Sordid Lives: The Series

I love this series, I have loaned it out to friends so much I am going to order another DVD from Del Shores site. If I have a stressful day or just want to chill and laugh, I pick one of the shows from the season and I feel great. All of us have family we can identify with from this show. Rue McClanahan was so funny in this show, I understand she was recovering from surgery and still finished her commitments to the show. Leslie Jordan is as funny as anything we have ever seen him in. I loved him on Will and Grace but I hope he gets the opportunity to work more as his character Brother Boy. Caroline Rhea, AWESOME!!! TY, we all need more Jason Dottley in our lives. Sissy played by Beth Grant makes me crack up every time she is on. If you can not laugh at this show, you take life way to serious. Thank you Del Shores, I hope we have more to look forward to with this series.

Sordid Lives is the most realistic comedy I have ever seen. As someone from a Baptist family, living dead center in the middle of the Bible belt, (South Carolina/Georgia border) this show hits closer so close to home, it makes most people cringe, close their eyes, and turn it off. when no one else is around, it's the first thing they watch. Trailer Parks, hypocrisy, pill-popping, bars, sweet tea, smoking cigarettes, and ending every sentence with, Bless their heart", is as close to southern living as it gets. This is the REAL South, not the Atlanta metro south. Sissy, Latrelle, LaVonda, and the rest, (except for Ty, but more on this later) are fantastic actors. Del Shores either grew up in the South, or did the best research ever done, to get this so right. This show will make you laugh your a** off, from start to finish. the church scenes are REAL, right down to Brother Boy. (I grew up with a dead-ringer to Brother Boy. He was gay, stood 5 feet, and acted EXACTLY like Brother Boy. His name was Brian, and everyone called him cousin Bri) If you want to experience what living in the South is REALLY like, watch this series, but get ready to feel yourself being portrayed somewhere on this show. Two things. One...Ty PLAYS an actor on the show, so his lack of acting ability is most likely intentional. The second thing,,,this show was cancelled after I believe the second season, so the ending is a cliff-hanger that will NEVER be completed, leaving you with this...'ARE YOU KIDDING ME' feeling. Still, take the time to watch the episodes up to then, you will NEVER forget it.

I do not enjoy television much as many shows that are suppose to be comedies have little humor in them, but this show is really funny. It also deals with what is happening in the real world while making it interesting by adding humor. I remember when stationed in Big Spring long ago, some of airmen went down to a civilian hospital to donate blood at their request, and the doctor with the needle in my arm found out that I enlisted in Atlanta, so he started talking about how great George Wallace (governor of the neighboring state of Alabama) is. Since he controlled the needle in my arm, I did not say what I really thought of George Wallace (or Lester Maddox of Georgia), which was much different from what he thought. This show reminds me a little of those days in Big Spring in the heart of west Texas. All the actors in the show are really great as they grab my attention and hold on to it until the show is over.

WishWouldWish this series was picked up by somebody. Crazy funny and entertaining. Totally bummed, when it abruptly ended! The writing was really unique and different than the usual norm. Loved how all the characters were a little nuts. Absolutely loved Leslie Jordan's character. . Off the wall and out there, yet totally believable. We binged watched this series and didn't know there would be a abrupt ending. Wow, it left us breathless and upset that it just stopped. There would seem to be a real opportunity for someone to pick this one up and further develop it. After reading all the reviews, i felt strongly enough to write a review. I usually don't write them. Now, I come to realize that it has to be one thousand words? What's that all about. What I could sum it up in a few, like: "I loved it" or something like that.

Shucks, I hadn't watched this since it appeared on LOGO a couple years ago (shame on that network for not renewing for another season!!!), but this weekend I had a good ole former Friend from Houston (now Iowa) up to visit, and he'd never even heard of it before. We;;, cue the DVD player!!! I have an autographed copy of the series, and we spent a day and a half just reveling in the superlative acting and the interplay of all the characters. My face hurts from all the laughing we engaged in, but it rekindled great memories of life in Texas.

Of particular merit, Beth Grant (Aunt Sissy), Ann Walker (Aunt LaVonda) and Rue McLanahan (Mama) really steal the show. Which isn't to say that everyone did a lousy job - far from it - but their performances really were Over The Top imho.

Think Southern Baptist Texans in a hard-drinking, pill-popping', cussin', adulterous spectacle and you have the basic premise of the series (AND the movie); saying anymore would amount to be giving away spoilers.

You won't be ready for this series, but once viewed, you will probably wind up being just as hooked as all us other fans :o)