Side Order of Life

Infobox Television
show_name = Side Order of Life


caption =
format = Dramedy
picture_format =
audio_format =
runtime = 1 hour (with ads)
creator = Margaret Nagle
writer = Margaret Nagle
executive_producer = Bruce Cohen
Dan Jinks
Margaret Nagle
starring = Marisa Coughlan, Diana-Maria Riva, Christopher Gartin, Jason Priestley
narrated =
opentheme =
country = United States
network = Lifetime Television
first_aired = July 15, 2007
last_aired = October 7 2007
num_episodes = 13
list_episodes =
website =
related =
imdb_id = 0862824
tv_com_id = 73182

"Side Order of Life" is a dramatic television series broadcast by Lifetime on Sunday night. In its first five weeks it aired at 8:00pm ET/PT, then switched to the 9:00pm time slot.

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), is diagnosed with a recurrence of cancer. Jason Priestly returns to regular series television as Ian Denison, Jenny's fiance. Christopher Gartin rounds out the main case as Jenny's boss Rick Purdy at the fictional "In Person" magazine; he is in love with Vivy, who has rejected him.

.

"Side Order of Life" premiered on Lifetime on July 15, 2007. Initial reviews were positive, with Variety.com's Brian Lowry saying, "writer-producer Margaret Nagle brings a level of wit to the proceedings superior to most chick-lit-inspired TV drama." [cite journal | url = http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117934170.html?categoryid=32&cs=1&p=0 | title = Side Order of Life | last = Lowry | first = Brian | journal = Variety.com] The "Seattle Times", 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." [cite news | last = Davila | first = Florangela | title = "Side Order" is tasty addition | publisher = Seattle Times | date = 2007-07-15 | url = http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/entertainment/2003788010_tvpicks15.html ]

The "Boston Herald" 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." [cite news | url = http://theedge.bostonherald.com/tvNews/view.bg?articleid=1010968 | title = 'Side Order' almost satisfying | last = Perigard | first = Mark A. | publisher = The Boston Herald | date = 2007-07-13 ]

In a moment of candor, when discussing his role on a female-oriented show on a female-oriented network, Jason Priestly referred to himself as "the man-meat," but stated, "I'm ok with that." [cite news | url = http://winnipegsun.com/Entertainment/Television/2007/07/13/4335898-sun.html | title = Side Order of man meat: Priestley relishing role in new series | last = Harris | first = Bill | publisher = The Winnipeg Sun | date = July 13 2007 ]

Lifetime has decided not to renew "Side Order of Life" for a second season. [cite news | url = http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6543692.html | title = Lifetime Shelves "Side Order of Life" | publisher = MultiChannel News | date = March 20 2008 ]

The show hovered in the balance for the length of the writer's strike with fans even going to the lengths of sending take-out menus by the scores to the network and calling Lifetime studios to fight for the show's survival. Ironically, on the same day the series was notified of its selection for an Academy of Television Arts and Sciences "Honors" award for its groundbreaking work as a television series, Lifetime notified cast members and crew of the cancellation.

Fittingly, a large contingent of the show's fan base are cancer survivors and friends and family members of those affected, and despite an overwhelming outpouring of outcry Lifetime has not moved to reverse the decision.

Lifetime announced soon after this decision that it would be purchasing the show "Project Runway, although no connection to the *unrelated* events was publicized. Outrage in the cancer survivor community over Lifetime's programming choice continues to this day as the network's message board for the show still receives empassioned pleas for Lifetime to reconsider.

Cast

*Marisa Coughlan as Jenny McIntyre, a photojournalist at In Person magazine.
*Diana-Maria Riva 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
*Jason Priestley as Ian Denison, Jenny's ex-fiance, currently 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.

Recurring Characters

*Steven Weber (uncredited in episodes 1-12) as Cell Phone Man, who Jenny called by accident when trying to reach Ian, and who she continued to call for reassurance and support. [ [http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-News-Blog/Tv-Guide-News/Caller-Idd/800022685 TV Guide: Side Order of Life's Caller ID'd] ]
*Joe Regalbuto as Mr. McIntyre, Jenny's father, and a good friend of Ian's, even after the breakup.
*Susan Blakely as Margot, Jenny's mother, a self-described trophy wife.
*Lisa Waltz as Dr. Misty Raines, Vivy's Oncologist, who also has cancer.

Episode list

References

External links

*imdb title|id=0862824|title=Side Order of Life
*tv.com show|id=73182|title=Side Order of Life