REVIEW: SORDID LIVES

I am probably a bit biased here as I have a stronger affection for stories told about Southern families than some. I am from Tennessee. And while the Ingrams of Winters, Texas, on SORDID LIVES are over the top and extreme, I do get flashes to my life growing up and some of the real "characters" that I knew. Also, one of my favorite singers of all-time is Tammy Wynette, whose music and image were key in the original film and play, and now the television series. SORDID LIVES: THE SERIES was created, written and directed by Del Shores. It follows the lives of the Ingram family who mostly live in west Texas but also includes Ty (Jason Dottley), who is a struggling former soap actor in Los Angeles. In the premiere episode, Ty's only connection back home was a couple of phone calls, to his "Mama" (aka Latrelle, played by the wonderful Bonnie Bedelia) and Aunt LaVonda (Ann Walker). 1 The show is set in April 1998 on the day Tammy Wynette died (I remember having a Tammy CD marathon that day myself). Brother Boy, the brother of Latrelle and LaVonda, is a patient in a mental institution where he dresses in drag like Tammy Wynette. Latrelle has been looking into programs that could "cure" him from his homosexuality, even though her Aunt Sissy says that she saw on JENNY JONES that you are born gay or not. The matriarch of this clan is Peggy, played by soap veteran and GOLDEN GIRL Rue McClanahan. Her daughters think she is missing in the premiere, but she is actually at the state prison inviting Bitsy Mae Harling (Olivia Newton-John) to come home with her for reasons not revealed. We also have LaVonda's white trash best friend Noleta (Caroline Rhea), who lives in a trailer in Sissy's backyard with her husband G.W. (David Steen), a Vietnam vet with two wooden legs. In the opener, she has a fight with G.W. because he wants to have sex without his wooden legs on and she refuses. She's also seen watching her favorite soap on TV, featuring ALL MY CHILDREN's Bobbie Eakes. I laughed the entire episode. Between the big hair, smoking, pill popping, Tammy Wynette, Olivia and some fabulous performances, this was all I could ask for in a thirty minute comedy soap (Soapcom? ComSoap? Soapedy?). GRADE: A-