So the first episode of Material Girl aired tonight and what did we think? Starring Leonora Crichlow as Ali Redcliffe, a young, up and coming fashion designer living in trendy East London with house mate Alex, (played by Nick Blood). Her best friends include aspiring stylist Mimi (Ingrid Oliver) and model of the moment Lydia (Anna Brewster). Whist assisting and well, basically doing all the work for established conniving designer Davina Bailey (played by Dervla Kirwan from Dr Who) she gets throw under a bus when Davina decides not to make her head designer. Unlike any new designer (in real life!!) she decides to make a big fuss and walk out of a Paris fashion show. To cut a long story short she gets offered a chance to start a her own label when oily, but attractive Marco (Michael Landes) miraculously fronts the whole venture, if everything was so easy eh? Then there's the forgettable boyfriend-to-be Chris (OT Fagbenle).
Now I cut it down as much as I could and to be honest that's pretty much all that happened. Let's start with the things I didn't like. Firstly, I hate, hate, hate bad drunk acting. We've all been drunk in our time, so why the hell was it so painful to watch Ali fubbling around on the doorstep of her Shoreditch flat? Then there's that 'Shoreditch-Brick Lane-Hoxton' inclusion that seems to have taken over our TV in the last 4 years, Last time I was there it was too expensive for any creative person to live in and you know why?? Cause it's constantly featured in the media as the cool place to be, thus pushing the prices up!
Then there’s the hackneyed portrayal of 'fashionistas' - sharp, blunt haircuts, silly clothes, red lipsticks and sunglasses. Well actually what am I talking about? It's quite accurate.
I love Sex and the City and Ugly Betty and of course any fashion series is gonna have comparisons drawn ( a bit unfair really, but what did they expect?) but if they want less comparisons in the future, it might be best to stop stealing lines straight from SATC (series 4 I think, when Carrie dates the alcoholic who can't date anyone for a year).
Now enough of the negatives, cause despite all the above I really, really, really liked it. I think the receptionist Trish (Esther Smith) is very promising, that could be because I am easily swayed by any brightly coloured oufit combos. She's like a more clued up Bubbles from Ab Fab. I think and hope this series will a get a good reception, whether it will get another series is still to be seen and just how far they go in revealing what it's really like in the fashion industry is a mystery also. Its on for an hour and if you can try to ignore that bloody boyfriend-to-be, I think, it's quite good gum for the brain.
I know it's not perfect, but in a way that's what I like about it. Leonora Crichlow although unconvincing as a designer, is adorably sweet and a girl after our own hearts - the broken/new shoe scene was magic. I want this series to work, if nothing more than because True Blood's second series aint here yet. Now seriously, tune in next Thursday at 8pm on BBC1.
