Watching Claire Danes win a much-deserved Emmy recently for her stunning performance in "Temple Grandin" reminded me that next year's likely winner is currently available for viewing. Laura Linney is not to be missed in "The Big C," a series about the complexities of a woman's relationships following her being told she has incurable melanoma.
This is somewhat new ground although Showtime is fast becoming a source for those viewers seeking stories about challenged women. Such series, many of them good, include Edie Falco in "Nurse Jackie," and "Weeds," starring Mary-Louise Parker. Over the years, we've seen channels start out as broad providers, then narrow its scope while concentrating on its most popular shows. The History Channel eventually became conversationally known as "The Hitler Channel" while Bravo, originally a no-commercials movie outlet, suddenly realized there was an un-served gay audience. Showtime may be taking a cue from Lifetime TV, sometimes referred to as the "Estrogen Channel" or "Wifetime."
Linney's Cathy in "The Big C" is not an easy role, yet she makes it seem so. It's possible pitfalls are two: making the audience believe she never had an emotional life core before learning she has cancer, the Big C of the title, and running the risk of going over the comedic top as she displays a sense of rascally humor during what to most would be the worst of times. Delivering funny lines under such circumstances (the show is billed as a comedy) is challenging but Linney is enormously impressive as she gains insight about herself.
The cast includes a collection of family and friends who beg an obvious middle-age question: what in the world kind of a dolt was she in the first place to put up with this rag-tag bunch? Barring the unlikelihood of flashbacks, we'll never know and are left with the conclusion that the show's raison d'etre is Linney's smart-ass delivery of some very funny lines.
A lot of those lines are delivered at or about husband Paul (Oliver Platt), a child of a husband who gives evidence he has a track record of running roughshod over Cathy. Platt, an actor of considerable comedic invention, enters the first 30-minute installment riding a Vespa, an encouraging suggestion that, indeed, "The Big C" is going to live up to Showtime's house advertising proclaiming that a comedy is coming at us. Platt, who played George Steinbrenner in ESPN's 2006 success, "The Bronx is Burning," has been nominated three times for an Emmy and does not let us down in "The Big C" in spite of his character being a one-note Paul.
Platt is an actor we see not nearly often enough. His first film was "Married to the Mob," (1988), he got noticed big time in "Funny Bones" in which he played Jerry Lewis' son, and his loose-cannon drunken lawyer in Showtime's "Huff" (2004-06) was highly impressive. Lead actors, often sensitive about such matters, are aware of Platt's seemingly uncontrollable ability to steal scenes and therein may be a problem. Three Emmy nominations don't seem nearly enough for such a big talent.
The rest of the show's cast is not nearly so impressive. Cathy's son, Adam (played by Gabriel Basso), and brother Sean (John Benjamin Hickey), are overdrawn characters (paint the kid surly, the brother hippy)apparently written to provide contrast to Cathy's goodness. The series makes it because of Linney's facile contributions. She's a wonder and all actresses honing their craft should study her Cathy to find out what acting is all about.
Another member of the cast, Andrea (Gabourey Sidibe), brings nothing into play other than to remind us that obesity among students and others is a severe problem. Andrea is taken on as a weight-loss project by Cathy, a high school history teacher. Having seen Andrea's dreary presence for three shows, I'm hoping her final scene will find her clutching a pair of Big Mac's while being treated by an emergency team.
Then, there's Marlene (Phyllis Somerville), a crotchety woman who lives across the street from Cathy and who is waiting to die while her weed-infested lawn goes un-cut. Expanding her horizons, Cathy appears to be developing a relationship with Marlene who, for whatever reason, reminds me of a female counterpart to those cranky characters played by Walter Brennan.
There's a MacGuffin in "The Big C," and it's a big one. Only Dr. Todd (Reid Scott) knows Cathy has a cancer that might allow her a year's more life. Thus far, Cathy has not told anyone about her medical problem. With six chapters left to be seen, the series creators, determined the timing was right for a comedy about cancer, have been heartened by early ratings, the best for Showtime in eight years for premier series shows. Paramount among their blessings are Linney and Platt who do some very heavy lifting.
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Posted by: Jordan 5 | 10/06/2010 at 06:07 PM