Will San Francisco audiences embrace 'The Starter Wife?'

October 24, 2:42 PMSF TV & Movie ExaminerGreg Archer

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Now that The Starter Wife has officially graduated from mini-series status to a bona fide weekly outing on USA Network, San Francisco audiences may be wondering if the great leap was worth it? 

In a word: Absolutely. (***) Out of four.

We all have Debra Messing to thank for that. It's hard not to appreciate Messing's comedic verve here. As Molly Kagan, the beleaguered ex wife of an ego-driven Hollywood movie exec, she certainly shines. And that's a good thing, considering how many A-list television stars tumble in sophomore outings. (Seinfeld's Michael Richards and Jason Alexander come to mind and most can't recall the ill-fated endeavors of Roseanne alum John Goodman in Center of the Universe or Father of the Pride.)

Much like the popular mini-series, which aired in the summer of 2007, the new show finds Messing dealing with a gaggle of personal issues. In a recent interview with yours truly for Advocate.com, the actress mused that she appreciated the show's humor and how well it revealed the underbelly of Hollywood.

"There was something incredibly traumatic about the crisis Molly was going through [in the mini-series]--being stripped of her identity, being stripped of her entire community, and having to start all over again," she said. "It didn't occur to me until halfway through the mini-series shoot in Australia, that, in a way, I was going through a similar type of milestone with the end of Will & Grace."

W&G bowed in 2006 after an eight-year run on NBC. Messing nabbed an Emmy for her role as Grace Adler.

Still, one question remains unanswered. As much as Messing is revered, will SF audiences go along for the Friday night ride? The City is chock-full of end-of-the-week outings. (For instance, SF Doc Fest is underway and I suspect there will be a stellar turn-out tonight for the Tiffany-drenched doc I Think We're Alone Now.) 

Decisions. Decisions. 

My vote: TIVO or DVR Wife if you head out because things heat up for co-star Chris Diamantopoulos tonight, something that will surely appeal to LGBT audiences. In the meantime, Messing is still at the top of her comedic game, not only delivers a hearwarming portrayal of somebody you can relate to, but also manages to give birth to TV's next great female lead. Do we take The Starter Wife to love and to hold? We do.

Look for more TV and Film news in the coming days.

Next time: How much of ABC's Eli Stone is really filmed in The City?