Unlike other GCB reviews, we’re going to start off with the positives about ABC’s new show.

gcb

It’s got the potential to be a really fun show. And before you tell me that it’s full of too many stereotypes, go down South and tell me they don’t wear their hair big and their skirts short. (Not all, but enough.) While there are plenty of humble, genuine Christian women in the United States, there are also many who fit this stereotype of double standards. I’ve seen plenty of them in action. They may look pretty on the outside, but their actions, behaviors and constant judgements would be considered anything but.

Seeing a woman swinging a Coach wristlet (it’s almost always Coach in the suburbs, although half of them are fake), walking to her SUV while she wears a diamond cross to reaffirm her faith and she’s talking on her phone about how all gays and Democrats are going to hell? That’s an honest picture. So the stereotypes don’t bug me at all, if anything I’m glad there’s a spotlight on it. I only wish they would take it as far and as seriously as I suspect the book did, instead of later endearing all of these characters to us.

Something else I enjoyed about GCB was just how silly and fun it was. The show is all about style, fashion, beauty, being gossipy… a lot of what makes the movie Legally Blonde so much fun. While many draw a comparison of GCB to Desperate Housewives, I think it’s more like any of those Bravo shows – The Real Housewives of Orange Country, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, or Most Eligible Dallas. The pro here is that we get an actual script. And while you don’t want to become as vapid as these types of women, indulging an hour every week is a nice breather. Simply put: GCB is the best way to end a weekend.

There are two main downfalls with the show right now. First off, the title is a mess. It was Good Christian Bitches, then Good Christian Belles, now GCB. Already I’ve typed CGB a few times, it’s just annoying. And no one understands what it means. So they always have to ask. So what’s the point? This acronym is a problem.

The second problem with the show is that the concept of having Amanda Vaughn (Leslie Bibb) come back to Dallas as the former queen bee only to have to be humbled isn’t happening. On the show, she’s the most down-to-earth and  humble character already. Where is the room for growth? Surely there was a way to write this differently without sacrificing such a great opportunity for character development. It’s also hard to believe that someone who was as rich and spoiled as Amanda would suddenly be dressing down and rejecting money all the time. Why is it so wrong to make the lead character also a villain? People would understand and like her better if she started out like a bitch. And ABC knows fans enjoy bitches – look at Victoria Grayson on Revenge!

I’ll continue watching, but I do hope the show improves upon its shaky potential. I hope it stays fun and delves into some actual issues that are unique to this story concept. (But at the same time, let’s keep it fun and frothy!)

Because Lipstick Jungle and Cashmere Mafia didn’t survive, I’m not so sure about this one’s staying power. So, I’ll ask you…

Did you watch the GCB pilot and will you watch next weeks episode?

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