November 14, 2007

Women's Murder Club - My Favorite New Show This Season
I have been looking for an excuse to talk up the Women's Murder Club, and an email from Sarah Fain, creator and showrunner is just that excuse. I know that critics kept falling over themselves to promote Pushing Daisies, which I find quite boring and I haven't watched my saved episodes for several weeks.

She emailed to clarify (guess that she has some time during the strike, fortunately for me) that she and her writing partner Liz Craft created the show and they run the show with R. Scott Gemmill. They are all executive producers along with Joe Simpson, Brett Ratner and James Patterson who wrote the book the show is based upon.

The show stars Angie Harmon who is so much better here than she was on Law & Order. I also especially like Paula Newsome as the medical examiner.

Show airs on ABC at 10pm on Fridays. This week's episode features Harmon's real husband, Jason Seahorn.

Variety has a series of stories on Women in Showbiz: The Politics of Change
One focuses on politics about how women in Hollywood are not all rallying behind Hillary Clinton (doesn't make them any different than women across the country). Story also mentions the HWPC (Hollywood Women's Political Caucus, disbanded ten years ago, which gave women in the biz a united political voice. I think we need to bring back HWPC!
Hollywood Women Split Political Loyalties (Variety)

Another focuses on the growing influence of lesbians. "These days, the war in Iraq looms large for lesbians, trumping even gay marriage and adoption rights as a front-burner issue." Well, duh. Ilene Chaiken, creator of the L Word and de-facto lesbian spokesperson adds: "Our voice is louder and stronger, and we have more potent meaning in the political conversation than we had in the past, when we were less visible." (Variety)
Lesbian Politics More Than Marriage

Pieces also include: How Hollywood Women are Speaking Against the Iraq War
Women Join Voices Against Iraq War
Stars Battle Violence Against Women
The Darfur Crisis
Hollywood Puts Spotlight on Darfur
AIDS
AIDS Awareness Goes Global
Animal Rights
Stars Speak Out About Animal Rights
Immigration
Hollywood Part of Immigration Debate

Good package, but I get annoyed when Variety dumbs down its pieces.