At first glance, BBC America’s new series, “Mistresses,” would seem to be a perfect candidate for this year’s guiltiest pleasure…a 2009 equivalent of “Footballers’ Wives,” if you will…and when BBC America’s President, Garth Ancier, described the series as “a story of friendship and infidelity,” that seemed to cinch the comparison. But then he added a wrinkle by throwing out this comparison: “If you think of ‘Sex and the City’ as sort of a fanciful look at modern life, then ‘Mistresses’ can, I think, truly be described as an intimate, honest, and provocative one.”
Creator S.J. Clarkson admitted that the name “Mistresses” actually wasn’t intended to be anything other than a working title, but it stuck because they couldn’t think of anything else that summed it up as much. “It’s a red-flag word, so it makes people sit up and take notice,” noted Clarkson, “but inevitably it was always about truthful performances and to try and — all the storylines, performances and the look of it needed to feel truthful, cinematic and grounded, I suppose, because I’ve actually directed ‘Footballer Wives’ as well. So I knew I didn’t want it to be like that. This was more in the vein of — you know, I don’t know, films we looked at for reference was ‘Three Colors: Blue’ and ‘Unfaithful’ and ‘L’Apartement,’ which is a French film. And we looked at a lot more films for reference for it, rather than sort of lighter television.”
Clarkson tried to show the reality of being a mistress, as opposed to the usual television exaggeration. “I don’t think it’s necessarily all stiletto-heeled secretaries hanging around in hotel bars,” Clarkson said. “It’s often you meet somebody, you have a connection, you fall in love, and suddenly you realize they’re with somebody else…and what do you do in that situation? You’re told, ‘Follow your heart.’ Or the fairytale is, you know, you love someone, fall in love, get married, have children, have a happy lifetime together…but what happens if the person you fall in love with is already married? I think that’s a real dilemma and a truthful dilemma for many women today.”
“What we wanted to do (with ‘Mistresses’), I think, is reflect the kind of truthfulness and honesty that women have between each other,” said executive producer Douglas Rae. “Particularly at an age in their 30s, when their families may have moved to another city and the girls are becoming family in a way that, you know, has moved on from the ’50s and ’60s. So the girls themselves are a family and they share the stresses and strains of everyday life with each other. The series is not about promiscuity; it’s about how people can bond together and share secrets together.”
Just on a closing note, “Fringe” fans will recognize a familiar face within a few of the episodes: Anna Torv, who plays Alex in “Mistresses”…and who makes out with Shelly Conn, who plays Jessica. (Hey, now!) Torv’s US success came as no surprise to Conn, who only just got the opportunity to watch the “Fringe” pilot on her flight over from the UK.
“I’m just really impressed with her work and wish her all the success,” Conn said. “And, you know, we’ve kept in contact a little bit, so I’ll be e-mailing her very soon to tell her that I’m really impressed with her work. What it was like to be making out with her all the time…? Well, you know, I was very lucky in that she’s a very talented actress and she’s very sensitive. We were very…sort of just honest with each other, and that just allowed a sort of freedom which is essential. I mean, it is always strange to be making out with somebody who you don’t usually make out with, whether they’re male or female. So to me, that wasn’t an issue so much as it’s just, you know, odd if it’s not your regular partner.”
What a lovely and politically correct answer. And a disappointingly clean one, too.
