns into one of her best friends.
Here’s where everything starts to click together on the show. Liza, Kelsey, Maggie and Lauren become a truly unique foursome. Now is a good time to mention that this show was created and produced by Darren Starr of Sex and the City fame. The parallels are definitely there: It films in New York City, so it’s fun to see the different places they film on-location, Kelsey and Liza are immersed in the writing and publishing world, and the show features some scenes that push the limits of TV Land and more closely resemble Younger's HBO counterpart. At its core, Younger is also a story about four friends. Mild spoilers to follow... As Liza’s secret is revealed to more and more people during the course of the series, the reaction that becomes the most important is Kelsey’s. I remember watching heartbroken as Kelsey processes this betrayal of their friendship. During the first season or two, audiences were questioning when Josh or Charles would find out (if ever) about Liza's secret life, so it was incredibly moving for season three to feature that reveal with Kelsey and have it be so shocking and such a monumental shift in their relationship. Younger is funny, smart and full of relatable moments, no matter your age. The new season premiered last night, and I can't wait to see what happens next on Liza's journey.
As Seen on Screen
Twenty years ago today, HBO aired the first episode of Sex and the City and shocked audiences with its approach to female dating in NYC. To celebrate this milestone, a number of excellent articles have resurfaced or been published on the internet diving into the show's cultural significance. I've pulled together a couple of the best. In my head, I'll be enjoying these with a Cosmo and a Magnolia Bakery cupcake, thank you very much.
The Cut went through the history books and pulled some of the sexist reviews of the show (written by men) through the years.
Contrary to popular belief, most of the men from Sex and the City were awful. Big couldn't stop playing mind games. Richard cheated on Samantha. Berger dumped Carrie via post-it note and picked a fight with her about scrunchies. The list goes on. Vanity Fair put together a helpful ranking of the show's worst men. In a less cynical article, they also sat down with series creator Darren Starr to discuss Sarah Jessica Parker's audition and the show's evolution.
Emily Nussbaum writes the cultural Gospel, and her 2013 New Yorker article about Sex and the City is a must-read for all. Whether or not you're a fan of the show, this piece can give you a quick insight into Carrie Bradshaw's world and Emily's argument that Carrie was the first female anti-hero on television.
Haven't You Heard?
The premiere of Oceans 8 is this week and it focuses on a plot to rob the Met Gala, so that means it's time to talk all things Met-related.
This past weekend I traveled to New York City and made a stop at The Met. While I was dismayed to learn the museum changed it's admission policy and I had to fork over $25 to get in, it was worth it after seeing the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination exhibit. Also the theme of this year's Met Gala, Heavenly Bodies featured a mix of Catholic artifacts, including items from the Vatican's collection, through the years and designs from Versace, Dolce & Gabbana and more. Many of the designers featured were raised Roman Catholic. The sign outside the exhibit reads, "On the surface, [the Catholic] influence is expressed through explicit Catholic imagery and symbolism as well as references to specific garments worn by the clergy and religious orders. On a deeper level, it manifests as a reliance on storytelling, and specifically on metaphor -- which the sociologist Andrew Greeley describes as the essential characteristic of a particular sensibility he defines as 'the Catholic imagination.'" It was fun and interesting to see this manifested in dress designs and juxtaposed with ancient artifacts.
Each year the Met Gala takes place on the first Monday of May and has been chaired by Vogue editor Anna Wintour since 1995. If you're interested in learning more about what goes into planning each year's theme, check out the documentary, The First Monday in May, focused on the 2015 program titled China: Through the Looking Glass. The documentary follows curator Andrew Bolton and Anna Wintour as they research, plan and execute the event.
And finally, Ocean's 8 premieres on Friday, and I cannot wait to see this movie. With an all-star cast, including Anne Hathaway, Cate Blanchett, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Helena Bonham Carter, Rihanna, Awkwafina and more, the movie centers on Sandra Bullock, who plays Debbie Ocean, the sister of Danny Ocean from the original films. I'm excited to see these women work together on the big screen, especially the re-appearance of Anne Hathaway after some time off, the return of Sandra Bullock to the big-screen and more Mindy Kaling.
Required Reading
I distinctly remember when I got my first Kate Spade bag. The company made a mistake and accidentally sent my aunt with two of the same travel bags, and she gifted me with her bonus one on Christmas morning. I was thrilled and felt extra stylish whenever I packed it for a quick weekend trip. As the years went on, my mom gave me a magenta Kate Spade purse that I used at my internship in NYC and my first job outside of college. A few weeks ago, my mom presented me with another Kate Spade purse, this one is purple and large enough to fit my work laptop, making it the perfect choice for weekday mornings. When I walk around with a Kate Spade bag, I feel fashion-forward and adult. Kate Spade first started designing purses because she wanted to create "a functional bag that was sophisticated and had some style." And she more than succeeded. I was so sad to learn that she was found dead yesterday from what appears to be suicide. Many women have their own Kate Spade stories. I was comforted to see them sharing their own stories online yesterday, including this one in The Atlantic. I was also moved to see so many people sharing resources for those experiencing suicidal thoughts, including a Cosmo article about how to talk to a friend with suicidal thoughts and the number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255). I'm glad these resources are being so widely promoted and hope we can decrease the stigma surrounding depression.
One more thing this week. Thanks to a tweet from Lin-Manuel Miranda, who typically provides an inspirational pick-me-up on hectic days, I came across this New York Times article about Sara Krulwich, who has photographed years of Broadway shows for the paper. On Sunday, a week in advance of the Tony Awards, Sara was honored with the Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theater, making her the first journalist honored with this award. Check out the article to learn more about Sara and her Broadway journey and to explore annotated versions of pictures that she’s taken of Rent, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Hamilton, Cabaret and more through the years.
