The Starter Wife is a 2007 USA Network television miniseries, based on the 2006 novel of the same name by Gigi Levangie. Its title is derived from the concept of a starter marriage. Filmed over four months in Queensland, Australia, the plot focuses on Molly Kagan (Debra Messing) who, after years of marriage to a Hollywood film mogul, is forced to redefine herself and her role in society when her husband leaves her for a younger woman.
The mini-series premiered with a two-hour presentation on May 31, 2007, at 9:00 pm ET. The premiere attracted 5.4 million viewers, with 2.8 million of them being adults aged 25–54 (the network's target demographic). Ratings steadily decreased as the series progressed. The series is available for purchase on iTunes (to American customers only) and was available for DVD purchase starting September 11, 2007.
The miniseries was nominated for ten Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Miniseries, Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie (Debra Messing), Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie (Joe Mantegna), Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie (Judy Davis), and Writing for a Miniseries, Movie, or Dramatic Special (Josann McGibbon & Sara Parriott). Davis was the sole winner, while Messing was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Actress in a Miniseries or TV Movie.
Although initially intended as a one-shot miniseries, USA subsequently ordered The Starter Wife as a new series for the 2008 spring season. Production on the series first ten-episode season was delayed due to the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike, and began airing October 10, 2008.
Characters Main Molly Kagan (Debra Messing) is a 41-year-old wife and mother of five-year-old daughter Jaden (Miniseries: Bethany Whitmore; Series: Brielle Barbusca). Soon after the characters are introduced, she is abandoned by her husband and is forced to rebuild her life and assert herself within the film community, most of which ignores her after the split. Joan McAllister (Judy Davis) is Molly's oldest friend and an alcoholic socialite who lends Molly her beachfront Malibu home when she pretends to jet off to Paris but actually enters a rehab center in Ojai. She later calls upon Molly to impersonate her non-existent sister "Bambi", upon whom she has placed all blame for her failings, when her therapist insists the two confront each other and work out their hostilities. Cricket Stewart (Miranda Otto) is one of Molly's friends whose allegiance to her is tested when her film director husband, a business associate of Kenny's, demands she break all ties with her. When she discovers him in a compromising situation with their children's nanny, she orders him to leave the house and reconnects with Molly. She later takes him back but has difficulty forgetting the image of her husband with the nanny. After she discovers she is pregnant she tells Molly that she has finally found the image to replace the one of her husband cheating. Rodney Evans (Chris Diamantopoulos), one of Molly's best friends, is a gay interior decorator suffering a financial setback. Kenny Kagan (Peter Jacobson) is Molly's soon-to-be ex-husband and President of Production at Durango Pictures. He leaves Molly for a woman half his age and aims to replace the current CEO of the company. Sam Knight (Stephen Moyer) is a homeless beach bum who saves Molly from drowning. He openly scorns her as superficial but the two eventually become involved in a romantic relationship. It is later revealed he spent five years in prison for involuntary manslaughter after his best friend was killed in a car crash caused by Sam's DUI. Lou Manahan (Joe Mantegna) is the head of Durango Pictures. He fakes his suicide by drowning to start anew, yet cannot help but attend his memorial service (disguised as a woman) to see how his friends and colleagues react to his death. Lavender (Anika Noni Rose) is the security guard at the entrance to the gated community where Joan lives. Molly takes her and her grandmother under her wing when they are evicted from their apartment for having a dog.
Recurring Shoshanna (Trilby Glover) is a young pop music singer who becomes involved with Kenny. It is revealed she was only using him to advance her career and she dumps him when he is fired from his job. Detective Parkes – John Atkinson
Nielsen Ratings by episode Episode # Title Air Date Rating 25–54 Viewers Cable Rank 1 & 2 "Premiere" May 31, 2007 3.7 2.8 5.39 #5 3 "Hour 3" June 7, 2007 2.7 ? 3.92 #7 4 "Hour 4" June 14, 2007 2.5 ? 3.55 #9 5 "Hour 5" June 21, 2007 2.2 ? 3.15 #22 6 "Finale" June 28, 2007 1.7 ? 2.82 #29
International broadcasting Country TV Network(s) Series Premiere Weekly Schedule United States USA Network May 31, 2007 Canada A-Channel September 10, 2007 Mondays at 9:00 pm Australia Network Ten December 5, 2007 Wednesdays at 8:30 pm Thailand Hallmark Channel October 21, 2007 Sundays at 8:00 pm Malaysia Sundays at 9.00 pm Singapore Hong Kong Philippines Portugal MOV December 2007 TVI November 2009 Thursdays at approximately 00:15 am Brazil Rede Telecine / People+Arts October 2007 United Kingdom Sky Movies Drama December 10, 2007 Mondays at 9:40 pm Turkey CNBC-e September 18, 2008 Thursdays at 9:00 pm Sweden Kanal 5 March 11, 2008 Tuesday at 9:00 pm Germany Premiere February 19, 2008 Tuesdays at 8:15 pm Croatia Nova TV announced TBA France Canal+ August 7, 2008 Thursdays at 8:50 pm (2 episodes) Spain Cosmopolitan TV (cable) February 2, 2009 TVE 2 July 2009 Italy Mya September 4, 2008 Thursdays at 9:00 pm Switzerland SF zwei November 17, 2008 Monday at 8.00 pm Hungary TV2 May 26, 2009 Friday at 10.15 pm Japan Star Channel(CS) October 2008 The Middle East Showseries Showtime Arabia Netherlands RTL 8 January 3, 2010 Sundays at 8.00 pm Ireland TG4 Belgium La Une June 2010 Thursdays at 10:00 pm (2 episodes) Serbia Fox Life
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref. Artios Awards Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Television Mini Series Mary Jo Slater, Steve Brooksbank, and Tom McSweeney Online Film & Television Association Awards Best Miniseries Best Actress in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Debra Messing Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Joe Mantegna Best Costume Design in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Miniseries Josann McGibbon, Sara Parriott, Jon Avnet, Stephanie Davis, Howard Klein, Gigi Levangie Grazer, Jeff Hayes, and Marsha Oglesby Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie Debra Messing Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie Joe Mantegna Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie Judy Davis Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special Josann McGibbon and Sara Parriott Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards Outstanding Art Direction for a Miniseries or Movie Tracey Gallacher, Brian Edmonds, and Rolland Pike Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special Mary Jo Slater, Steven Brooksbank, and Tom McSweeney Outstanding Costumes for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special Marion Boyce, Debra McGuire, and Vanessa Loh Outstanding Makeup for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special (Non-Prosthetic) Viv Mepham and Deborah Lanser Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Miniseries or a Movie Robert Florio Satellite Awards Best Miniseries Best Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television Debra Messing Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television Judy Davis Art Directors Guild Awards Excellence in Production Design Award – Television Movie or Mini-series Tracey Gallacher, Brian Edmonds, and Michelle McGahey Australian Film Institute Awards Best Actress Judy Davis Costume Designers Guild Awards Outstanding Made for Television Movie or Miniseries Debra McGuire and Marion Boyce Directors Guild of America Awards Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television or Miniseries Jon Avnet Golden Globe Awards Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film Debra Messing Gracie Awards Outstanding Female Lead – Mini-Series Outstanding Supporting Actress – Mini-Series Judy Davis NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special Anika Noni Rose Producers Guild of America Awards David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television Jon Avnet, Josann McGibbon, Marsha Oglesby, and Sara Parriott Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie Debra Messing Writers Guild of America Awards Long Form – Adaptation Sara Parriott and Josann McGibbon; Based on the book by Gigi Levangie Grazer
References
External links Official Site at USA Network
The Starter Wife Review at Variety.com The Starter Wife Review at Reuters