My Thoughts on Lifetime's New Sunday Dramas...

I’ve been so busy this week with the TCA Press Tour and the Emmys that I haven’t had the chance to give you my thoughts on Lifetime’s new Sunday night dramas…

“Side Order of Life” and “State of Mind” actually have several things in common. They both introduced us to their female lead characters with dream sequences in which they’re faced with a truth about the state of their lives. And they both have female lead characters who start to see things after a traumatic event.

But that’s where the similarities end, as “Life” takes the fun approach to a woman in a personal crisis, while “Mind” takes itself WAY too seriously…

“Life” stars Marisa Coughlin as Jenny, a photographer for “In Person” magazine. The truth she faces is that her marriage to Ian (Jason Priestley) may not be the best thing for her. Those doubts are reinforced by her best friend, Vivy (Diana Maria Riva), who tells her that she’s been making life a “side order” as opposed to the main course.

Jenny’s trauma occurs when she finds out that Vivy has an inoperable brain tumor. The news sends Jenny into a bit of a tailspin, which leads her to accidentally call another man. But the man proves to be so reassuring that she ends up calling him two more times, even though she doesn’t even know his name.

Meanwhile, Jenny starts to see things like the Hollywood sign talking to her or the actual souls of her photo subjects. This new awakening earns her a byline at the magazine edited by her friend, Rick (Christopher Gartin), who has always had a crush on Vivy.

By the end of the episode, Jenny has decided to postpone her wedding (but stay with Ian), and turn the ceremony into a celebration of Vivy’s life.

“Life” is what I would call a harmless show. It’s not too serious or not too silly. It just is. The cast is extremely appealing, although I’m slightly bothered by Jason Priestley playing an overly ambitious corporate type—not because he’s not okay in the role, it just bothers me. I guess it’s that whole good guy image he’s got.

I have to admit that I spent most of the hour trying to identify the voice of Cell Phone Guy. I’ve decided it’s Steven Weber, but I haven’t found anything to back that hunch up (If you guys have a clue, please let me know).

“Side Order of Life” airs Sundays at 8 p.m. on Lifetime…

“State of Mind” stars Lili Taylor as Ann, one of the psychiatrists at New Haven Psychiatric Associates. The truth that she has to face is that there is a problem with her marriage. Her trauma occurs when she sees that truth firsthand when she catches her husband having sex with their marriage counselor.

Ann goes into a tailspin that results in her being rude to her patients since she is now seeing and hearing Phil during her therapy sessions.
To fill Phil’s office, she brings in a new lawyer in town, Barry (Devon Gummersall). Barry quickly finds himself getting involved in the others’ affairs as he steps up to defend James (Derek Riddel) when the police question him about a patient’s disappearance. Lili asks Barry to represent her in her divorce, but Barry gives the impression he might have a little crush on his new landlord.

“Mind” should be just as harmless and frothy as “Life,” but it isn’t thanks to a slew of melodramatic plots that bring the whole thing down. Two of the other associates, Taj and Cordelia (Mido Hamada and Theresa Randle), appear to be having an affair (The Lifetime website confirms that suspicion.), even though the married Taj is constantly vocalizing his opinions on the sanctity of marriage. And James, a child psychologist, tries to get through to a Russian orphan who is adopted by a rich American family. When the child disappears, the police suspect James of being a child molester…

And that is the story that manages to kill any chance this show had of making it on my must-see list. Even though James is a licensed child psychologist, the police automatically jump to a sordid conclusion, without giving any thought to the fact that the child may have runaway to James because he thought James was his only friend (which is what he did). And to make matters worse, Barry jumped to the same sordid conclusion when he saw the child in James’ room. It just didn’t fit.

I actually had high hopes for this show since I really like Lili Taylor—and she is good as always—but I can’t handle melodrama just for the sake of melodrama.

I guess that’s my state of mind…

“State of Mind” airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on Lifetime…