ABC’s new romantic comedy, “Eastwick” is bucking all the labels people are trying to throw on them. It’s not Desperate Housewives with a side of magic, nor it’s not Charmed 2: We’re Witches But Not Related. It is however, based on John Updike’s book and movie, “The Witches of Eastwick”.
This is how ABC sums up the show’s premise:
In the seaside village of Eastwick, three very different women are about to discover some bewitching talents they never knew they had. Roxie (Rebecca Romijn) is the extrovert artist, Kat (Jamie Ray Newman) the overworked wife and mom, and Joanna (Lindsey Price) the wallflower local reporter. When the mysterious Darryl Van Horne (Paul Gross) arrives in town, he helps them discover their unique powers in ways they never could have imagined.
This teaser for the series pretty much sums up the pilot episode:
How is this show not like “Charmed”? From the looks of the press release for the second and third eps, it looks like “Eastwick” is tackling some real life issues, with a spin of magic involved with less tongue-in-cheek.
Episode 2 press release:
“Reaping and Sewing” – As Eastwick prepares for its annual fall HarvestFest, Joanna, Kat and Roxie’s lives continue to take a turn for the strange. Distracted by distressing psychic visions of her new neighbor, Jamie, Roxie struggles to protect Mia from harassment by her ex-boyfriend, Gus (Christian Alexander). As Kat gains the courage to end her own toxic relationship – her marriage to Raymond — he’s back in their home to recuperate from being struck by lightning. And while Joanna worries that Will’s romantic attentions are only due to her hypnotic power, she and Penny embark on a perilous mission to uncover Darryl Van Horne’s true identity. Joanna finds Milton Philmont (Martin Mull), a retired Gazette reporter who years ago wrote about the death of a man named Sebastian Hart – a man who looks uncannily like a young Darryl Van Horne. Armed with an old photo of Hart with three beautiful women, she and Penny seek answers from the eccentric and reclusive Eleanor Rougement (Cybil Shepherd).
Episode 3 press release:
“Madams and Madames” – Haunted by the ghost of her daughter’s ex-boyfriend, Roxie questions her sanity and turns to a local psychic for help. Declining Darryl’s offer of a high-powered – and high-priced – divorce attorney, Kat decides to give Raymond another chance, but is she only delaying the inevitable? Joanna’s quest to find the truth about Darryl leads her to a new and different scandal, and then she realizes her discovery was no accident. Meanwhile, Roxie’s daughter, Mia, reluctantly attends her boyfriend’s memorial, and though Bun has lost her memory, her mind is consumed with a mysterious symbol.
Here are some promo pics of the lovely cast (Click images to embiggen):
[Commentary]
From these early eps’ press releases, I am not convinced that this show will last. Sure, it has sex appeal and danger, but can it hold up? Honestly, reading these press releases made me a tiny bit sleepy.
Apparently, Eastwick is Australia. Last we saw Jamie Ray Newman on Syfy’s “Eureka”, her character was leaving for a job in Australia. I really hope that she will be able to make it back to Eureka to play Tess Fontana because I really liked her character on “Eureka” and her relationship with Sheriff Carter. Their dynamic together as characters and as actors gave me the best warm-fuzzy feeling. Tess and Carter are seriously the cutest fictional couple on TV! Perhaps I have a not so hidden agenda for not taking to “Eastwick”?
An interesting thing to note is that the Warner Bros backlot where they are filming “Eastwick” is the same lot that they used for “Gilmore Girls” for Stars Hollow as well as “Terminator: TSCC”- the Connor’s house is now the new Eastwick Inn.
Watch the series premiere of “Eastwick” tonight, Wednesday the 23rd, at 10/9 C on ABC.
