The Lifetime Is The Right Time

BEVERLY HILLS - Lifetime TV leads the way this morning with President/CEO Andrea Wong promising to pump up the cable network's "energy, relevancy, vibrancy, optimism…and hyperfocus on women." Whew. She's had her coffee.

Of course she may also be pumped up because of the socko success of Lifetime's "Army Wives," which she announces has already been renewed for an 18-episode second season. (Which is, of course, "reporting for duty" in spring 2008.) Other shows set for the TV-for-women network in the months to come include two shows of psychic nonsense on Friday nights and a miniseries called, contrary to fact, "The Murder of Princess Diana," starring Jennifer Morrison, who plays Cameron on "House." 

The surprise of the session is "How To Look Good Naked," a reality show hosted by "Queer Eye's" Carson Kressley. The title draws hoots, as does the premise, which has Kressley helping women with their body issues. But the clip shown to the 100 or so critics on hands is a winner. A heavyset, pre-makeover-Ricki-Lake type is reduced to tears by the sight of her own body in the mirror. After a whirlwind and surprisingly instructive makeover by Kressley, the clip ends with a nude photo shoot and the woman in tears again, this time happily, as her sexy photo is posted on a diamond vision screen on a busy street. I know, I know…but it seems to work. 

Then the panel for "Side Order of Life" troops onto the stage, eight all told, actors and producers and executives. But all eyes are focused on pink-clad star Marisa Coughlan. (Well, maybe a few eyes are focused on Jason Priestley, who admits to being the "man meat" on the show.)"Side Order" is like a Lifetime movie blown up into a series. She's a photojournalist about to get married who ends up throwing over the traces - and the fiancée (Priestley) - when her best pal turns up with a recurrence of brain cancer. That Coughlan is drop-dead, eye-breakingly gorgeous - in the thin, blond, perfect Hollywood mode - sucks some of the drama out of this setup.

They're replaced by the whopping 10 folks on stage for "State of Mind," which stars Lili Taylor ("Six Feet Under") as a couples therapist who catches her husband cheating on her. She shares offices in an old Victorian with three other therapists and - after she throws out her therapist husband - a young, white lawyer named Barry White.

The dumber questions in the session include a penetrating query about what the actors find "therapeutic." To their credit, at least two of them answer honestly and say alcohol. But the deeper questions tend to be about how it's a good time for women on TV - be it characters or actresses, in shows from "The Closer" and "Army Wives" to the upcoming "Damages" on FX.

 Taylor, after threatening to compile a little folder of relevant clippings on the topic, has the best answer, crediting creativity and better writing. "It seems like TV is pushing itself," she says. "A lot of times when you have a formula, the female character is going to suffer…If it's more complicated, the female is going to be more complicated, and that's what might be happening."

 This plays pretty well but no one seems quite awake yet in this stage-lit hotel ballroom where the Golden Globe awards are handed out. Reporters sit at row upon row of tables under the glittering chandeliers, tapping on laptops and cracking wise. No one quite seems to know what to do with the little red foam stress couches with the "State of Mind" logo on them that come in the Lifetime goodie bag. My colleague to the left suggests it would make a nice seat for the Jane Austen action figures PBS handed out yesterday.

 Yes.

 "Side Order of Life" and "State of Mind" debut Sunday night on Lifetime. We'll have a review of "State of Mind" over on the home page later this week.