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'The Beautiful Life' on the CW - New TV Pilot Preview
What should you expect from the new TV shows coming this fall? Read our first impressions of The CW's 'The Beautiful Life: TBL,' starring Sara Paxton, Ben Hollingsworth and Mischa Barton ...Premise: When Iowa farm boy Chris ( Ben Hollingsworth) is discovered by a modeling agent while visiting the Big Apple, he's thrown into a glamorous but cutthroat world. Helping him along is rising star Raina (Sara Paxton), whose career is taking off -- just as the infamous Sonja (Mischa Barton) returns to town to reclaim her place as top model.
Note: This is not a review, merely our first impression of an unfinished product. A show can go through many changes between the pilot stage and its official broadcast debut.
'The Beautiful Life: TBL'
Premise: When Iowa farm boy Chris ( Ben Hollingsworth) is discovered by a modeling agent while visiting the Big Apple, he's thrown into a glamorous but cutthroat world. Helping him along is rising star Raina (Sara Paxton), whose career is taking off -- just as the infamous Sonja (Mischa Barton) returns to town to reclaim her place as top model.
Cast: Sara Paxton, Ben Hollingsworth, Mischa Barton, Corbin Bleu, Elle MacPherson
What Works: Well, the show certainly lives up to the title -- the cast is drop-dead gorgeous and the clothes are to die for. It's got the requisite teen-soap angst, fights, secrets, sex, drugs and pop soundtrack to last several seasons at least. And Mischa Barton is perfectly cast as the older supermodel with something to both hide and prove.
What Doesn't: The characters need to be fleshed out so they aren't such caricatures (farm boy new to the city, supermodel with a heart of gold, sleazy agent, etc.). And since a show about models could easily veer into vapidity, it might be wise to introduce a few, you know, regular people.
Our Excitement Level (Out of 10): 7
Premiere Date: Wed., Sept. 16, 9PM ET on The CW
