Sordid Lives: The Series

It's got everything going for it: It's based on a cult film and has an excellent cast. It's got one thing going against it: LOGO, as always determined to ruin a good idea before it's fully come to life. After the phenomenal embarrassment that was NOAH'S ARC and the mindblowing fuck up that is EXES AND OHS, LOGO is trying its luck with SORDID LIVES-THE SERIES, based on Del Shores' 2001 cult film. Olivia Newton John, Leslie Jordan, Rue McClanahan, Bonnie Bedelia Caroline Rhea, Beth Grant, recreating her awesome 'Sissy Hickey' (Why, Lord, WHY??), by far the best character of both the film and series, plus guest appearances by Margaret Cho and Carson Kressley- the cast is to die for. Part remake, part continuation of the original film, the story of a Texas family and their unlikely friends and foes is wrapped between the coming out tale of Ty (Jason Dottley, partner of Del Shores, extremely cute, but 'actor' might be a little far fetched here), who has fled Texas to pursue an acting career in Los Angeles. It's essentially STEEL MAGNOLIAS on psychedelic drugs. Don't judge a book by its cover and never judge a TV show by its pilot: After a bumpy start, SORDID LIVES pulls itself together and is actually hilariously funny - if sometimes Ty's struggle to come out as a gay man in West Hollywood (!) seems a little forced. And get your best cuss words ready to shout them at your screen whenever LOGO decides that 'bitch' and 'faggot' are okay, but 'fuck' and 'shit' are not. Sweet baby Jesus, down a couple of valium, try not to pass out before 10 and it's fixin' to be a good time. Really, LOGO has done FAR worse. New episodes air Wednesdays at 10pm on LOGO, with repeats throughout the week.