OK, I know it's not your ...
Question: OK, I know it's not your channel or your kind of show (it is a chick thing!), but I was wondering: Have you previewed any episodes of Lifetime's
Side Order of Life? Though it's a little cheesy, with its
Ally McBeal-esque antics (not done half as well...), the heart of this show is very sweet and genuine.
Diana-Maria Riva is absolutely amazing as Vivy. The way she makes me laugh and cry, portraying a woman striving to live a normal life despite having cancer, is a prime example of why I love TV and come back for more each week!
Answer: Message received. My initial reaction to
reviewing this pilot was to cut it some slack. I agree with the remark about it being cheesy, but I also found it harmless and likable and, most important, very much in keeping with the Lifetime brand (and I don't mean to be patronizing here). By comparison, despite a strong performance by
Lili Taylor, I thought its companion show,
State of Mind, was an annoyingly over-the-top attempt to bring an FX-like edge to Lifetime, with characters I could barely stand an hour of. I haven't watched either show past the pilot and doubt that I will (though I have tried to keep up, here and there, with
Army Wives), which is less a reflection of their quality than with the overwhelming glut of summer programming. (Sundays also being home to
The 4400, HGTV's
Design Star and, until recently, that strange surfing show on HBO, among other distractions.)
