Winners and Losers

The Losers - Bec, Jenny, Sophie and Frances

While I was disappointed that the current season of Packed to the Rafters finished so abruptly, I was curious regarding the show that was to air in its place - Winners and Losers.  The ads didn't grab me much, to be honest, but I've learnt not to judge a book by its cover, so I decided to give the new show a go.

The show is centred around four female friends in their late twenties who reunite at their 10 year high school reunion.  Known as the 'losers' at school, the four women are faced with the dilemma of whether to attend the reunion and hope things had changed, or to skip it and avoid further embarrassment at the hands of the popular crowd.

I expected there to be several episodes leading up to the reunion, but the reunion was over and done with in the first episode.  I thought, Where on earth are they going to take this show from here?!?  The acting was pretty deplorable in the first episode (it sounded like they were reading off scripts), but many new shows seem to have shaky starts before finding their feet.

Now I can't stop raving about this show!  It's absolutely fantastic!  The acting has improved ten-fold and the writing is witty.  Duncan and I often are nearly peeing ourselves with laughter.

The downside is the way they portray the bitchiness between women of different social cliques - it makes me wonder whether the writers are mostly men.  Duncan asked me if women are really that openly nasty to each other and I shook my head.  It might make good drama on a TV show, but it's not how it goes.  Women are rarely that openly mean.  Why would they be?  It would just give them a bad reputation.  No, women are subtly nasty.  They do it by exclusion, bitching behind each others' backs, freezing each other out.

I guess one of the reasons I enjoy this show so much is because it's relevant for me.  I'm the same age as the four main characters, I've recently been to my 10 year high school reunion and realised not much has changed.  I personally know people like Sophie who lost a heap of weight after high school and started sleeping around like there was no tomorrow.  I know people like Jenny who never seem to grow up.  I do wonder why Bec was ever unpopular though - she is gorgeous!

If you're in Australia, definitely tune in if you haven't already.  It's on Tuesday nights, 8:30pm on Channel 7.

Photo is from http://resources2.news.com.au/images/2011/03/09/1226018/488754-winners-and-losers.jpg