My deep and abiding love for Gilmore Girls is extremely well-know and well-documented. But all admiration for creator Amy Sherman-Palladino aside, the manner of her exit from the show and its subsequent seventh and final season left a bitter taste in my mouth. I felt a little betrayed, and I was secretly gratified when all her post-Gilmore attempts at pilots turned out to be less than successful. That's what you get for walking out on such a good thing, my friend.
I didn't have even the slightest intention of watching her latest effort Bunheads on ABC Family. The premise seemed a little cheesy to me, the trailer (posted below) didn't really grab me. And I'd love to have Kelly Bishop back on my TV screen on a regular basis, but one kick-ass actress does not a spectacular show make. But then I read what Jacob at TelevisionWithoutPity had to say about the season premiere. And I was intrigued. And then I watched the pilot. And I think I might be hooked.
Of course, it's simultaneously impossible not to compare Bunheads to Gilmore Girls, and completely unfair to do so. The quirk is there, as is the quippery, and a certain goofy charm. And though lead actress Sutton Foster is certainly capable of channeling her inner Gilmore, I don't feel like she's expected to be Lorelai or even Lorelai-light. She's versatile, endearing, and oddly captivating all in her own right. There were some truly laugh-out-loud funny moments, some truly heart-warming moments, and a plot-twist at the end that left me slightly stunned and incredibly curious about where the show is headed.
All in all, I can't wait to watch more. And I'm glad I gave Bunheads a shot.
