"Drop Dead Diva" Review: Don't Miss the Chance to See a True Star Shine
There are certain shows that I love every time I have the opportunity to review them. But for some reason, I don’t take the time to watch them when they air.
Lifetime’s “Drop Dead Diva” is definitely one of those shows…
Now entering its third season, “Diva” follows the life of Jane (Brooke Elliott), a brilliant lawyer. But Jane is actually Deb, an aspiring actress who ended up in Jane’s body after she was killed in a car accident and there was a little mix-up in Heaven. Now, Jane is a perfect combination of style and brilliance.
The only people who know who Jane really is are Deb’s best friend, Stacy (April Bowlby) and her guardian angel, Fred (Ben Feldman). But not even Stacy knows that Fred is an angel, which complicates things now that Stacy and Fred are dating. But the real complication is that Deb’s boyfriend, Grayson (Jackson Hurst), works at the firm and he’s now engaged.
At the end of the second season, Grayson appeared to recognize Jane as Deb after he was hit by a car. And much of the third season premiere deals with the repercussions of the accident. Plus, Jane finds herself as the attorney for a major movie star who has been accused of a hit-and-run himself. And Parker (Josh Stamberg) and Kim (Kate Levering) find themselves facing off against each other in court. The cases are very compelling and the drama over the Jane/Deb-Grayson situation is well plotted as you can sympathize with both sides of the love triangle.
The third episode, which Lifetime also provided, is even better as Jane represents a mother suing a sperm bank for negligence because her son ended up being a little person. And one of the attorneys ends up in a sticky situation when he represents a stripper.
And the guest stars are a lot of fun. In the premiere, Paula Abdul returns as Jane’s conscience, Wendy Williams plays a judge, and LeAnn Rimes plays the estranged wife of Jane’s client. And in the third episode, JoBeth Williams does her usual incredible work as the mother who is hesitant to fully participate in Jane’s case.
But the main reason to watch is Brooke Elliott. She is an absolute star who deserves a lot more attention than she’s been getting. The premise of the vain actress inside the body of a straight-laced attorney seems silly, but Ellliott completely sells it. Not only is she convincing, but she’s extremely entertaining. And that’s a great combination.
Another great reason to tune in is that Ashland native Richard Boggs is a hairstylist on the show. And he’s been telling me what great fun he’s been having with the show’s cast and the upcoming guest stars, including my guilty pleasure Kathy Griffin and my all-time favorite “American Idol” contestant, Clay Aiken.
Looks like I’ll finally take the time to watch this season…
“Drop Dead Diva” premieres Sunday, June 19th at 9 p.m. And don’t forget to stay tuned for Ally Walker in “The Protector” at 10 p.m. You can read my review of that show here.
Photo Credit: Bob Mahoney/Lifetime Television
