Who can turn the world on with her smile? Who can take a nothing day and suddenly make it all seem worthwhile? If you don’t know, you really need to watch more TV Land. And I do mean Moore.

The producers of Lipstick Jungle are hoping Mary Tyler Moore can use her TV charm to bring a new dimension – and a new audience – to the series. Moore will guest star in several episodes as the retired mother of Wendy (Brooke Shields) – no doubt due to the actresses’ remarkable resemblance.

Moore’s character, Joyce, is a former high-powered executive who will challenge Wendy’s belief that she doesn’t have to choose between professional and personal success. Moore already is a big fan of the show, as she told the Hollywood Reporter:

"I'm fortunate to have had a front row seat to the evolution of working women on television. It's been great fun to watch the strong female characters of 'Lipstick Jungle' go at it week after week. I absolutely adore Brooke and I'm delighted to be a part of a show which is so well written."

Yeah, that’s why most of us watched – for the writing. … continue reading

Brooke Shields attended the Rockefeller Center tree lighting ceremony to promote NBC’s Lipstick Jungle, which will premiere Thursday, February 7, in ER’s slot (after ER runs out of original episodes).

Along with Shields, the series stars Kim Raver and Lindsay Price as three high-powered executives in New York City. It’s based on a bestselling book by Candace Bushnell about a jungle full of lipstick-wearing animals. Or something like that.

While we’re generally happy to see series that feature strong female roles, Lipstick’s review by our resident TV critics, Lori and Sarah, was not exactly stellar. OK, they hated it. Hop over and view the preview, then join me in saying “eww.” … continue reading

Leading off the first segment of our video blog this weekend, Lori and I detail the many reasons we hated the pilot Lipstick Jungle (NBC), the mid-season drama from Sex and the City's Candace Bushnell that stars Lindsay Price, Brooke Shields, and Kim Raver as high-powered business women who "aren't looking for Mr. Big, they are Mr. Big" (we wish!).

Then we discuss the latest episodes of Damages (FX), The Closer (TNT), and The Best Years (The N), the South of Nowhere (The N) season premiere, and what we'd do if we had Ashley's $12.5 million inheritance. … continue reading

Network TV used to have an unwritten rule that there could only be one Asian American woman, if that, in a leading (or even prominent recurring) role on TV at a time. Or in a few-year span.

In the '90s it was Margaret Cho on All American Girl, followed by Ming-Na on ER, and Lucy Liu on Ally McBeal. Then at the turn of the century, it was Keiko Agena on Gilmore Girls, and Kristin Kreuk on Smallville, plus a few others sprinkled in now and then.

But a few years ago, something happened — more specifically, Lost and Grey's Anatomy happened, or maybe common sense just finally kicked in — and we began to get three or four Asian American women in regular roles on network TV shows. Then last season, it was five.

And the networks discovered something odd: people of color tuned in, and the white people didn't stop watching. In fact, ratings even went up on some of the shows. (Gee, maybe this whole diversity thing isn't such a bad idea, after all!)

Now, going into the 2007-08 season, we're looking at a record seven shows with prominent female Asian American leading or supporting roles on primetime network TV (eight if The CW renews Smallville).

That's almost double the number of even a few years ago. Yes, it's still a pathetically small number, and there's still no Asian American equivalent to shows like Everybody Hates Chris or the upcoming Latino family drama Cane. But at least it's trending in the right direction — and it's six more than the number of lesbians we're going to get next season!

But on to the new roles.

First, Lucy Liu makes her triumphant return to television in Cashmere Mafia (ABC), a drama about career women in New York that we blogged about yesterday. Here's her official Cashmere headshot: … continue reading