If “Sex and the City” is your kind of guilty pleasure, you’ll not only pounce on new Lifetime miniseries “Maneater” but relish every morsel.
The two-parter, which airs at 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, features four attractive — and quirky — female friends and lots of stylish clothes, chatty lunches and sexy situations.
As with “City,” this one started with a book: “Maneater” by best-selling author Gigi Levangie Grazer, who also gave us “The Starter Wife.”
At its core is a plan by the female lead, Clarissa Alpert, to snag a handsome, up-and-coming Hollywood screenwriter/producer. Our heroine is so fun to watch, however, that you’ll find yourself not really minding how dishonest and manipulative she appears to be.
Besides, there’s more to this would-be trophy wife than we see initially. Before the many twists of the plot wind to a close, we discover a different Clarissa, one with heart and values.
More good news: Clarissa is played with panache by Sarah Chalke, one of TV’s most appealing actresses. Chalke not only has range, but as she’s exhibited on “Scrubs,” she’s as adept a physical comedienne as you’ll find on either the small or big screen today.
Best news? Her tour de force in “Maneater” may not end Sunday. If the mini does well, there’s talk Lifetime may turn it into a series just as USA Network did with miniseries “The Starter Wife” starring Debra Messing.
“I think the setup on ‘Maneater’ kind of lends itself to that because you’ve got the close group of girlfriends like ‘Sex and the City,’ ” Chalke said in a teleconference call.
She says she loved playing Clarissa’s transition from “the gold digger with the world by the tail” to the woman who watches this world she’s built begin to fall apart.
One way they’re alike, she added, is they’re both planning a wedding. However, they go about it differently. Clarissa does everything “in the wrong order,” Chalke said. She plans the wedding, even books the hotel, before she even gets to know the groom.
In real life, Chalke has been engaged to fellow Canadian and entertainment lawyer Jamie Afifi for more than two years; they plan to marry this year.
It was kind of a thrilling rehearsal, she said, to wear a fabulous wedding dress — from Monique Lhuillier — in the movie. In fact, the clothes in general were a nice change for Chalke given her character on “Scrubs” is in, well, scrubs much of the time.
“Fashion was such a fun part of it,” she said, singling out the stunning purple dress from Zak Posen that her character wears to meet her intended husband.
Chalke also got a kick out of a scene in which she sings and dances with her mom — considering “I got kicked out of the choir in Grade 5.”
The actress who plays her mom? Maria Conchita Alonso, a surprising choice considering how fair Chalke is.
“We went back and forth on that. Should it be explained? It was decided it wasn’t necessary,” she said.
Clarissa’s dad is played by Gregory Harrison, and “lots of people have parents of mixed heritage,” she said.
Though Chalke seems eager to take this role to series, she’s also happy that “Scrubs” was renewed for a ninth season on ABC. She’s committed to six episodes.
As for how her character, Dr. Elliot Reid, will fit in, Chalke indicated that was still up in the air. “I actually don’t know yet what I’m going to do,” she said. “But I’m excited it’s back.”
From My San Antonio
Scrubs
Maneater
