You know what? I do watch it, and it's not horrible, although I don't think it's going to last much longer.
6.6
"Fair"
Given all the drama surrounding Denise and her messy divorce from Charlie Sheen, this show didn't have a huge amount of potential to start, and now that four episodes have aired thus far, I don't think that most people are buying into it.
Let me just start off by saying that I loathe reality television, and I agree that it is ruining the once-dignified world of Hollywood, where people had to show genuine talent and come up with truly substantial material in order to make it to the silver screen. Reality TV allows just about anyone to prance around with their kids in tow (if they have any), whine about the daily struggles that come with their celebrity status, and claim that they are working their butts off when, in truth, they're just donning the designer clothes and hamming it up for the camera. Yes, it is a shame that ridiculous romps like "Living Lohan" and "The Hills" are taking the place of real, legitimately written shows that people used to take time to develop. Yes, I have spent years refusing to watch anything with the word "reality" in the title, but I can't help being interested in Denise Richards' show. I was channel surfing one night and came across it, and I couldn't believe I was watching it, but again, some reason, I was interested.
At first glance, Denise really does seem like a sincere, thoughtful, and down-to-earth woman who loves her kids, is trying to bond more closely with her now-widowed father, and is fighting to dodge the brutal things that are being said about her by the press. At first glance, it seems that way. But looks can be deceiving, I guess. I really don't know a thing about Denise and am not going to pretend that I do, but I know that reality TV is a chance for them to portray themselves exactly the way they want to be seen. Those cameras can cut, edit, and elaborate upon anything they want, and in retrospect, I'm not so sure we're seeing her as she really and truly is. Granted, Charlie Sheen is no saint, but I don't think she is either. Denise APPEARS likable, and as you watch, part of you feels that she's just a normal person, but you never really know for sure.
It is lighthearted and easy to watch. Denise is not a complete witch of a person, and despite what may or may not be true about her, I don't think she's had it easy at all. My only big problem with it is that Denise keeps saying that she loves being a mom and wants to be there for them, but everyone around her keeps saying there is something wrong with the fact that she is choosing to build a playhouse for them instead of "going out and having fun with her friends." I mean, come on. Her two daughters are very young right now, three and four years old, to be exact, and she's never going to have this time with them again. Ten years down the road, when they're teenagers, she's going to miss having her sweet little girls around. It's my opinion that if you're a mother who is all about your "me time," then there's a problem. Part of the problem with our world in general is that some people think it's wrong to let your children become your life. Denise should realize that yes, she is a mommy right now, and this is an important time with her girls that she can never get back. She shouldn't be ashamed to be giving her entire self to them, and it's unfortunate that instead of helping her see that, Denise's therapist and "friends" are encouraging her to get out, go pole-dancing, and get drunk in the evenings. Give me a break. And as another reviewer said here, the whole "teddy bear" thing in one of the first few episodes was a sweet thing to do for Sami and Lola, to help keep a piece of their grandmother in their hearts, but when it was done in front of a bunch of cameras, it cheapened it.
The thing is, the show's ratings have apparently dropped between episodes 1 and 4, and now I have a feeling that Denise is going to try grabbing back some of those ratings by pushing to have her kids in more than just 10% of each episode. Hey, if nothing else, a pair of cute, smiling kids can be good for ratings. You can bet that she will also bring the subject of her ex-husband into the fold for sympathy reasons. I don't know how much longer I'll be tuning in, but those two little girls sure are adorable, and even if it is just partly fictional TV, I've seen things that are a hundred times more grating on the nerves than this. Why am I even watching this? I don't know. Would you believe me if I said that "it's complicated?"