Reviews & Ratings for
"The Starter Wife" More at IMDbPro »

17 out of 21 people found the following review useful:
I'm addicted!, 15 February 2009

Author: daxidriver from Belgium

The starter wife is a very fun series. It's nice to have a series about older woman and not always teenagers. I really like Debra messing as an actress. She has something sympathetic and funny about her. The other characters in the series are also very fun to watch. The gay friend, the ex husband, the weird girlfriend. I think it's really sad that nobody seems to like the show. I think when it is shown on Belgium television, it can't be bad. So i don't understand they won't make a second season. If you're reading this and you're interested in watching the series, please give them a chance. When you watch the first episodes, you soon be an addict to it!

2 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
Disappointing, after the miniseries, 15 June 2010

Author: ducdebrabant from New York City, USA

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

I loved the 2007 miniseries, and the 2008 series was a big letdown to me, especially in its omissions. I missed Jorge and Cricket from the first show, and I certainly missed Joe Mantegna.

But a couple of substitutions were just as irritating. Hart Bochner's character was far less intriguing a love interest than Stephen Moyer, and even if they couldn't (or didn't choose to) hire Moyer for the series, I resented the way they had Messing denigrate him in that "what was I thinking?" way. It seemed to negate the pleasure I got from the first miniseries, and to negate the time I spent on it.

And if they couldn't (or wouldn't) hire the plain Peter Jacobson again to play Kenny (Jacobson was the perfect grasping studio type, using power as a substitute for sex appeal) I wish they hadn't been so silly and hired the very attractive David Alan Basche to replace him. It was very interesting that Molly had been married to a physically imperfect man. It gave her depth, and Jacobson did, after all, exude intelligence.

Plus, Kenny wasn't a complete rat all the time. And even when he was ... even as he was substituting younger arm candy for Molly ... he was always aware of Molly's smarts. Jacobson also had a great rapport on screen with Jorge, played by the handsome Aden Young.

Jacobson had an interesting way of playing Kenny's sense of entitlement: the way he always turned to Molly when he needed something done right, as if she'd always be at his disposal. You got glimpses of what a great beauty-and-the-beast team they had once been. When she helped him, as she always did, it seemed to be from sheer habit and kindness.

But the only reason to have Basche in his place seemed to be the pandering notion that you can never have too much sex appeal on a show. I didn't want the possibility of a reconciliation hanging in the air, and Messing never did play off Basche as well as she played off Jacobson. I didn't like feeling that Molly might still be nursing romantic feelings for her ex- husband. You never felt that with Jacobson.

There was something irritating, too, about the way they had made Kenny fail at the studio. The whole "starter wife" premise was that Molly had nursed this man to success, and now wasn't reaping the fruits of it. I didn't understand the point of taking the success away, unless it was so that they wouldn't have to spend money on a great house for Kenny, or studio scenes, or more glittering parties or premieres.

And that's another thing: the production values on the series never seemed quite as good as on the miniseries either. Messing was still delightful, as were Judy Davis and Chris Diamantopoulos, but I was extremely disappointed. I saw the miniseries after purchasing it on Itunes, and bought the series the same way. If I'd been catching it when it was first broadcast, I might not even have watched it till the end.

Absolutely Ghastly, 25 February 2013

Author: anitalansing from United States

I absolutely loved Will and Grace, and so I thought the Starter Wife would be similar to it. Will and Grace was witty, funny, sharp....the Starter Wife TV series was appalling and was nowhere close. I had never watched the show and rented the DVD to check it out. The show was so ghastly that I could not finish watching the entire disc. Flat, stupid, idiotic are some of the words that come to my mind in regards to this show. I completely understand why there was only ONE season of this show. Honestly, I am surprised that the season did not end at the first episode. It was unbearable.

I will try my best to wipe my mind clean and only picture Debra Messing as the charming and funny Grace Adler from one of my most favorite shows, Will and Grace.

0 out of 2 people found the following review useful:
What were they thinking????!!!!, 8 June 2009

Author: anitabwilson from Charlotte, NC, United States

I love this show. What were they thinking canceling it? I swear I don't understand how they decide which shows to keep! Do they throw darts at a dartboard?! Seriously, the demographics of the people who watch this have to be housewives who do most of the shopping in their households. Why would a studio not want to appeal to that demographic? Not to mention, the show had a great cast and the stories were hilarious. It's been a sad few months for me, not being able to see what happens next. I would say my only negative comment about the entire show was that they replaced Kenny with an actor that was too good-looking for the part! Debra Messing is amazing. Judy Davis is a fantastic actress. I loved the dynamic that Danielle Nicolet brought to the show, such great energy! The relationship between Rodney and Felix was really well-played out and didn't make me uncomfortable as a heterosexual female either!

1 out of 4 people found the following review useful:
Rent the DVDs, 28 September 2009

Author: impulsivebutterfly from United States

For those of you who would like to see the mini series and TV show, Netflix has them on DVD to rent. I absolutely loved them. It was awesome to watch uninterrupted. No wait time nor commercials. I wish they would bring the show back. I loved all of the characters and their twisted stories. This is the best role I have ever seen Debra Messing in. I like that the gay best friend didn't live with her though. That would have seemed too much like "Will & Grace". I love that the story focused on women and the daily dramas that go on in life. It is nice to see that even the super rich have drama in their lives. Sometimes those less fortunate think money would solve everything, this show proves that theory wrong.

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