So NoTORIous: Season One

In general I have never been a big fan of reality shows. I do, however, usually enjoy self deprecating humor and a good satire. When I first heard that Toru Spelling was going to get her own series on VH1 I doubted that it would be any good. I feely admit that I was wrong. This series makes fun of all that should be lampooned, reality television, the search for and extension of fame and of course, the public image of Ms Spelling. I originally caught a few episodes of this series why doing what men do best, channel surfing, and I stopped to watch. Initially it was for the same reason you stop to watch a car wreak but soon I found I had a new guilty pleasure. Now I get to laugh again as I watch the new DVD set of the first season.

Just on case you have been living in a spider hole in the Mid East, Tori Spelling is the daughter of Aaron Spelling, the man responsible for such cult television hits as ‘Charlie’s Angels’, ‘Charmed’ and of course ‘Beverly Hills, 90210’. The later of course included Tori as the every popular virgin, ‘Donna Martin’. Coming from a rich, successful father and after creating a career where she was in daddy’s productions there is an image in the world that Tori is a stuck-up daddy’s princess. This series takes this image and allows Tori to make fun of it by joking at her own expense. Even the theme song which is notably off key is an indication that imperfection is what will make this series work.

There is no build up here, the series gets right down to expanding its premise with the first shot of episode one. Tori is on a date with a guy that wants to get his head shot to her father. She recalls how most of her dates either wanted her to help them with daddy or dress up like the virginal Donna. She is able to vent to her two best friends, Janey (Brennan Hesser) and Sasan (Zachary Quinto). Janey is not the type to hold her opinions or venom to herself while Sasan is usually competing with Tori for the right guy. Trying her best to live and succeed independently from her family Tori has taken on a roommate, the overly libidinous Pete (James Carpinello). Since most of her friends are completely self absorbed the only one she can talk to his her dog, Mimi Larue and her family maid, Nanny (Cleo King). Frequently in the series there are flashbacks to a young Tori (Ariel Winter) being called Toto and ignored by her mother Kiki (Loni Anderson) and comforted by Nanny. Her father, Aaron, is never seen in the show, much like his character Charlie in Charlie’s Angels. When Tori visit her parents she is stopped at the gate and has to show ID before being admitted.

Much of the series is taken from Tori’s real life. There is one scene where Tori is having a party and Farrah Fawcett crashes on the pretense of borrowing a potato and winds up taking over the party. In an interview with Spelling she described the actual events that inspired this part of the plot. Another maternal figure in Tori’s life is her manager, Ruthie Rose (Jeanetta Arnette). She has to try to get Tori work but it all comes down to getting the job because of being Aaron Spelling’s daughter. In another running gag Sasan has never be able to come out to his Iranian parents. All the signs are there but they are convinced, or perhaps a better term would deluding themselves, into thinking he has just not met the right girl.

Much of the plot lines come from Tori just wanting to be normal but torn because on some levels she enjoys being famous. In the pilot she is up for a role in another made for television movie. She meets a regular guy who works behind the scenes and tries to have a regular relationship with him. She tries so hard to keep a low profile that she is even afraid to go to the ladies room after eating with Sasan and Janey. She is certain that some photographer will get a picture and start rumors that she has an eating disorder. Instead when she gets up her skirt rids up showing her behind. Since she was sitting on a wicker chair the picture and rumors are about her having cellulite. She may be the heroine of the show but Tori can’t win for all her trying.

This is not a show for the whole family. Much of the humor is geared around some pretty explicit sexual humor. Just about everyone around Tori is on the make not for a relationship but more physical oriented pleasures. The thing is although this humor is on a lot of series this cast makes it work better than usual.

The series works because Tori Spelling makes it work. She has a natural talent for physical comedy combined with a fearless ability to let the audience laugh at her flaws. Growing up in a huge mansion she looks back with humor at the excesses she was raised around. One theme is concerned with her real life mother’s use of a room exclusively for gift wrapping. The series gives her the opportunity to make fun of just about every aspect of life as a celebrity. There is a bit about Tori getting involved with a self help group. People announce that they are drug addicts and homeless but when Tori announces that she is ‘Tori Spelling’ everyone hugs and comforts her. She is a pro as she takes a pratfall with the best of them. Her facial expressions are priceless, able to give a punch line to a joke with just a look. Even though the series is centered on Tori she gives enough time for the other cast members to shine. Brennan Hesser is great as the acerbic best friend. She is driven to make it big in real estate and will use anything and anyone to meet that goal. She drips acid with most every single line and it works. While many stereotypical gay characters have been on television, Zachary Quinto makes Sasan completely different. He plays nicely off of the bitter comments of Hesser with excellent comic timing.

Paramount has been releasing a number of there television season sets on DVD gaining a good name for quality. Considering this is a recent series the audio and video are pretty standard with full screen video and stereo sound. The colors are bright, over saturated on purpose for the flashback, but up to the usual standards. The audio has a reasonable but not exceptional separation. There is a commentary track on the first episode featuring Spelling and producers Chris Alberghini and Mike Chessler. It is more like a group of friends discussing a series not really offering too much behind the scenes information. There is also a making of featurette was amusing as well as some bloopers after most episodes of the mistake made during its filming. There is also an episode that was not aired on VH1 included for completeness and as an extra. Over all this is a fun little series that is perfect for the celebrity oriented world.

Posted 11/17/06