Sunday, April 19, 2009

Very early review of The Beautiful Life

I received a few weeks ago The Beautiful Life but didn't really notice it until I heard this would mark Mischa Barton come back on tv. Not that I care or anything, but that just makes this show one of the most anticipated for the next season, yes, really.



Top models living together in New York, it does sound really cliche and while I was waiting for another Vampire Diaries monstrosity, it turns out The Beautiful Life has a lot to offer.

Chris is the small town genuinely nice guy who, while travelling to New York will catch the eye of Simon, a gay talent scout (how original), that offers to meet him at the agency where he will then meet Raina. They both click right away, and the development of their relation interests quickly thanks to a great writing that makes you wonder how Raina managed to stay so down to earth and naive in such a competitive world.

The characters are ordinary as I expected but it's quickly proven that they are not so one note and cliche as you would think. Especially the naive Raina who just had her big break played by Sara Paxton. For the rest, it's a CW pilot therefore I was expecting the show to focus on the beautiful and the pleasant part of the fashion world but The Beautiful Life, au contraire, focuses wisely on the dark part of modelling. Addictions to all sorts of things, bulimia and much more are parts of these teenagers' life. There are some interesting but hard subjects to talk about, first because it's easy to become too light on subjects that shouldn't be treated so and then because the lack of knowledge is obvious (but I guess it's kinda too early to talk).

I'm also glad a good spec script can make it these days, especially considering the fact that most of the next season's TV shows are coming from writers with a huge background. I mean, Adam Giaudrone only has two credits at IMDB (South Beach and Swingtown) and the network might actually get something good out of this.

Finally, this pilot is well done, and if I manage not to comeback for week two next season, it will be the CW's fault for destroying a script who could be above everything the network has done these last years.

The Beautiful Life will start if it gets pick up next season on the CW.

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