From one series to the next, FX keeps on churning out the best. From "The Shield" to "Rescue Me" to "Nip/Tuck", FX added another player to the winning mix of hit shows, and "DIRT" is just what they needed.
DIRT is the new Nip/Tuck, but better. Simply put, it's just plain dirty. Although both Nip/Tuck, as well as DIRT, contain the usual raunchiness, back-stabbing, and in-your-face details of a world people don't want to admit to wanting to know about, DIRT, which premiered on January 3rd, does a much more subtle way of telling and showing us the truth of the business.
In a world where people are obsessed with celebrities and their every move, DIRT tells the story of Lucy Spiller, played by the ever-popular FRIENDS character Ms. Monica Geller herself, Couteney Cox. But believe me folks, this is not the same character… at all. Cox gets well out of her squeaky clean FRIENDS character for this role and does a great job of portraying the bad guy. Lucy Spiller is the hard-driving Editor-in-Chief of the top two tabloid magazines "Dirt" and "Now." She is determined and willing to get every story before someone else finds it first. She's even willing to manipulate people into doing things they don't want to do, all with a simple bribe. She knows she's got all the power and she's not willing to loose any of it. As her character states in the show to a celebrity, "You need me."
With the help of her old friend Don Konkey, played by Liverpool actor Ian Hart, a schizophrenic paparazzo (believe me-it works), Konkey is key to Lucy's work. Despite his schizophrenic disorder, Konkey always tends to get the money shot. He's crazy but he's got a good eye, and Ian Hart does a fantastic job of portraying this kooky character.
DIRT is different in the sense that the viewers get to see both sides. We see the work behind making a hit magazine full of scandalous truths about the celebrities we adore, as well as a truthful behind-the-scenes look at celebrities' not-so-glamorous lives. It's not your typical medical, law, or reality show. It has a quick pace and the story lines are complex enough to be entertaining but not involved enough that a viewer can't follow it.
Along with being the leading lady of the series, Cox is also co-executive producer the show with her hubby, David Arquette, under the production name of Coquette. They established this production company in 2003 and it seems to be working well for them. On the premier night, 3.7 million total viewers tuned in to see the new and improved Cox, with 2.4 million of those viewers being ages 18-49. It is Tuesday' most watched show on basic cable so far. With the added repeat of the show, twice after the 10pm showing, the audience count reached 5 million on premier night. So far, the show has performed better than the 2006 season premiers of both "Rescue Me" and "The Shield".
With help from celebrity characters, Holt McLaren (Josh Stewart of "Third Watch"), Julia Mallory (Laura Allen of USA Network Hit "The 4400"), Don's dead celebrity schizophrenic fix, Kira Klay (Shannym Sossamon) and Lucy's brother, Leo Spiller (Will McCormack), DIRT creates some steamy story lines and intense scenarios. It's everyone's new guilty pleasure, including former FRIENDS co-star Jennifer Aniston, who will play a rival magazine editor in March 27th's season finale.
DIRT airs on Tuesday nights on FX at 10pm
Tagline: I'm an actor. That's all I ever wanted to be." "No, you wanted to be famous. There's a big difference." Lucy Spiller to newly bribed celebrity insider, Holt McLaren.
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