DAVID BIANCULLI

Founder / Editor

ERIC GOULD

Associate Editor

LINDA DONOVAN

Assistant Editor

Contributors

ALEX STRACHAN

MIKE HUGHES

KIM AKASS

MONIQUE NAZARETH

ROGER CATLIN

GARY EDGERTON

TOM BRINKMOELLER

GERALD JORDAN

NOEL HOLSTON

 
 
 
 
 
SMILF
November 5, 2017  | By David Bianculli

Showtime, 10:00 p.m. ET

 

SERIES PREMIERE: Frankie Shaw is not only the creator and writer and director of this new Showtime series, but she’s its star as well. And since SMILF (the S stands for Single; for the rest, you’re on your own) is about a single mom trying to make it in a rather judgmental and tough world, it could almost be seen as a spiritual sequel to Lena Dunham’s Girls. Except that the support system for Shaw’s Bridgette Bird is less expansive, and supportive: Her inner circle includes her disapproving, often depressed mother, the distracted and well-to-do mother of a kid she tutors, and Bridgette’s ex-husband, who still checks in as a father – but who also has a beautiful new girlfriend, while Bridgette finds it tough to cope, much less date. Bridgette also is a spiritual sister, certainly, to Fiona Gallagher, the constantly struggling character on this show’s lead-in, Shamelessm so SMILF is at least well-positioned, in addition to being well-intentioned. The first few episodes are a bit wobbly, but Shaw’s Bridgette is likable even when doing unlikable things – a key component, if this series is to succeed – and SMILF has the benefits of two supporting players playing significantly, and successfully, against type. Connie Britton, as the mom whose child Bridgette tutors, is endearingly messed up, a far cry from her got-it-together matriarch on Friday Night Lights. And Bridgette’s own mother, a heavily accented Irish-American toughie, is played by Rosie O’Donnell, with a naturalness,  and a vulnerability, that makes you see her as a serious actress, without any self-aware comic throwaways used as shields.

 
 
 
 
 
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