I think the jury’s still out on whether or not Showtime’s made it into HBO’s league. While the little premium cable network that could has produced its share of solid original programs that I love — Californication, Dead Like Me, Episodes, Shameless, Sleeper Cell, and Weeds — it’s never hit on a giant slayer like The Wire, The Sopranos, or [insert your favorite here].
Nevertheless I find that lately Showtime’s been scoring more often than not, and I sometimes wonder what might be passing me by untried. Which is why this week I decided to check out Secret Diary of a Call Girl, now in its fourth season.
From the onset I have to say that the series was nothing like what I expected. I imagined a much grittier show, with a lot of time spent on the street, maybe mostly documentary style. I didn’t think this was a reality show, but I also didn’t expect to discover that the main character, Belle (Billie Piper), was an upper class Brit. In fact, I had no idea that the show was even based in England.
And as it turned out, the camera chats were actually what I liked least about the show. If it’s not about the trade but rather this woman who’s torn between many worlds, then the asides actually feel completely out-of-place. As do the too-often-used cuts to an imaginary scene, a practice I find silly on any show.
I actually wasn’t so interested in Belle; I think she makes her life a lot more complicated than it needs to be. Much of the conflict that she experienced in the episode was of her own making, and that kind of forced drama is irritating.
Far more interesting were two supporting characters: Belle’s boyfriend Ben (Iddo Goldberg) seemed pretty grounded for someone who’s building a life with a call girl, and Poppy (Lily James) looks to be up for a really interesting plot development. After learning that her mother, Stephanie (Cherie Lunghi), is a call girl, Poppy is likely to go a little nutty. I caught scenes from next week, and I see that she’s going to be spending time with Belle’s colleague Charlotte (Gemma Chan), a more stereotypical version of a call girl, and someone who’s likely to shock innocent Poppy to her core.
But Belle’s kind of blah. She acted as if she had the world on her shoulders, when in reality her day only consisted of sex for money — before she swapped clients — and an unexpected trip with a friend to see her mother in prison. I’m sure other things have happened in prior episodes, but I don’t know what about that would have kept her from being able to hop on a plane to New York for a few days.
Which brings up an interesting question: what’s this book that she’s written? I assume she authored it as fiction, but is it essentially what the show’s about, namely a call girl living among us? Someone wants to option that for a movie?
Because in contrast to what I originally thought the series was like, as utilized on the show Belle being a call girl is really just like any other job that she has to juggle along with life. Her profession can make “office” scenes funnier and/or more interesting, but my guess is that her being a call girl is probably a fact about Belle that would be easy enough to forget while watching the show.
Which is hardly something that could have been said about Tony Soprano or Omar Little. Secret Diary of a Call Girl is decent enough, but I don’t see it sticking with me.
Clacked by Aryeh S.
on May 03, 2011 @ 12:00 EST5EDT
Season 4 is pretty blah and never gets as interesting as season 1 and 2. You should see it from the beginning and you’ll appreciate Belle a lot more. She’s always been middle class, btw and the woman she visits in prison is her ex-madame/pimp. I believe the show is based on an autobiography (or a blog?) but I haven’t looked into that.
I agree with Sophia, I enjoyed both seasons 1 and 2. I don’t think I watched season 3 and never got around to season 4. Although the blog is slightly less happy, there’s an American chick lit novel (Diary of a Manhattan Call Girl) which catalyzed my interest in the show.
The show deliberately tends towards froth, with the initial premise surrounding a humanities student who, upon finding her degree worthless while uninterested in (and incapable of) doing anything else, decides to take advantage of her enjoyment of sex. Although I never liked Billie Piper as an actress, I enjoyed her character in Dr. Who. But, she really shines as this character.
I don’t want to turn this into a Virgin Diary, but have you considered revisiting the first (or a season 1) episode of shows whose season 3/4 eps you reviewed in the past for ‘what’s this show’?
*POST AUTHOR*
I definitely understand that in principle, and there are plenty of shows that I watch that were much better way back when. But I still believe that needing to resort to that method in order to appreciate a new show is completely contrary to what the industry is all about. If we all had to start every series from the beginning, then once a show hit its second season (hell, it’s second episode) it would stop advertising. Right? Because up until recently it wasn’t so easy to go back and see the pilot, so if you missed the boat there was probably no turning back.
But certainly that’s not the way that anyone who makes TV looks at television, which is why shows are always trying to lure new viewers in with big episodes, good stories, guest stars, etc. And I’ll continue to maintain that, therefore, every show is aiming to be accessible enough for all kinds of viewers in every one of its episodes.
The first episode that you or I watch of a show, be it its pilot or its 100th — I’m looking at you, 30 Rock, for putting on such a horrible milestone episode — has to be good enough to pique our interest. Then I’ll watch more, and if I really like it I’ll search out the series from the beginning. But every episode of every show should have the obligation to strike at least a semblance of a chord with even the greenest of new viewers … at least that’s what I think. Otherwise shows would never be able to grow their audience.
I’m not saying I disagree with you, but if you hold every show up to such a high and consistent standard, which, in a perfect world we should all do, then you are going to find yourself disappointed far more than pleased. I believe you have already discovered that for yourself, though, and people are recommending particular seasons so that you might at least have the chance to enjoy what each particular series was capable of, not to try and prove to you that it’s a better series than you surmised by one viewing. There were times in my life when I was better at some things than I am now, but I’m better at others now; doesn’t mean I’m not a worthwhile person. Same goes for movie sequels; one shouldn’t judge all the movies by one stinker in the bunch, you’re just denying yourself enjoyment that way.
I’d love for all, or most, series to be consistent enough that one random viewing would give you a representative sample of the overall quality, but as someone who reviews for a living (or perhaps hobby?) you of all people should know that’s a very unrealistic expectation. An expectation destined to disappointment almost every time.
*POST AUTHOR*
While a lot of TV would prove you right, I have several personal examples which keep my hope alive that something in the course of an episode will demand that I tune in again.
I started watching NCIS the summer after the fourth season. It was okay for a procedural, and although the people meant nothing to me it was fun enough that I wanted to check it out again, and eventually I caught up on every episode. I had the same experience with Criminal Minds. In contrast I turned off the CSI I tried after ten minutes.
I’ve always thought that Community was awful, but I kept watching until early this season because everything about it was a sitcom that I normally would enjoy. Same for Parks and Recreation. Finally I gave up on both, but the setups and conceits made me keep coming back for a while.
Undercover Boss. I don’t know why — maybe seeing what the bosses fail at, or the lavish gifts they give their “diamonds in the rough” — but I keep on watching it on Demand.
American Dad! is awful, but I watch most episodes on Hulu. On reason: Roger.
And there are more. My point is that in each case something made me try again, even after a bad first experience. Maybe implying that it need be quality is the wrong message to send, but I think it’s fair to expect that there be something to pique a new viewer’s interest in any random one episode. And if not….
Pretty sure Showtime has one giant slayer in Dexter.
*POST AUTHOR*
I’m glad you brought it up. I considered naming Dexter, but I ultimately ignored it because I don’t watch it, and I wasn’t impressed when I checked it out. However, I know that to the show’s fans it is a smash hit, so I’m glad a fan brought it into the conversation. Thanks!