Image: Ian Hart (who plays paparazzo Don Konkey) and Courteney Cox (who plays tabloid editor Lucy Spiller) in the new F/X show “Dirt”

Last night was the series premiere of Courteney Cox’ new show, “Dirt.” Once again, the folks at F/X were genius in exploiting (key word) a previously obvious and poignant, yet unexploited pop cultural scene–an insider’s view of the world of tabloid “journalism.”

The network initially struck oil (and silicon) with the success of its show, “Nip/Tuck,” which uncovers the seamy world of plastic surgery, via an insider’s view of a Miami based practice. Unfortunately, just as “Laverne and Shirley” did when its characters moved to L.A. and the show became “Laverne and Company,” “Nip/Tuck” is about to jump the shark. The recent season finale’s final scene promised a move to L.A. and I damn near grabbed an empty latte cup and a bottle of Xanax and threw them at the screen. “Please don’t move here! Everyone moves here with their big shallow dreams, road rage, and unchic out-of-state plates. Please stay in Florida,” I pleaded. But something tells me my imploring will go unheeded. On a side note, the once-brilliant plastic surgery show’s finale was so bad that it even featured a music-video style segment (robbed right out of “Magnolia“) of a sullen cast lip-synching to an Oasis song. What next, raining frogs?

In any case, overall F/X gets my thumbs up for its over-the-top, unabashedly sleazy but clever programming. One thing though, could they perhaps rename themselves “The Vice Network.” It would be more appropriate. Beyond the plastic surgery show and the tabloid show, they’re now beginning to air teasers for a new program, “The Riches.” The ads show a smug Eddie Izzard talking about the pursuit of the American dream and its spoils while breaking open an oyster from which a pearl pops out. Geez, are the execs at F/X using “The Seven Deadly Sins” as guidelines for their programming?

In any case, for a sleazy show about muckrackers, “Dirt” was phenomenal. The art direction–including shots of two work associates texting “live” on their Treos, and a schizophrenic paparazzo who sees words pop out of people’s mouths when he’s not on his meds–was smart and entertaining. Courteney Cox does a great “Amanda from Melrose Place” with her brassy, evil cocky (Coxy?) character Lucy Spiller. Note, the name is cheesey as can be, “Spiller,” as in she spills the beans on all the celebrities…wah wah (sound of out of tune trumpet). It sort of reminds me of the main character in another sleazy work, “Showgirls.” Remember “Nomi” (as in “know me, I want to be famous, know me”) Malone? However, I will say that “Dirt”s blackmail plot of a sports star photographed getting plunged by a blond woman wearing a strap-on digs “deep,” as the theme song’s lyrics imply.

I will be tuning in next week for sure. After all, in L.A. there is only one person whose very persona and nature rivals that of an actor in the disdain and distaste it evokes, and that’s the tabloid journalist.
  

Posted by Shana Ting Lipton