Let's Give The Client List A Hand!
Show: The Client List.
Premiered: Spring 2012.
Why Was It Made? Evidently Lifetime's original movie of the same title, revolving around a young woman pushed by difficult circumstances to enter the lucrative "massage-plus" business," did well enough that someone decided it should be a weekly TV series.
Why Did I Stop Watching? Back in the series premiere, Mimi Rogers, playing the wife of a client that Riley (Jennifer Love Hewitt) has been manually servicing at the seemingly fancy day spa where she works, tracks Riley down at her house to confront her. To defend herself, Riley says that what she and Mr. Mimi have mostly been doing is talking, and suggests that maybe their marriage would be more successful if Mimi would just pay her husband some attention. Relationship advice from a hooker? NOPE. I turned the episode off before the scene was even over and never turned it on again...until last night.
Why Give It Another Shot? Curiosity, I guess? I wondered what directions the show could possibly go in after a whole season. Also, there's a huge billboard for the show right outside my gym, which reminded me that it was coming back, so I guess advertising works sometimes.
What Aspects Of The Latest Episode Would Seem To Invite Further Viewing? I can't sit here and act like I don't enjoy the cheesy trashiness of Lifetime Original Movies, because I do. Oh, I do. So for me to pick up what amounts to a weekly version seems obvious.
What Aspects Of The Latest Episode Discourage Further Viewing? The series hinges on the premise that Riley is not just a heroine we're supposed to root for but an actual good girl. And...like, she's a sex worker? She's breaking the law, daily? Which is not to say that sex workers can't also be admirable people, but other shows built around characters who are criminals (Breaking Bad, Weeds, The Sopranos) make sure to imbue their characters with some ambivalence about what they're doing. Riley is pure "you go, girl!," as if the girl is making it by doing hair as opposed to doing local politicians. Also, neither of the two lead guys is cute enough.
Final Verdict: It's still REAL cheesy, but it was more entertaining than last night's Revenge! I will probably watch at least one more.