It’s refreshing to see somebody like comedienne Laura Kightlinger command the spotlight in IFC’s dark, quirky but genuinely funny “The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman” (I give it three stars.)
This promising new live-action comedy series chronicles the misadventures of wannabe screenwriter Jackie and best friend Tara Wentzel (Nicholle Tom finally cleansing herself of her sugar-coasted role in “The Nanny”). The duo isn’t quite the post-modern equivalent of Lucy and Ethel – they’re more like an edgier “Laverne & Shirley” – but they are believable as creative comrades in arms, playing two women desperately trying to shove their show-biz careers further north.
Jackie, a below-par writer for an Iindie film rag, pecks away at her screenplay and moans about not getting a break: “I just saw this amazing movie from a man that cranks out films the way my cousins crank out fat kids, and I can’t seem to write my name with a toothpick in a can of frosting.” Tara plows through a bevy of self-esteem issues, wishing somebody would see her talent – she’s a low-level employee at a film-production company.
There’s no doubt that Kightlinger is talented. Viewers may recall her delicious HBO and Comedy Central specials, but she turned heads in a recurring role as Nurse Sheila on “Will & Grace” – she was also a writer/producer for the series. In addition, Kightlinger has a stint in HBO’s (it’s growing on me) “Lucky Louie.”
As writer for “Minor,” Kightlinger manages to give her co-stars plenty of fair play. The freshman episode did a nice job introducing Jackie and Co. – from her annoying co-workers (Patrick Bristow and Azura Skye) to her easy-to-warm-up-to apartment super (Rashaan Nall). Guest star Sally Kellerman “played” herself or, in this case, an über motivational B-list celeb who lured an unsuspecting Tara into a cult-ish motivational program dubbed “Step Up.” It wasn’t hard to read between the lines here, and the poke at Scientology was a stroke of genius, actually.
“Minor” is a curious beast, though. It appears to be a sassy comedy that doesn’t insist on playing it too “over the top” when it would almost be easy to do so. In a scene that finds Jackie trying to nab Tara from her cult posse, other comedies – Lifetime’s “Lovespring International” comes to mind – would have allowed the scene to unravel into a frenzied affair.
Instead, Jackie just drags her pal into the bathroom, holds up a gaggle of old photos in front of her friend and reminds her of all the absurd moments from her past. It’s not quite the slap in the face you’d expect. But it works, thanks in part to how absurd Tara’s past actually is.
Watch for some delicious prose in this week’s episode (11pm Friday; encore 11pm Sunday), which finds Jackie juggling two gigs, one that could lead to love; the other a big soiree for a hotshot celeb: “Really, you’re a writer? You were so drunk when I met you, I assumed you were an agent.”
Filled with dozens of tongue-in-cheek Tinseltown references, the show is definitely a treat for mature audiences – it’s the language. If Kightlinger keeps this brand of funny flowing, “Minor” could be a major accomplishment for IFC, a noteworthy cable channel suddenly making waves with more original content.
Grace Goes Solo
Speaking of “Will & Grace,” fans of Debra Messing will be happy to hear the Emmy-winner is slated to star in USA’s six-part mini-series “The Starter Wife,” based on the best-selling novel. The romp chronicles one woman’s (Messing) journey to reclaim herself after her marriage to a Hollywood studio head turns sour. Expect cameos of the “rich and famous.” Production begins this fall. Look for it some time next year.
A Friend Returns
Sunday’s best – and most uplifting – bet is Matthew Perry in a knockout performance of real-life teacher in “Clark in The Ron Clark Story” (8pm Sunday on TNT). Clark is the idealistic – and young – teacher who left his dreamy North Carolina hometown to teach in a New York City public school. The teleflick (again, I give it three stars) showcases Clark’s passion and how well he was able to connect to inner-city students. You’ll be seeing more of Perry in the coming months. He stars opposite Bradley Whitford in Aaron Sorkin’s (“West Wing”) new NBC fall drama “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.”
Greg Archer is an entertainment writer based on the Central Coast. He writes about the TV, film and being human. E-mail him at ga*****@**********rs.com or visit www.greg-archer.com.
