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Anne Heche finds ‘Men in Trees’ tonight
“Men in Trees” stars Anne Heche as Marin, a jilted relationship expert who moves from chic New York to rural Alaska where there are, as the title implies, men everywhere.
It debuts tonight at 9 and then moves to its regular time slot Fridays at 8 p.m.
She decides to study their curious behavior as the basis for a new self-help book. It’s a fish-out-of-water story with obvious similarities to another sweet little series set in Alaska more than a decade ago.
Think of “Men in Trees” as “Northern Exposure” from a woman’s point of view. And that’s a good thing. I see nothing wrong with echoing something that was enjoyable — as long as the copycat has its own soul and personality. Which this one does.
Heche’s Marin has shades of Rob Morrow’s Dr. Joel Fleischman. She’s a city girl plopped down in the relative wilderness where people might not be sophisticated from a martini perspective but who have a lot more going on beneath the surface than they appear. She’s more innocent and less cynical and snobby than Fleischman.
In tonight’s opener, Marin is introduced as a wildly successful self-help author and romance coach who is the toast of Manhattan. She is engaged to a handsome man and living the city-life dream.
But on a trip to the tiny town of Elmo, Alaska, to deliver a lecture, she finds out that her man is cheating. Crushed, she decides she’s no longer qualified to give advice. After doing battle with a raccoon that insists on living in her hotel closet, Marin takes a deep breath, wobbles around on a bicycle and falls in love with Elmo.
If you’re a relationship coach in a romantic crisis, what better place to escape to than a town with 10 men for every woman? Of course the men are quirky, cute and bearlike. One of them is destined to become Marin’s new love, but we’re not sure which one — although she does wind up skin-to-skin with a super-handsome guy played by James Tupper. This night-long hug is ostensibly to stay warm after plummeting through the ice on a lake. No sex … just the possibility.
Heche is a phenomenally likeable and talented actor whose skills have been overshadowed by her personal problems. She came clean in her autobiography, “Call Me Crazy,” which chronicled her dalliances with alien abduction, multiple personalities and lesbianism.
Interviewed in Los Angeles last summer, Heche seemed happy and grounded — and anxious to put to rest the craziness that nearly de-railed her career. If “Men in Trees” succeeds, it will be because her talent has indeed trumped her troubles. Personally, I’m pulling for her — and for the show.
Permalink | Comments (8) | Categories: Entertainment
Comments
By Cathy
September 25, 2006 03:56 PM | Link to this
It's nice Diane's pulling for Anne Heche when I was starting to think Anne had purchased a one way ticket to crazytown, her character has charmed me even though I agree with some that the show's not as well written as "Northern Exposure". Ironically, I also think the Friday night slot may work in favor of "Men in Trees", but I have too many single girlfriends to open THAT can of worms......
By Shelley
September 21, 2006 10:00 PM | Link to this
I loved this show. I'm not trilled with the timeslot on Friday night but plan to tape the series on the dvr so I don't miss it. James Tupper is so hot. ABC needs to give him more lines and have him take of his shirt in every episode.
By Adan Lerma
September 15, 2006 07:44 AM | Link to this
i saw the connection to northern exposure too and agree it's different enough in its own way, easily holding its own
re being less snobby than rob morrow's character, it depends on what each character is portrayed as being snobbish about; i never quite got the feeling joel was snobbish about knowing all about women as ann's character is about men, he seemed more snobbish about city life being superior to small town life
but what a great play on her own life that she now portrays someone who says she needs to find out what men are all about
i welcome her comic talented beautiful face scrutiny :-)
By jan
September 14, 2006 02:53 PM | Link to this
i loved men in trees!!!! i hope it makes it....
By Pamela
September 14, 2006 02:15 AM | Link to this
Thank you!
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By Karen
September 13, 2006 04:49 PM | Link to this
Does anyone know the name(s) of the songs played in first episode of Men in Trees?
By Toni
September 13, 2006 02:16 PM | Link to this
I loved this show.... The writers are fabulous... I hope it survives !!! Great job Anne !!!
By carol
September 12, 2006 10:36 PM | Link to this
I loved Men in Trees. But I am afraid to love another show because I also loved Commander in Chief and Judging Amy and Everwood and Life with Bonnie and they bit the dust. Who makes these decisions?!?!