‘Lipstick Jungle’ Premiere

Playfeed - USA - Remember those perfume ads back in the 1980’s for Parfums decoeur ‘Designer Imposters’? They went something like “if you like Giorgio you’ll love Primo!, if you like Opium you’ll love Ninja” or the more recent enticement, “If you like Juicy Couture you’ll love Yeah Baby.” It’s human to want a whiff of luxury at a bargain price - too bad the end result usually stinks.

NBC’s Lipstick Jungle reminds me of those ‘Designer Imposters’. The show, starring Brooke Shields, Kim Raver and Lindsay Price, premiered last night.

If you’re confused and could have sworn Lipstick Jungle stars Lucy Liu and two other chicks, you’re only half wrong.  That show is on ABC and is called Cashmere Mafia.

Lipstick Jungle has the right pedigree. It’s based on a novel by Sex and the City author Candace Bushnell and its parallels to that hit HBO series are unmistakable until you scratch the surface.

Lipstick’s plot centers around three powerful Manhattan women who tread in dangerous waters of sex, lies and betrayal. At least, I think that’s what the plot is supposed to be. What I saw seemed more like a Lifetime movie for women than a glossy Primetime sex drama.

Suddenly Susan star Brooke Shields plays Wendy Healy, a movie executive for fictional Parador Pictures. I like Brooke Shields, so this is really nothing personal, but I questioned through the entire show why she was cast in this role. Her movie executive is more likely to hug it out with a wayward director than to fire him. She admits she is a “hugger” and that she doesn’t have to be nasty to seem in charge. The show would have been a bit more interesting if she could have been a bit more snarky. Sure you catch more flies with honey, but does that make for interesting TV?