“Lipstick” may be refreshed after all

Brooke Shields was in Dallas in November around the time that we got word that Lipstick Jungle was as good as canceled.

A friend of mine met Shields at a reception and the only thing she could think of to say was, “I’m sorry your show’s about to be canceled.” Shields flashed her a smile, cocked an eyebrow and said, “Don’t bet on it.”

Turns out, she was right. Amid fan outcry, NBC announced a few weeks ago that the show indeed had not been canceled. But the new head of NBC Primetime Entertainment, Angela Bromstad, made no promises about exactly what that meant. In other words, the show is not on the broadcast schedule, but the set was still in place.

This week, NBC’s Ben Silverman told Broadcasting & Cable that the network is looking for the kind of cost-sharing deal for Lipstick Jungle as the one that saved Friday Night Lights. DirecTV helped finance FNL in exchange for the right to air the show before NBC.

"Lipstick Jungle is so strong and has such a passionate base among a coveted demographic. That kind of show will have the same approach, and we've already begun that approach, as we've used with Friday Night Lights. We have some incredible channels in our portfolio and we have sister networks that love the show as well. We are analyzing what we need to do to keep that show on the air."

That’s good news, as far as I’m concerned. I grew to enjoy the show this season. I’m not sure if the focus shifted to more character driven stories or if I just got to know the women. When the last episode aired, tying up most of the storylines, I was sorry to see it go. I would miss Kim Raver and the, um, girls.

The network’s willingness to listen to fans and explore ways to keep the show alive is also a good sign for niche programs that may not attract the kind of ratings network advertisers demand. ABC, are you listening?

Is this a good solution to save Lipstick Jungle? Do you care? What other shows do you wish would get the Friday Night Lights treatment?