''Side Order of Life'' is an American

drama Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...

tic

television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed ...

broadcast by

Lifetime Lifetime may refer to: * Life expectancy, the length of time a person is expected to remain alive Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Lifetime (band), a rock band from New Jersey * ''Life Time'' (Rollins Band album), by Rollins Band * ...

on Sunday night. It

premiere A première, also spelled premiere, is the debut (first public presentation) of a play, film, dance, or musical composition. A work will often have many premières: a world première (the first time it is shown anywhere in the world), its f ...

d on Lifetime on July 15, 2007. In its first five weeks it aired at 8:00pm ET/PT, then switched to the 9:00pm time slot. Lifetime broadcast ''Side Order of Life'' with '' State of Mind'' and '' Army Wives'' in an effort to offer a night of new original programming aimed primarily at female viewers during the summer hiatus. Initial reviews were positive. Lifetime declined to renew ''Side Order of Life'' for a second season.

Premise

Marisa Coughlan plays Jenny McIntyre, a photographer who reconsiders her life and is reawakened to her options after her best friend, Vivy Porter (

Diana-Maria Riva Diana-Maria Riva (born July 22, 1969) is an American actress, known for her performances on television. She was regular cast member in series including '' Philly'' (2001-02), '' Side Order of Life'' (2007), '' The Good Guys'' (2010), ''Telenovel ...

), is diagnosed with a recurrence of

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal bl ...

Jason Priestley Jason Bradford Priestley (born August 28, 1969) is a Canadian actor and television director. He is best known as the virtuous Brandon Walsh on the television series ''Beverly Hills, 90210'' (1990–1998, 2000), as Richard "Fitz" Fitzpatrick in ...

returns to regular series television as Ian Denison, Jenny's fiancé. Christopher Gartin rounds out the main cast as Jenny's boss Rick Purdy at the fictional ''In Person'' magazine; he is in love with Vivy, who has rejected him.

Cast

Main

* Marisa Coughlan as Jenny McIntyre, a photojournalist at In Person magazine. *

as Vivy Porter, Jenny's best friend, who is currently undergoing treatment for cancer. * Christopher Gartin as Rick Purdy, editor of In Person magazine, and secretly in love with Vivy *

as Ian Denison, Jenny's ex-fiancé, engaged to Becca despite warnings from friends about rebound relationships * Ashley Williams as Becca, Vivy's 'other best friend', who dated Ian in college, engaged to Ian currently. In a moment of candor, when discussing his role on a female-oriented show on a female-oriented network, Jason Priestley referred to himself as "the man-meat," but stated, "I'm ok with that."

Recurring

* Steven Weber (uncredited in episodes 1–12) as Cell Phone Man, whom Jenny called by accident when trying to reach Ian, and who she continued to call for reassurance and support. * Joe Regalbuto as Mr. McIntyre, Jenny's father, and a good friend of Ian's, even after the breakup. *

Susan Blakely Susan Blakely is an American actress and model. She is best known for her leading role in the 1976 ABC miniseries '' Rich Man, Poor Man'', for which she received a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama. Blakely also ha ...

as Margot, Jenny's mother, a self-described

trophy wife A trophy wife is a wife who is regarded as a status symbol for the husband. The term is often used in a derogatory or disparaging way, implying that the wife in question has little personal merit besides her physical attractiveness, requires subs ...

. * Lisa Waltz as Dr. Misty Raines, Vivy's Oncologist, who also has cancer. * Paula Jai Parker as Stargell Grant * Ron Fassler as Teddy Smalls * Ian Ziering as Brian Fowler

Episodes

Reception

Initial reviews were positive, with '' Variety''s Brian Lowry saying, "writer-producer Margaret Nagle brings a level of wit to the proceedings superior to most chick-lit-inspired TV drama." The ''

Seattle Times ''The Seattle Times'' is a daily newspaper serving Seattle, Washington, United States. It was founded in 1891 and has been owned by the Blethen family since 1896. ''The Seattle Times'' has the largest circulation of any newspaper in Washington s ...

'', after describing the premise, said, "If this all sounds kind of corny, well, it kind of is until you realize the story line hits its mark, making you recall your own missteps and regrets for not having taken better charge." The ''

Boston Herald The ''Boston Herald'' is an American daily newspaper whose primary market is Boston, Massachusetts, and its surrounding area. It was founded in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States. It has been awarded eight Puli ...

'' stated that "Lifetime’s new dramedy ''Side Order of Life'' wants to be the next '' Grey’s Anatomy'' so badly, it even borrows Meredith's TV dad for the debut," but despite the content of the review, rated it a 'B' and said it was "almost satisfying."

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Side Order Of Life 2000s American drama television series 2007 American television series debuts 2007 American television series endings Lifetime (TV network) original programming Television series by Warner Horizon Television Television Academy Honors winners