Fashion References in HBO’s New Series “Hung”

Jun25

Thomas Jane

We went to the premier of the new HBO series “Hung” last night on the Paramount lot – is it a comedy? A sex farce? A serioud dramatic social commentary? It’s all of the above, actually, premiering this Sunday June 28th. It was exec produced by Alexander Payne, the director (and producer) of “Sideways,” “About Schmidt,” and “Election” – and Payne directed the first episode – with cool guy actor Thomas Jane as a Midwestern high school teacher and basketball coach whose divorce and life leaves him SO broke, he resorts to the oldest profession in the world – just refer to the show’s title to figure it out. Anne Heche plays his neurotic yuppie ex-wife. And a TV actress named Rebecca Creskoff plays Lenore – a personal shopper, who drops references to Miu Miu shoes, and who wears what she thinks is high fashion. (It IS set in Detroit, after all.)  Thomas Jane, as the nouveau manwhore of the title, is sexy and depressed at the same time – the perfect way to deal with our current economy. This show’s gonna be a hit – and it’s nice to have something to look forward to at Sunday night’s at ten again. (But “Entourage” is back in July, and “Mad Men” in August – thank GOD!) Sunday night is ALL about cable, kids. – Merle Ginsberg

Eye of the Beholder by Merle Ginsberg