A 'Desperate' Copycat

Posted Jun 14th 2006 12:53PM by TMZ Staff

Tuesday Night Book Club, Desperate HousewivesIf viewers of last night's premiere of "Tuesday Night Book Club" on CBS thought they had stumbled onto a re-run of "Desperate Housewives," their confusion is understandable. The new summertime series appears to be a direct ripoff -- down to the music and the voiceover -- of the ABC hit, only with "real people" rather than actors.
 
The show follows in the footsteps of such reality-narrative hybrids as MTV's "Laguna Beach" and Bravo's "Real Housewives of Orange County." However, the producers of "Book Club" seem to have decided that imitation (or outright mimicry) is the sincerest form of flattery, and as a result the parallels between their show and "Housewives" are striking.


Viewers will notice that each of the "Desperate Housewives" characters has a clear analog in "Book Club." Jamie, a striking, saucy brunette, bears a serious resemblance to Eva Longoria's character Gabrielle: She married young, decided she needed to sow her wild oats, and, at 25, is having affairs left and right and is contemplating striking out on her own.
 
Kirin, a pale, raven-haired beauty who's married to a doctor, seems to run her household with efficiency and polish yet hides secrets, is a dead ringer for Marcia Cross' Bree. Blonde Cris, whose husband is unemployed, has to support her family, like Felicity Huffman's Lynette. And finally there's Sara, the 26-year-old self-described "party girl," whose wild antics and constant sex talk are reminiscent of Nicollette Sheridan's Edie.
 
Add to this a combo of a soothing, marimba-tinged score and a pithy, platitude-heavy voiceovers, as well as an ending sequence that shows all the women of the show in various states of bliss and distress, and the show might easily be mistaken for "Housewives" -- except in one crucial regard: Last night's show finished a dismal last in the overnight ratings amongst the broadcast networks, with a paltry 5.7 million viewers. By contrast, the fictional "Housewives" finale attracted nearly five times as many viewers, with 24.5 million.

Filed under: TV, Eva Longoria

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1. I think that Desperate Housewives is a copy of sex and the city.

Posted at 3:03PM on Jun 14th 2006 by YOHA

2. posers!!

Posted at 3:10PM on Jun 14th 2006 by hey

3. It serves them right that the "Desperate Housewives" imitation show, "Tues. Night Book Club" failed. I didn't watch it, once
I'd figured out it wasn't an Oprah book club. I ALWAYS watch
"Desperate Housewives", even twice, cz I might have missed
part of it the first time.
I congratulate Marc Cherry & all the creators of that show,
as well as the excellent actors! It's hilarious, so well done!

Posted at 3:14PM on Jun 14th 2006 by Joyce Rosenfield

4. fakies!!!!

Posted at 3:22PM on Jun 14th 2006 by hey

5. The show was absolutely horrible! I will not tune in again.

Posted at 3:40PM on Jun 14th 2006 by MJ

6. They should be ashamed of themselves,, I’ am tired of all the copy cat shows,, I love Desperate Housewives and I am hooked,, I've never missed and episode,, and I didn't watch this show when it aired,, I watched other repeats like House and Fear Factor ect,, I don't plan on watching this show and I don't believe I know anyone who is. They could’ve at least made the women look different,, they choose women that look like Desperate Housewives want to be’s,, or at least change the story line,, how lazy!!!!!! Thanks

Posted at 4:45PM on Jun 14th 2006 by Taylor

7. I actually liked the show. It gave a good look into the lives of REAL women, not just fictional characters. The show deals with addiction, loveless marriages, newlywed bliss (or no bliss), divorce, the party/single life, and many other factors of real life.
I will definitely be tuning in every week. Good job girls!
P.S. The newlywed's hubby seems like a real jerk!

Posted at 4:51PM on Jun 14th 2006 by Tonya

8. That is ludicris! How can someone allow that show to even be made?? I will
NEVER watch such an obvious rip off. Someone said the desperate housewives copied Sen and they City?? Did you watch the shows?? I have watched both and while both feature strong female characters - they are based on two totally different lifestyles! Wow - you are way off.

Posted at 5:07PM on Jun 14th 2006 by gia

9. The show was boring...and scripted...all "reality" shows are. As for the comment about the Newlywed's husband being a jerk...maybe because his wife is a bitch! Talk about a nag! And a couple of the women look like men which I thought was strange.

Posted at 5:11PM on Jun 14th 2006 by Wicked1

10. Uhm, whoever said 'Desperate' was a copy of 'Sex and the City', you don't watch much TV, do you?

And about this new one, I can't say much cos I'm not in the US so I don't have a way to see it, but even the women look alike (that's lazy) and I don't know how I'd feel, being a 'Desperate Housewives' fan, watching the same damn story only with real people (which by the way are probably acting it out too, so that it will look more like DH). I don't really know why someone would do that, but owell, it's just a thought.

Posted at 5:13PM on Jun 14th 2006 by Rose

11. I THOUGHT FOR A MINUTE I TUNED INTO A BAD PORN BEFORE THE
CLOTHES COME OFF - IT WAS HORRIBLE - THE ACTING OR REEL LIFE
PEOPLE ARE REALLY BAD

Posted at 6:22PM on Jun 14th 2006 by cRYSTAL

12. The dialogue and voice over totally reminded me of a BAD soft porn flick. I tuned in out of curiosity, and turned it off due to disgust. Sad- the execs at the networks think so little of the viewing public- they really think we'll tune into anything, no matter how re-hashed, uninspired, badly executed and insipid it may. They obviously need some new blood- new ideas. Bad enough we get stuck w/ nothing but remakes at the movies all season long too.

Posted at 6:41PM on Jun 14th 2006 by G.

13. I certainly saw how it resembled Desperate Housewives, but the issues at hand seemed to be a bit more "normal" than DHW. Didn't appear in any upcoming shows that any of them killed someone, ran someone over with a car, had an affair with a psycho pharmacist or buried a trunk full of bones in the pool out back. I wouldn't say that it was the a home run, but I did find myself identifying with a little something in each one of the ladies. Honest opinion.... had the topics of a daily talk show... you just happened to be following them around and seeing it firsthand rather than watching them tell there woes to a room full of seated guests and a multi-$$$ host.

Will I watch it again? Sure.... its nice to know that everyone's life isn't perfect and it certainly made me feel better about my relationships after it was over. (NOT THAT I AM PERFECT!)

Best luck to the ladies of show! They certainly weren't boring.

Posted at 7:07PM on Jun 14th 2006 by JJ

14. Since Desperate Housewives is a blatant rip-off of Knots Landing, CBS and ABC are even. All that is needed now is for NBC to get into the game.

Posted at 7:16PM on Jun 14th 2006 by GH

15. Desperate white-trash housewives. Saw about the last 10 minutes. Won't make that mistake again. YUCK!

Posted at 7:29PM on Jun 14th 2006 by Mark Zora

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