As he championed "the new journalism" in the late sixties, Tom Wolfe suggested no one ever would write anything truly compelling"”fact or fiction"”about the suburbs; he asserted, "There is no life there." During the New Depression, however, the suburbs have gone ghetto, suddenly teeming with life and depravity; and television writers are producing all kinds of compelling stuff about what they have discovered beyond the white picket fences. Witness Showtime's smash-hit "Weeds," the life and times of a "proper" suburban widow keeping-up appearances while she deals more dope than a six-pack of Mexican cartels. As in "The Office," the basic premise for "Weeds" is an import from Great Britain, adapted from the British film Saving Grace which showed a widow and her gardener conspiring to maintain the widow's lifestyle by supplying the locals with their favorite herbal refreshment. Critics frequently compare "Weeds" with American Beauty for its exploitation of the idea "Normal is the face we wear to cover how f***ed-up we are." By contrast with "Desperate Housewives," Nancy Botwin, our entrepreneurial heroine, has far more good reason for desperation than her difficulty achieving orgasm; she has a house, a mortgage, two sons, and a reputation. Since Bonfire of the Vanities tanked and "Weeds" flourished, Tom Wolfe may have to consider the distinct possibility that there is no life in Manhattan.

Hart of Dixie is considered a comedy drama but it offers much more with the lovely young Rachel Bilson who got to be known (and loved) on the television series The OC back in 2003 as the perky teenage Summer Roberts. She moved on to play in the popular Chuck and How I Met Your Mother for television plus big screen roles in Jumper and The Last Kiss. Hart of Dixie portrays life in the small sleepy southern town that Zoe Hart winds up in after completing all her requirements to become a doctor. She plans on becoming a cardio thoracic surgeon just like her father but wanted that career to be in the big city of New York. She is offered an opportunity to move down to the Gulf Coast town of Bluebell, Alabama and help out with a Dr. Harley Wilkes practice but upon arrival finds her mentor has passed away but, in his will, leaves her one half of his practice. Dr. Brick Breeland is the only other doc in the small community and appears to be jealous of the young MD moving in and being given such a great opportunity. Zoe must find who is for her and who is not and also find how resilient she actually is.

Lifetime television has found themselves a hit show with Drop Dead Diva. Brooke Elliott (Broadway musicals Wicked, The Pirate Queen) is Debbie Dobkins a shallow gal who was deemed to be a "zero" when she died in a car accident and then entered Heaven. Apparently she had done nothing worthwhile, either good or bad while on Earth. Hating her useless life she wants to return and do something of value. Pressing the key on a computer keyboard she is transported back to life but with what some may consider handicaps. She is now overweight Jane Bingum, a brilliant and hard working lawyer. Aghast with her appearance initially, Debbie learns to appreciate inner beauty and, through her inherited body, goes after the retribution she needs. Interesting twist on a semi-reality show where we find the heroine is scorned because of her appearance but learns more about how to treat people than she ever could in her previous life. Might be nice if we could each have a second chance in life. Margaret Cho (The Cho Show, Ghost Whisperer) is Teri Lee, Debbie's assistant and friend.

"The Righteous Gemstones" is a television series that premiered on HBO in 2019. The show revolves around the Gemstone family, who are world-famous televangelists. The family runs a successful megachurch, but behind the scenes, they deal with various personal and moral issues.

Councilwoman Melissa Burke known as "Mel" used to be quite the party girl and rebelled against society before growing up and getting serious about her community. Now a dedicated councilwoman, Melissa (played by Melissa Joan Hart from Sabrina the Teenage Witch & My Fake Fiancee) finds she must provide a home for her nephew and niece (her sister's children). Seems that their mom is in jail for money laundering while their dad is on the run after being accused of running a Ponzi scheme. Melissa soon discovers she needs help with her new instant family and hires a babysitter to help out. Joey Lawrence (My Fake Fiancee & Gimme a Break!) plays Joe Longo, a commodities trader, is currently out of work due to the same Ponzi scheme and hires on as the new nanny or "manny". Taking on two youngsters, Ryder and Lennox, is no easy task as both Joe and Mel soon find out. This heart warming family sit-com is full of hope and day to day situations that mirror real life.

"Barry" is an American dark comedy television series that premiered on HBO in March 2018. The show follows the life of Barry Berkman, a former Marine turned hitman who travels to Los Angeles for a job and ends up becoming involved in the local theater scene. While in LA, Barry discovers a passion for acting and wants to leave his violent past behind, but struggles to do so as he is continually drawn back into the world of crime.