5 Reasons You Should Be Watching Privileged

As I was watching Privileged this week, actually forgoing Fringe “live” so I wouldn’t have to wait a week or whatever until the CW posted the full episode online, it occurred to me that this might actually be my favorite new show of the season. Seriously. It’s that good. But apparently very few people have realized this – the ratings are averaging 1.9 million. Not awful for the CW, but far less than what Privileged deserves. So, in an effort to convince you to join me in falling in love with this new show, here are…

5 Reasons You Should Be Watching Privileged

1. The Writing – Executive Producer and writer Rina Mimoun (Pushing Daisies, Gilmore Girls) brings her trademark wit and cleverness to the scripts, throwing in pop culture references and literary conceits without batting an eyelash. But it’s not only about being clever; there’s a real warmth and even a gentleness that pervades the dialogue. Somehow Mimoun  has struck a balance between hip and sweet that’s both stimulating and comfortable.

2. Joanna Garcia – Garcia plays lead Megan Smith, a twenty-something college graduate who wants to write about “real people”. She ends up taking a job as a tutor for the twin granddaughters of a cosmetic company mogul and living in the rarefied air of Palm Beach, Florida. Real? Maybe not on the surface, but Garcia’s spirited, optimistic portrayal of Megan grounds what could have been another – dare I say it – 90210 teenage wasteland. Megan soon discovers that “tutor” doesn’t just apply to textbooks but also to the girls’ emotional growth. Garcia is doing a fine job of letting Megan stumble a little as she assumes a maternal role, even as she tries to figure out her own life, while maintaining just enough control to keep her job.

3. The Twins – Rose and Sage Baker (played by Lucy Hale and Ashley Newbrough) are, on the surface, another pair of vapid teenagers with more money than sense or purpose. In the first couple of episodes, it looked like they might be the cliched good twin-bad twin, but starting with the third episode, we started to see more layers. Sage, the taller and seemingly wiser twin, sees herself as Rose’s protector and mother-figure, bristling when it appears Megan is usurping that role. Rose, meanwhile, seems somewhat naive but with a desire to please and yearning for an older female’s guidance. As we learned this week, Rose isn’t quite as naive as she seems – she is no longer a virgin while Sage is. Character revelations like that keep the twins from falling into a predictable rut. Hale and Newbrough are endearing, even if their characters sometimes are not, without being saccharine.

4. Female Relationships – In addition to the twins, another sisterly team on the show comes from Megan and her sister Lily. After losing their mother at an early age, and faced with a father too grief-stricken to cope with his daughters, Megan stepped into the parental role while Lily rebelled. Their relationship suffered and, even as adults, they are still at odds. Very slowly, it looks like the two of them are on their way to reconciliation. I hope it doesn’t happen too quickly, though. Sage and Lily commiserating over Megan’s seeming perfection was a hoot! In addition to the sisterhood of the traveling couture pants, the show also seems to be working on a maternal theme. Megan and Sage both exhibit mothering, nurturing instincts; all four of the girls are motherless; Lily and Megan appear to have some unresolved issues with their mother; and Laurel (the grandmother) has the potential to be a mother figure for Megan. At least one of these relationships is bound to remind you of one in your own life. Just with better clothes.

5. The Boys – This may be a show about women but of course there are men! The fellows pictured above are Marco, the family chef; Charlie, Megan’s BFF; and Will, the next door neighbor who doesn’t spend much time at his own house. At the moment Megan has another man in her life – Jacob the not-really-a-boyfriend boyfriend. Of course Charlie has feelings for Megan, and Will might if he would quit being such a player. Marco is fond of Megan and assumes the role of her adviser when necessary. The random boyfriend for the twins pops up now and then, too. At the moment, the men aren’t really that important as we get our bearings with the women and how they relate to each other, but it’s nice to have them waiting in the wings.

So there you have it, five reasons to watch Privileged. If you’re already a fan, leave me a comment below and tell me why you watch. If you haven’t tuned into this gem of a show yet, catch up online at the CW website, then come back and tell me what you think. New episodes of Privileged air on the CW Tuesdays at 9/8c.