Like the movies, the TV series on Lifetime can vary in quality quite a bit. This one, adapted from a TV movie of the same name, is one of the better ones. The ten-episode first season aired during the spring and summer of 2012. It stars Jennifer Love Hewitt as a single parent named Riley Parks (who also starred in the TV movie). Her husband left her and her two children, leaving her in a precarious financial position and in danger of losing her house. Riley is hired at a local massage parlor called "The Rub" as a massage therapist, which she discovers quickly is a front for a quasi-prostitution ring, in which the staff can make extra money by providing a happy ending for the clients. While Riley is initially reluctant, she decides to partake and makes money hand over fist, much to the dismay of those in her personal life, which she fights to keep separate from her day job.
Essentially, the show has two parallel story arcs. One of those is that of Riley's personal life that she is trying to put back together after being abandoned by her husband, which includes developing complicated feelings for her brother-in-law, Evan, played by Colin Egglesfield, who also has feelings for her, and the other being her life at the massage parlor. The show is not as seedy as you would think, given Riley's line of work. Yes, JLH is shown in a lot of cleavage-baring outfits and there is a lot of sexual suggestion, but, what is actually shown is pretty tame even when compared to what is shown on some other basic cable shows (and like a Disney movie compared to what you see on shows like Game of Thrones). The show has a strong supporting cast including Cybill Shepherd who plays Riley's mother, Rebecca Field as Lacy, Riley's best friend, Greg Grunberg as Lacy's husband, Loretta Devine as the owner of The Rub, and Alicia Lagano as Selena Ramos, a masseuse at the parlor who recommended the masseuse job to Riley, but becomes jealous of Riley after she starts working at The Rub.
JLH and Cybill Shepard also starred in the Client List TV movie, but the names of their characters were different and the story in the movie was slightly different from the story in the series. The series was an adaptation of the TV movie, which itself was based on a true story, but the series was not a continuation of the TV movie.
The extras on the DVD set are meager. Just some outtakes and deleted scenes. No other behind-the-scenes features or commentary tracks. So, if you are one who only gets physical discs when there are a lot of extras, this does not have a lot to offer. But, I have not seen the show streaming on any of the major services (I am not sure if it is on any of the free streaming services or has been added to the major services lately), so that may play a role in whether you decide to pick this up. Overall, it is a good series that has themes beyond just the sex-work aspect of the show and is worth watching.
Essentially, the show has two parallel story arcs. One of those is that of Riley's personal life that she is trying to put back together after being abandoned by her husband, which includes developing complicated feelings for her brother-in-law, Evan, played by Colin Egglesfield, who also has feelings for her, and the other being her life at the massage parlor. The show is not as seedy as you would think, given Riley's line of work. Yes, JLH is shown in a lot of cleavage-baring outfits and there is a lot of sexual suggestion, but, what is actually shown is pretty tame even when compared to what is shown on some other basic cable shows (and like a Disney movie compared to what you see on shows like Game of Thrones). The show has a strong supporting cast including Cybill Shepherd who plays Riley's mother, Rebecca Field as Lacy, Riley's best friend, Greg Grunberg as Lacy's husband, Loretta Devine as the owner of The Rub, and Alicia Lagano as Selena Ramos, a masseuse at the parlor who recommended the masseuse job to Riley, but becomes jealous of Riley after she starts working at The Rub.
JLH and Cybill Shepard also starred in the Client List TV movie, but the names of their characters were different and the story in the movie was slightly different from the story in the series. The series was an adaptation of the TV movie, which itself was based on a true story, but the series was not a continuation of the TV movie.
The extras on the DVD set are meager. Just some outtakes and deleted scenes. No other behind-the-scenes features or commentary tracks. So, if you are one who only gets physical discs when there are a lot of extras, this does not have a lot to offer. But, I have not seen the show streaming on any of the major services (I am not sure if it is on any of the free streaming services or has been added to the major services lately), so that may play a role in whether you decide to pick this up. Overall, it is a good series that has themes beyond just the sex-work aspect of the show and is worth watching.
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