Last night was the premiere of Bunheads on – my ultimate favorite network – ABC Family. I of course watched because I somehow get addicted to every show on ABC Family (except the show with Sabrina the Teenage Witch)… yes – even the horrible Secret Life… so I figured I would be living vicariously through these young dancers in no time. However, that wasn’t exactly the case. Yet.
Bunheads begins with Michelle (Sutton Foster – the Tony winning Broadway star) dancing as a showgirl in Vegas. She is being stalked by some guy named Hubbell (who reminds me of the country guy Julie Cooper dated in season 4 of The OC – yes I know no one else watched that season) and after a horrible audition, she finally agrees to go out on a date with him. On this date, they decide to get drunk married (in Vegas of course) and then move in together. Little does Michelle know, she will be moving in with not only Hubbell – but his mom too! WTF. If this guy didn’t seem weird before when he was giving Michelle expensive shit on the daily while she ignored him (in her barely-there feather costume), he seems pretty weird now.
When they enter the beach house in Paradise, California, the inside is filled with dolls and toys – very 40-Year-Old-Virgin-esque. Michelle doesn’t seem too phased by her decision to marry a random stalker on a whim, though… until she finds out mom is a few doors down the hallway – not the street. Things become ‘okay’ between the two when mother Hubbell finds Michelle in her dance studio that is behind the house dancing with four of her top dance students. After this, she takes her to a local bar to take shots (what?)… and there, they find out that Hubbell has died. Too soon? Yeah, kinda. Nice plot twist though. Didn’t see it coming at all. And, no, I’m not being sarcastic.
Bunheads is the child of Amy Sherman-Palladino, the creator and writer of Gilmore Girls. So it comes to no surprise that the shows have (too many) similarities. The mom, Fanny, is played by Kelly Bishop (AKA Grandma Gilmore) and she is basically the same person… except a little more fancy free. As in she takes shots at the bar and dances with random men.
Michelle is Lorelai… except she has no kids… and she can dance… and her family is MIA. But she talks fast, is witty, and is a badass 30-something. If Lorelai didn’t have Rory and became a Vegas showgirl, this would have been her life. She also makes weird noises. Basically, she sounds like Sandra Bullock in Ms. Congeniality and looks like Bethenney. AKA I should effing love her, but I just can’t decide if I do yet.
I was never a fan of Rory Gilmore. Bitch was boring, wore no makeup, and was way too smart. If Michelle develops a Rory-like relationship with any of the dance studio girls I WILL stop watching. However, chances are she won’t because the four top dancers were already shown being border-line ano, drinking beer, and being mean. Therefore, I like them already. Especially the mean one, Sasha (she’s fierce… like Beyonce… I mean Sasha Fierce).
Paradise, California is the same as Stars Hollow (where Gilmore Girls took place). Everyone is white. Everyone knows each other. And most people are weird and annoying. The only difference is that it’s on the west coast and on the ocean.
Bunheads already seems like it has potential, but we’ll just have to keep watching to see if it’s here to stay. So although this show is no Pretty Little Liars or The Lying Game, as a former dancer I’m going to try my hardest to get into it. But if it gets too Gilmore-y, I’m out. What about you? Will you keep watching? You can catch Bunheads every Monday at 9pm on ABC Family this Summer!
