I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I decided to give The Big C a chance. I knew the premise of course: a woman has her life turned upside down when she discovers she has cancer, and I knew that I wanted to give the show a shot as my mother is a cancer patient herself (and could potentially enjoy it too).
I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by the show’s first two hours. Laura Linney exudes an effortless charm that just radiates off the screen and practically forces you to take notice. She really carries the show in a superb manner and I found myself particularly won over by her performance. I was most intrigued by the fact that we never actually see Cathy receive the news that she has cancer, the show merely drops us into the thick of things with her trying to adapt to her new-found status.
As for the rest of the cast, they’re an eccentric bunch for sure. I wasn’t too amused by Cathy’s husband Paul, but I did love her relationship with Dr. Todd (and looking forward to seeing how that develops) and of course Andrea. Gabourey Sidibe is an excellent choice for a sidekick and I found her and Cathy’s pact quite hilarious. These two just might form one epic TV duo.
All in all, I really did enjoy The Big C‘s premiere outings. Here’s hoping the show continues to charm and impress me going forward. Oh, and thankfully, my mother loved it too.
Nad Rating
B+
I watched the pilot when it first aired and I found it really mannered and contrived. I also hear that it's become increasingly worse as it's gone along, but don't hold me to that.