Wild Card

Vegas card dealer Zoe Busiek (Joely Fisher) moves to take care of her nieces and nephew after her single sister's car crash death. She struggles to be their new parental figure rather than their usual cool aunt. Insurance refuses to pay claiming that her sister was at fault. She investigates the case herself. When she uncovers fraud, the insurance company hires her as an investigator. In the first season, she works with Dan Lennox and Sophie Mason. In the second season, Sophie is gone and the company is bought by M. Pearl McGuire.

The first season is surprisingly good. I expected another second tier show from Canada. The insurance angle is different enough to make this a new procedural idea. It's really Joely Fisher who makes this work. I actually like the two love triangles that develop. The adult triangle has a dull third angle but the teenage triangle gives off plenty of heat and drama. All that goes away for the second season. It tries to be a buddy cop show. At least, they kept the kids but it's a step down and the show ends after two seasons.

This was a wonderful series from Lifetime which was canceled. For some reason, Lifetime kept Missing and not this. Both Wild Card and Missing were revamped for season 2, and I felt that Missing suffered. Guess I was alone. Wild Card starred Joely Fisher and Chris Potter, who were wonderful together as insurance investigators in season one and then as regular investigators in season 2, when their firm was taken over by the delightful Loretta Divine.

Fisher played Zoe, a former Vegas Jill of all trades who has to move to Chicago when her sister is killed. She inherits her sister's children and sets about raising them and earning a living as well. Fisher brought a real woman sexiness, beauty, humor, and tremendous charm to the role. Her Zoe and the breezy tone of this series will be missed. By me. I guess Lifetime is too busy with Missing to miss Wild Card.

Wild Card is not too bad for a suummer series on a "basic cable" network. Fisher's performance leads the way as a Vegas dealer suddenly thrust into taking care of her recently-killed-in-a-car-accident sister's three kids (16, 12 and 10). She's good. Of course, I have only seen the pilot but it has made me want to continue watching.

Like it says in the summary up above, I love this show! I would like Lifetime to continue and end the second season and I would also like this show to return for a third season. The characters are delightful and the stories fresh. The chemistry that is developing between the two main characters (Zoe and Dan) is intriguing and I hope we see more of it. I have watched this show since the thirteenth episode of the first season and as of now I have seen all the eps. M. Pearl McGuire is very funny and the actress is very talented. I believe that this show has enough material for the six remaining episodes of the second season and the eighteen of the third season to be fresh and exciting. I,like most of the people who watch the show, want something to happen between Zoe and Dan. The kids are also very funny, but I think that Taylor can lay low for the rest of the season. I love Wild Card!!

Inventive, quirky drama with Joely Fisher giving an excellent performance as a blackjack dealer who drops everything to take charge of her late sister's 3 kids. Yes many Lifetime staples are embedded deep within. But not every show can hold you until the end if you just happen to tune in after it starts. That is what this did for me...and I am not into watching things after they start. And to see Rae Dawn Chong providing fine support, what else could you ask for?