American Woman - General Discussion

[Meredith Quill]

Your American Woman Topic!

[Giselle]

So when does this air?

[Drogo]

Alicia Silverstone To Star In ‘American Woman’ TV Land Pilot Inspired By Kyle Richards.

[Drogo]

American Woman is slated to premiere in the first quarter of 2018.

[formerlyfreedom]

Paramount Network (formerly Spike) was at TCA today, and this is one of the four shows they covered;

Quote

The Silverstone starrer is a half-hour comedy inspired by the life of Kyle Richards (The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills). The single-camera series is set in the 1970s amid the sexual revolution and the rise of feminism. Silverstone stars as a mother of two who finds herself facing a new world after she leaves her husband. Mena Survari co-stars.

"You'll see a lot of what my upbringing was like. … In the '70s, it wasn't popular to be a strong woman. … My mom was a single mom raising three daughters in a man's world," Richards told reporters.

It's premiering June 7, 2018.

[aradia22]

I saw an ad for this in the subway. I was like... oh, this seems vaguely interesting... then I saw Cheyenne Jackson. I'm in! I haven't been able to watch American Horror Story because I'm a wuss but I can sit through a kind of trashy/soapy show. It's not like I haven't done it before. ;) Seriously, though. I hope this will be fun. The cast seems decent and the historical accuracy is OK besides the fact that everyone is curiously hairless (including the guys) but I think it'll be down to the writing as is usually the case.

[Giselle]

Is it for sure airing on the Paramount Network?

My recordings of "Claws" was messed up because it was airing on two different networks and my TiVo created the One Pass for the wrong channel. Thank God for on demand and reruns.

[aradia22]

@Giselle That's what they said. I figured out that you can watch it live on the website though. I wonder if they will have it on the website for streaming later. 

[kokapetl]

On 09/11/2016 at 8:50 AM, SilverStormm said:

Your Media Topic!

November 2016! This show sat on the shelf for the last 19 months?

[Meredith Quill]

Apparently? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Juliegirlj]

Episode 1 is available on the Paramount website. So far, I like it! I love shows set in the 1970’s!

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Alicia Silverstone, Mena Suvari, Jennifer Bartels, Kyle Richards discuss American Woman

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Quote

Bonnie’s life is changed forever when she discovers her husband Steve is having an affair. With the help of her best friends Diana and Kathleen, Bonnie figures out how to make it on her own.

Promo:

Edited July 23, 2018 by Drogo
Merging individual episode threads.

[Bronzedog]

This was gawd awful.

[applecrisp]

Very silted acting. I thought Alicia Silvertone was a better actress

[Jellybean13]

This show was God awful.  I will immediately take it off my DVR cause I really don't care where it goes from here.

I thought it was painful to watch Kerry Washington talk because of the ugly faces she makes while speaking.  Ms Silverstone is much worse.  Way too many huge teeth for her mouth.  Bye bye.

[hoodooznoodooz]

Why was this greenlit? Why did anyone in the cast agree to be in this?

I thought Alicia Silverstone was horrible. The “jokes” were awful. And Kyle’s got two other TV shows in the works?

[DebbieM4]

I really wanted to like this, and went into it with a very positive attitude.  But no.  Just no.  The acting, the script, everything - just awful.  Sorry, Kyle.  This will be gone in no time.

[DrivingSideways]

I liked it!!!!

Alicia is definitely not my favorite actress, but it was cute.

[Caseysgirl]

After the big build up that Kyle Richards and Bravo gave to this show, I was expecting more.  Was “Big Kathy” really as affected as Alicia Silverstone was portraying her? Were we supposed to feel anything for any of these people other than bored disdain? The trouble is, it’s probably an accurate depiction of the hollow lives they lived, but I just don’t care. I like Kyle but this show didn’t do a thing for me.

[IgnoranceisBLISS]

6 hours ago, DrivingSideways said:

I liked it!!!!

Alicia is definitely not my favorite actress, but it was cute.

I guess I am in the minority with you! I love the setting and to look at all of the clothes from back in the day. The acting wasn't the best but I will definitely stick around, 

[missyb]

I also liked it. What I liked about it was that I could see the show through eyes of a person growing up in the seventies. I was younger that the suddenly single mother but older than her kids. But, that was my coming of age era. I worked part time at a bank in the middle of beverly hills and had  high school s parents that looked and acted very much like Alicia SIlverstone. Thats what totally cracked me up. I was right back there. Parents breaking up and mothers stuck in mcmansions they could not manage. The clothing , music. Lived through it all. I was a part time worker with these mothers out in the work force. 

All the characters are a bit exaggerated right now but I think that will flatten out as the show goes on.

It reminds me of two other relatable shows to me. Beverly Hills 90210 was like a flash back for me. Although out of the age group when I watched it , I related to all the high school years. Same with Buffy . I loved Buffy early years. They were good representations of high school angst.

Anyway, I will keep watching with an open mind.

Edited June 8, 2018 by missyb

[EdnasEdibles]

I'm going to give it one more episode because first episodes are often kind of shitty based on all of the set-up. But Alicia was acting really weird. She had a very odd stilted way of talking and I was distracted by it. And her character was off. Sometimes very baby-voiced and soft spoken and other times very bossy and in charge. Kind of all over the place. 

[missyb]

4 minutes ago, EdnasEdibles said:

I'm going to give it one more episode because first episodes are often kind of shitty based on all of the set-up. But Alicia was acting really weird. She had a very odd stilted way of talking and I was distracted by it. And her character was off. Sometimes very baby-voiced and soft spoken and other times very bossy and in charge. Kind of all over the place. 

It seemed that all the character, except the gal who worked in  a bank, were over exaggerated in their mannerism and speech. With the main charter Bonnie, I agree they are trying to set the character up. Show her inner turmoil of giving up and acting career, devoting herself to husband and family and getting no respect. Yearning to have some have control.  So each scene that displayed these issues was especially punctuated. I think that will wear off. She was definitely someone else for her husband. 

The styling  is so right on. 

[heatherchandler]

This show is awful.  And I watch some bad tv.  It is not funny and it is really boring.  "The only thing he likes fat on you is your pocketbook!"  Is that supposed to be really funny?  And the storyline is really predictable - we all saw the cheating husband a mile away.  

So Big Kathy, err "Bonnie," sounds so much like Jane Krakowski's 30 Rock character, Jenna, I am waiting for her to say, "Am I trying to instigate fights by throwing wine at people just to get on CAM-ER-A?"

If Kyle Richards really loved her mother so much, why make her a crazy psycho on a national tv show??  Does she think it is funny?  Does she not see what a terrible representation of her mom this is?  No wonder her sisters are mad at her!

[jumper sage]

15 hours ago, applecrisp said:

Very silted acting. I thought Alicia Silvertone was a better actress

Me too.

13 hours ago, DebbieM4 said:

I really wanted to like this, and went into it with a very positive attitude.  But no.  Just no.  The acting, the script, everything - just awful.  Sorry, Kyle.  This will be gone in no time.

Me too.

2 hours ago, EdnasEdibles said:

I'm going to give it one more episode because first episodes are often kind of shitty based on all of the set-up. But Alicia was acting really weird. She had a very odd stilted way of talking and I was distracted by it. And her character was off. Sometimes very baby-voiced and soft spoken and other times very bossy and in charge. Kind of all over the place. 

Ok, alright, I will sit with you on the couch.

6 minutes ago, heatherchandler said:

This show is awful.  And I watch some bad tv.

You.and.me.both.

I liked the 70s vibe but it was very Hollywood.  My mom got a job at 14 and was well paid which led to an internship in high school which led to a very well paying job she had till she retired and a very well known union organization.  My mom was one of the first 100 women to get their own credit cards and her number was something like 32.  She grew up in the 50s and was an adult by 1960.  I think the women on the show were married to be arm candy and then couldn't make the switch and maybe didn't have any skills.?

My favorite part, which I think was totally true, was the gay man who was dating a woman.  Back then he would have to have a pretend life in order to live his real life.

So as much as Kathy Hilton and Kim were upset with the show, this show is very loosely based on their lives.  I would say they have nothing to complain about.  Even the names were changed to protect the innocent.

Was this show only 1/2 hour?  It started at 10 ET and ended at 10:30.  Weird.

[StaceyNotStacie]

This wasn’t too bad. I’ll give it a few more episodes since there isn’t that much on right now and because I like Alicia Silverstone. I do like that it’s only 30 minutes instead of an hour. 

[txhorns79]

Quote

I'm going to give it one more episode because first episodes are often kind of shitty based on all of the set-up. But Alicia was acting really weird. She had a very odd stilted way of talking and I was distracted by it. And her character was off. Sometimes very baby-voiced and soft spoken and other times very bossy and in charge. Kind of all over the place. 

I think this hits the nail on the head.  It seemed like they were trying to show the character being empowered, but it fell flat.

[heatherchandler]

On 5/30/2018 at 2:38 PM, Kokapetl said:

November 2016! This show sat on the shelf for the last 19 months?

And now we know why... oof it’s bad!

[kokapetl]

A fair amount of money and attention was clearly spent on this show; it doesn’t look cheap, it’s got licensed music, it’s not filmed in Canada, but the story/writing in general seems very barebones and neglected. For a comedy, the jokes were incredibly weak, and really, really sparse. Like, I think there were about six jokes in total. The show is just dull and empty. 

21 hours ago, heatherchandler said:

So Big Kathy, err "Bonnie," sounds so much like Jane Krakowski's 30 Rock character, Jenna, I am waiting for her to say, "Am I trying to instigate fights by throwing wine at people just to get on CAM-ER-A?"

Her enunciation is really weird. It’s like she’s trying super hard to hide being drunk or something. 

How the hell did Kyle Richards make this show happen? Who does she have dirt on?

[kokapetl]

Brian Moylan gave the episode 3 out of 5 stars!!! Someone (Mauricio?) must be greasing palms. Is Kyle in the 'Ndrangheta? Camorra? Israeli Mafia? Los Zetas?

[AntAnn]

I have yet to see this, but I’m enjoying reading all your comments. After much searching, I did find it on an obscure channel and have set it to record if it airs again, lol. 

[zoeysmom]

I believe this is described as a dramedy.  It will be interested to see if they use a plot device to get rid of Mr. Bonnie.  In real life Bonnie's girls would have been working and Bonnie managing them.  I am thinking this show is very loosely based on Kathleen Richards.  The youngest child did remind me of Kyle Richards though with the whining and complaining.  

I was pleasantly surprised at the show.  I guess they are trying to show what a bad ass Bonnie can be by getting out of her car and confronting thugs.  It is interesting enough to look for a second episode.

4 hours ago, AntAnn said:

I have yet to see this, but I’m enjoying reading all your comments. After much searching, I did find it on an obscure channel and have set it to record if it airs again, lol. 

You can also watch it online on the Paramount Channel website.

[AntAnn]

Thank you @zoeysmom

[CharlizeCat]

Thanks for the tip, @ZOEYSMOM. 

I just watched the first episode and laughed myself silly. If it wasn't intended to be a comedy, then they missed the mark.   Otherwise, an example of a succesful dramedy, is Good Girls.

Of course, Kyle would pay more attention to the clothes, hair, makeup, props and setting as opposed to say ... actual content.  If have to give her credit in that she didn't overlook any of the visual details.

I know that a lot of film actresses are now testing the TV waters, but I hope this is not a huge mistake for AS and MS. 

[tennisgurl]

The acting is weird and the plot itself was super predictable (the husband had "asshole cheater" stamped on his forehead from scene one), but I will give it a few more episodes. I hope that it maybe gets better, as I read some decent reviews for this show, and I have a weird soft spot for Alicia Silverstone. 

And, I really loved the outfits and the 70s vibe. Sometimes I can watch short tv shows for shallow reasons, dont judge me!

[msrachelj]

On 6/8/2018 at 1:53 AM, DrivingSideways said:

I liked it!!!!

Alicia is definitely not my favorite actress, but it was cute.

i thought it was ok also. i like "period" pieces. it probably won't last but i'll keep watching. i agree she's not the best actress. it's light summer tv watching.

21 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

The acting is weird and the plot itself was super predictable (the husband had "asshole cheater" stamped on his forehead from scene one), but I will give it a few more episodes. I hope that it maybe gets better, as I read some decent reviews for this show, and I have a weird soft spot for Alicia Silverstone. 

And, I really loved the outfits and the 70s vibe. Sometimes I can watch short tv shows for shallow reasons, dont judge me!

i love checking out the attire and the surroundings also. what year is this supposed to be?

[Vivigirl10]

On ‎6‎/‎7‎/‎2018 at 10:21 PM, Jellybean13 said:

I thought it was painful to watch Kerry Washington talk because of the ugly faces she makes while speaking.  Ms Silverstone is much worse.

Alicia was so awful to watch!  I don't remember her face being so twisted as a younger woman.  Yikes. 

I too enjoyed the 70's scenery and fashion.  I'll give it another go. 

[renatae]

On 6/8/2018 at 1:43 PM, heatherchandler said:

This show is awful.  And I watch some bad tv.  It is not funny and it is really boring.  "The only thing he likes fat on you is your pocketbook!"  Is that supposed to be really funny?  And the storyline is really predictable - we all saw the cheating husband a mile away.  

So Big Kathy, err "Bonnie," sounds so much like Jane Krakowski's 30 Rock character, Jenna, I am waiting for her to say, "Am I trying to instigate fights by throwing wine at people just to get on CAM-ER-A?"

If Kyle Richards really loved her mother so much, why make her a crazy psycho on a national tv show??  Does she think it is funny?  Does she not see what a terrible representation of her mom this is?  No wonder her sisters are mad at her!

I had a completely different reaction. From everything I've read about Big Kathy, I was expecting some hard as nails opportunist who paraded her children in front of cameras as soon as she kicked him out.

Instead, they seem to be portraying her mostly as this wide eyed earnest innocent who's getting beat up by the world. Maybe if I wasn't expecting such a harridan, I would see more negative things about her personality.

So I wound up wondering why Kyle's sisters are mad at her, lol.

Edited June 15, 2018 by renatae

[msrachelj]

where is the episode 2 thread?

[hoodooznoodooz]

 

I watched about 5 minutes of Alicia’s pitiful acting then fell asleep.

Edited June 15, 2018 by hoodooznoodooz

[Gem 10]

First of all, out of 30 minutes of show,  there’s about 20 minutes of commercials.  I’m confused about this being Kyles family.  There are two girls.  Where is the third?  Which one is Kyle?  Is this following Kyles life growing up?  You would never know it.  I’m watching because I like the 70’s, the clothes, scenery, her jewelry, her house, and her two friends.  I’ve always liked Alicia, but something about the way she talks bothers me.  They should have made it one hour instead of thirty minutes per episode.  I can’t understand why kyles sisters are mad.  I’ll watch.

[Palomar]

I enjoyed it and thought it was fun.  I will watch again. I know very little about the 'Kyle" connection.....I know she is one of the Housewives. Is this supposed to be based on Paris Hilton's Mom....if so, are she and Kyle cousins or sisters? Confused.

[msrachelj]

way too many commercials. ever wonder how the hell this happened? i pay $150 for direct tv and have to watch commercials! they slipped another one over on us years ago. anyway, back to the show. this should be an hour. i said, "what, it's over already?" 10 minutes of show seems about right.  

alicia does have a strange way of speaking. kinda strange in real life too with the bird feeding the baby and all that weirdness. 

[hoodooznoodooz]

It seemed as if Alicia was trying to sound like an old lady. 

[txhorns79]

Quote

I’m confused about this being Kyles family.  There are two girls.  Where is the third?  Which one is Kyle?  Is this following Kyles life growing up?  You would never know it.  

I think the show is based on her family, but it's not supposed to actually be their family.  When Alicia's husband was asking to come back and she was saying that the girls missed him, had he even been gone a full day?  

I'm not really sure what to make of this show.  It's not good, but it isn't terrible and I feel like once the show settles on a tone and direction, there might be something okay there.  

[tennisgurl]

I feel like this show has a lot of potential, so I will keep on keeping on for awhile. The story is pretty cliche, and Alicia is doing some weird stuff with her acting (and I normally have a soft spot for her), but I like her two friends and some of the minor characters, and I love the music, clothes, design, and general 70s vibe going on. So thats enough for me now, especially as a breezy summer show.

[hoodooznoodooz]

Kyle told other HWs that AW is inspired by or based very loosely on her childhood. Bonnie is based on Big Kathy. Those two daughters are probably an amalgam of Kim, (not big) Kathy and Kyle. Kathy Hilton’s daughters Paris and Nicky are cousins of Kyle’s many daughters.

[hoodooznoodooz]

I wish that I knew what I know now when I was younger.

At last; my reward for sitting through 1.5 episodes. I love that song.

I think they could be having more fun with the clothing.

But I liked seeing that white coffee pot with the blue flowers and the flour, sugar, etc., tins with the apples. I think my mom had those.

[MsTree]

7 hours ago, Gem 10 said:

I’m confused about this being Kyles family.  

In several interviews Kyle has said that this show is "inspired by" her family and is in no way autobiographical.  She also admitted to writers taking creative license.