Until Hot in Cleveland debuted here in Canada a couple of months ago, I really hadn’t seen much of Wendie Malick. I know the 59-year-old actress has appeared in a bazillion films and TV shows (no fewer than five every year for the past 23), including an Emmy-nominated role for her work on Just Shoot Me!. But aside from a memorable guest stint on Frasier as Ronee Lawrence (who wound up marrying Martin in the sitcom’s series finale), she’s pretty much been off my radar — until now.
While you can’t deny Betty White (Elka) is the true spirit of Hot in Cleveland, spewing comical, sarcastic one-liners in the way only an 88-year-old acting vet could, Malick continually makes me laugh out loud as self-centred soap star Victoria Chase. I love me some Valerie Bertinelli (Melanie) and Jane Leeves (Joy), too — the three of them together boast great chemistry and are truly believable as best friends. But while storylines always centre on the girls looking for love (with ex-husbands and new boyfriends alike), Victoria’s frequently feature her trying to jump-start her lacklustre career with ensuing hilarity — the Japanese adult underpants commercial a couple of weeks ago had me in stitches.
Last night was no less, as Victoria was called upon to help instruct a high school drama class’ production of Romeo and Juliet, with Ugly Betty alum Mark Indelicato guest-starring as one of the students, Zach Adams. Not only did she wind up acting in the play herself when Juliet quit at the 11th hour (even kissing the kid who played Romeo, which sickened her friends and made Elka chuckle — “Its funny cause it’s gross”), but she accepted a job offer as the school’s new drama teacher. If her first stint was any indication, this should be hilarious.
Meanwhile, Melanie’s new romance with Pete (guest star David Starzyk) strained her friendship with Joy, causing the latter to wax off one of her brows “by accident”; and Elka attended a funeral crashing.
Hot in Cleveland airs Tuesdays, 8 p.m. ET/PT, CTV.
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