I knew that ABC’s GCB couldn’t be as good as the book, but I was hoping for more. In order to make a series, of course Kim Gatlin’s book is going to be butchered, but there were some major liberties taken in the pilot episode.
Let’s start with the obvious — Leslie Bibb as Amanda is just too tall for this cast! Being around petite actresses like Annie Potts and Kristen Chenoweth makes her look like a freakish giant, and she’s always having to look down at the rest of the women, which even on a beautiful woman can result in ugly chin and neck wrinkles. What were they thinking?
Then there’s the whole plotline of the Secret Admirer gifts. What a letdown to give up on the original plotline where a real Texas hunk is sending the gifts, not one of the tacky neighborhood husbands. 
Gigi didn’t buy her that stuff in the book and I thought it was a cop-out to let that story go in the first episode. Annie Potts is, however, playing her role with sass and the appropriate amount of sexy-grandma spring in her step. She’s pitch-perfect.
Kristen Chenoweth is such an amazing actress; do we always have to have her do the freakshow over-the-top cartoon character? She got tiresome in Glee and I’m already chafing at her role in GCB. They can’t redeem her, so I hope they soften her up a little to give us back the charm and selective innocence of Glinda the good/bad girl witch.
I had high hopes for GCB; I’m not so sure after tonight’s episode, but I’m not giving up yet. I’m staying tuned for at least another week. What about you?
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I agree with you about Kristin Chenoweth — she is so awesome but she always seems to play caricatures. I didn’t see this but I didn’t realize it was based on books.
And I had to look at your blog redesign. So funny as I had this template for about 4 months. I was in love with the fonts and the clean look .. .but then I grew bored! It is a good template though. Good taste!
I didn’t read the book but agree with your review of the show. Let’s hope the writers and producers work out the wrinkles before the public gives up on it. It appears many people have their own personal experiences in which they can relate. Love your blog.
Thanks for visiting! It was nice meeting you through the blogger link-up. I’m not quitting on GCB yet.
Just going back and looking at the photos of the Longhorn Ball costumes makes me mad all over again. Putting Amanda (Bibb) in that gorgeous silver dress and boots against the ridiculously ugly outfits Carlene (Chenoweth) and her posse are wearing was one more caricature. I’ve never been to the Cattle Baron’s Ball, but I’m pretty sure no one has EVER worn a dress as ugly as Carlene’s. The people writing and dressing this show need to look again at Housewives and remodel themselves in its image if GCB is to be successful.
GCB, what an offensive name! Is in no way representative of the good Christian women and men I have been blessed to encounter. I watched because I am a fan of Kristien Chenowith’s, but I am disappointed that she has chosen to be apart of this degrading farce. Why is it that our media continues to bash Christians? They wouldn’t get away with it if they chose to bash any other religion!
It’s a shame to see Disney entertainment continues to choose to depart from their company namesake and founder’s thoughtful family friendly enterprises.
I will not be watching GCB again.
The fact that Kim Gatlin’s book title was edgy to start with led to its watering down to GCB by the network. I think we can agree that there are “bitches” in every religion and in every place we humans inhabit. Let’s not be hypocritical; if we watch Housewives or pretty much every other show on television, we get snarky, in-your-face bad behavior that we support by watching it. The point is to not do it yourself and to teach your children not to behave that way. Anthropologically, most societies had stories that taught lessons, and I’d like to think that GCB is the 2012 version of the Greek myths that taught us that there are consequences to doing the wrong thing.
That being said, thanks for being a part of this discussion. I support your decision to choose not to watch GCB as long as you are equally discerning about other inappropriate shows that don’t use “Christian” in their names.
I encourage my readers to go to this blog to see what another blogger has to say about mean girls. http://notesfromthepond.com/2012/03/05/gcb-mean-girls-grown-up/
I didn’t read the book…but I loved it and definitely think I’m going to keep watching. That said, I don’t really have anything in common with this world except a not-so-secret desire to dress in cleavage and spangles and big hair every day, so there’s not much for me to get offended about! I think Cheno does kind of act like this all the time. I’m sure if you were 4 feet from her face as she stage-acted in Wicked, she’d be just as cartoony, because that’s what you need to project to the nosebleed seats. Did anyone watch her in Pushing Daisies? I wonder how that was.