Review: 'That's Life'

As a reasonably mature critic, I realize that there are many things in life that are worthwhile, even if I don't quite "get" them. Millions of people loved the Grateful Dead, but to me they were always a band of off-key singers who couldn't say hello in anything less than twenty minutes.

Which is all of my way of saying that as a TV critic, I hope that I'm able to make the distinction between shows that are bad, and ones that are well done--but just not for me.

"That's Life" certainly fits into the latter category.

I hesitate to use the overworked phrase "chick show," but in this case, the description is pretty much on the mark. It's filled with enough mother-daughter angst to make even the Oprah say enough is enough.

And yet, it's a pretty good show.

It's not for me, mind you, but if you're female, and have some unresolved mom issues, you'll feel as if the producers were writing some secret documentary of your life. It's this decade's "Brooklyn Bridge," for better or worse.

The story itself is pretty straight forward. Heather Paige Kent plays Lydia DeLucca, a thirty-two-year-old New Jersey woman who turns her life upside down when she ditches the blue-collar guy she is about to marry and decides instead to go back to college.

The pilot has all of the complications you would expect. Her mother, Dolly (Ellen Burstyn), fears that her choice will result in a lifetime of loneliness, while her father, Frank (Paul Sorvino), thinks she should take a computer class so she can be a viable candidate for the secretary pool. And then there's the annoying brother (Kevin Dillon), and the ex-fiancee she just can't seem to get rid of.

And let's not forget the two true blue friends. Jackie (Debi Mazar), a smart-mouth hairstylist, and Candy (Kristin Bauer), a former Miss New Jersey who is still defined by her beauty pageant win.

While none of the show is particularly surprising, what carries the pilot is the acting. Particularly Heather Paige Kent, whose performance is strong enough to keep even this modest material compelling. She sparkles, and if this guy has any question about her character, it's how someone so delightful could have continued to date such a mook for eight years.

So the bottom line for me is that while it's not exactly my life, "That's Life" is close enough to many people's experiences to be worth checking out. At the very least, it'll make you a fan of Kent. Who I suspect may become a star whether or not this show becomes a hit.