Sensitive Skin (2014–2016)
6/10
Interesting, but lost in its own ideas
24 November 2014
The show is based on an original British series of the same name that Kim Cattrall had interest in producing an American remake since a long time. Seems that while in agreements with HBO to perform Samantha Jones in Sex And The City movies, one of Cattrall's requirements was HBO to help her produce the show. HBO found the show unviable to their American schedule, but could make it thru its Canadian subsidiary.

The 6 episodes series is about a former model and actress in a middle age crisis that works in a art gallery and is married to a writer. She is always putting herself under constantly physical self analysis when she faces that time is passing thru her eyes. That's kinda ironic because Kim Cattrall is an actress and former ex-model in her 50's and also considered one of the most beautiful actresses of her generation.

In the very beginning of the first episode, Davina is being advised about the consequences of the use of hormones. The camera angle and the character's position makes Davina looks quite fragile, very different from what we usually see about Cattrall's natural exuberance. Her last lines before the show uses its own scenes for the opening sequence is quite interesting, giving the one and only resemblance of what we so used to see about Samantha Jones, a character that is far away from any references in this show after that. At first the aspects of the show would lead us to understand it as a drama, but in fact it has a very slight dark and cringe humor, but few of them are delivered by Davina. Most of its humor is delivered by Don Mackellar's instead and other supporting ones that make some guest appearances during the episodes. Mackellar's presence makes the show itself get lost in its primary idea, and the story about a middle age woman then becomes about her and also her husband instead. The story wastes much of its time with parallel situations reducing its potentials and overshadowing Cattrall's character. Seems that Davina does not have strength to lead the show, but that's not because she is uninteresting, but because writers couldn't make her life and personal crisis interesting enough.

Takes some time to get caught by the show. In 6 episodes, more than half of it makes its supporting characters stronger than its main character, giving the impression that we are watching 2 different shows in one: one about Davina and the other one about her pathetic husband's misadventures, which is a shame, because Davina has an incredible underused depth.

It is beautifully filmed. Kim Cattrall is amazing as always, but as I said, she is overshadowed by elements that definitely should not be used to fade her, but to support. Unfortunately the show does not deliver what it promises in the very beginning of its first episode, which is the opportunity to make Kim Cattrall shines and make her character the center of a very interesting discussion about the difficulties of dealing with the pressures of society and the media about aging.

Interesting show, but lost in its own ideas.
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