Against The Wall; Finally a Feminine Character Who is Lovably Flawed and Ferocious

Guest post by Melissa Chapman, www.marriedmysugardaddy.com

 

It’s true I’m a Lifetime Mom affiliate, and when a new show debuts on their network they graciously give me a screener and a stab at offering my opinion. But the truth is- I have been a Lifetime movie and series lover since Meredith Baxter showed us her Best Betty Broderick. There is something positively primal about Lifetime movies and series that on some level always resonate with me. In each character I see a piece of myself; in the strong willed woman, the half demented one, the one who bravely fights valiantly for her kids, the one whose spouse has been unfaithful- I am all these women, and all of them are me.

 

 

Lifetime movies and series have this uncanny ability to draw upon our most base emotions and craft characters- who reflect what women want to see on screen- powerful, vulnerable, headstrong, determined, feminine, and yes incredibly flawed female characters. Why?  Because as women, all of those behaviors and feelings are what ultimately comprise us as human beings.

 

 

And I have to admit- in their latest series “Against The Wall,” a new one-hour drama premiering on Lifetime Television, Sunday, July 31, at 10PM ET/PT once again they’ve managed to breathe life into a protagonist who is as multi-layered as it gets.

 

 

So what’s the plot? This Lifetime Drama stars Rachael Carpani as Abby Kowlaski, an eager detective who, after taking a job with Internal Affairs, is battling some major tension within her family who all happen to be police officers. The show also focuses heavily on her relationship with her mother played by the fabulous Kathy Baker (Picket Fences, Medium). From the outset Abby appears to be this perky Meg Ryan-esque blonde, who is feisty and determined to plow ahead in her professional life at all costs.

 

Yet as the hour long drama unfolds we get a look inside her complicated life, and with each one of her interactions another layer of her personality is peeled away. And as we get closer to her, we want to know more and to understand just what makes her tick.

There’s a lot happening in this pilot episode- we meet Abby and get a peek inside her complicated relationships; her secret booty call guy – who just happens to be her brother’s partner, her dad (played by Treat Williams) who she desperately wants to please as daddy's girl but at the same time is attempting to assert her independence from and be recognized as a woman with opinions and needs. Her mother- played with such finesse by Baker who as a mom to three boys and one daughter, tries to appease all factions of her family-but manages in her own quiet way to root for Abby’s independence and convince her husband to see her daughter’s side of the equation.

 

 

And then there’s the whole aspect of being a detective working in Internal Affairs- a job most cops wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pole. Personally I love that Abby is portrayed as single-mindedly pursuing for her passion and hopefully getting her family to, if not approve, at least accept her new job description.  And the episode’s finale, well it is a TOTAL cliffhanger (don’t want to divulge it...just yet- you’ll have to watch!)

 

 

There’s a lot of meat and potential juicy connections in “Against The Wall” - which I'm excited to see unfold in these next coming weeks. I know where I’ll be on Sunday evenings for the next few months…  

 

 

“Against The Wall” premieres Sunday, July 31 at 10pm et/pt on Lifetime. Watch an extended sneak preview below.