Bunheads: Pilot

It’s summer show time, yay!  I thought I wasn’t going to have any scripted shows to watch this summer, that I was going to have to muddle through with reality and the Olympics, but Amy Sheridan-Palladino has saved me!  Creator of Gilmore Girls, ASP, as her fans call her, is known for quick, witty banter, small town kooks, and strong female characters. 

When I saw the promo for Bunheads, I didn’t think it was going to be very good.  But then they started putting it out for early previews, and a bunch of people I trust said it was worth the time, so I took the time to watch it.

I’m glad to report I wasn’t disappointed!

Michelle is a snarky Vegas showgirl who hates her life.  Her dance career is going nowhere, she doesn’t get paid as much as the girls who flash their boobs and whatnot, AND she’s got a stalker.  But it’s only Cameron from Ferris Bueller, so she doesn’t mind the attention he showers on her. 

So, Michelle has this big audition, except the director doesn’t even look at her before saying no, so when Cameron comes in and gives her a pretty watch, she agrees to a dinner date.  At this dinner date, he freaking proposes, and she agrees, since her life sucks soo much.

Cut to Paradise.  No, really, that’s the small town this is set in.  Anyway, Cameron lives there in a house *he* purchased with his mom, Emily Gilmore, and we spend the next bit of the show getting to know all the players.  We have the four titular bunheads, Sassy Sasha, big-boned Boo, and two other girls who haven’t stood out yet.  There is also Truly, Cameron’s ex, and Gypsie in a dress, her assistant at the dress shop.   

Emily, known on this show as Fanny, is the dance teacher, and she does NOT like Michelle.  She throws a wedding reception essentially out of spite, and Cameron sticks up for Michelle right after they have sex for…some reason…I don’t know, it was a very odd scene.

Anyway, Michelle meets the girls, and gives them tips on auditioning, all while Fanny watches.  Fanny, because of that, decides she likes Michelle after all, and brings her to a bar to discuss the whole her being married to her son thing.  The hit it off, and start inexplicably dancing, until…

Truly comes in, bawling again.  Turns out Cameron was looking for them, and managed to get himself killed.  Ruh-roh.  Aaaand, scene.

So, Bunheads was cute.  It was reminiscent of Gilmore Girls without trying to copy it 100%.  The dialogue pacing and small town setting was similar, but the disposition of the character and the plot arc seems to be going in a different direction.  Michelle is more cynical, more world-weary then Lorelei ever was, and the town itself seems a bit different as well.  Apparently, they don’t have a Taylor to shove things down the rest of the town’s throat, because there are boarded up stores, and a blind intersection with no stopsign, so clearly a town that has gone to pot.  Star’s Hollow would never have gotten into the condition Paradise has…I wonder if Michelle is going to fill the Taylor role?  Cause that might be funny

Anyway, if you liked Gilmore Girls, you will like this one to, so give it a watch!