The Arrangement: Season 1/ Episode 1 “Pilot” [Series Premiere] – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zd2d1BEIeIs

Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

The Arrangement screams “This is our take on Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes’” relationship. Yet, despite the very weird nods to that couple, we are presented with what surely will become some people’s guilty pleasure.

Noted Actors

Megan (Christine Evangelista) | Annika (Courtney Paige) | Kyle (Josh Henderson) | Terrence (Michael Vartan) | Lisbeth (Ashley Grace – Not Seen In Episode) | Nic (Matthew Kevin Anderson) | Shaun (Carra Patterson) | Hope (Katharine Isabelle)

The Introduction

At 25 years old, Megan has had a rough life. Her father left her and her mom as a baby and her mother died while she was going to NYU. Such a thing had such a drastic effect that Megan decided to transport her life to the west coast, quit school, and pursue acting. Though, as with a lot of those in pursuit of the dream, what she often finds herself doing is waiting tables. However, that is until she finds herself auditioning for Kyle West.

Kyle is the boy next door to Megan’s girl next door and while highly successful at the box office, him being dumped at the alter is putting a damper on his brand. So when Megan makes it to her 2^nd audition and they meet face to face, he becomes quite taken with her. But, being that Kyle’s friend and advisor Terrence saw what happened with Kyle’s ex, Lisbeth, he pushes a precautionary measure. Of which we get the show’s title for the precaution is a marriage contract in which Megan gets to be part of Kyle’s world but have little say in it.

Highlights

Evangelista’s Girl Next Door Appeal

There is something both perfect and imperfect about Evangelista as Megan. She has your usual model beauty, yet something about her person comes off like the best friend you had in middle school before they blossomed. The girl you probably should have asked out but were too comfortable in your friendship to take it there.

But it isn’t just her physical appearance and vibe, but also because Megan may have this slight pixie dream girl thing going, but it seems she is trying to push the character past that. Take her hip-hop Shakespeare performance. It was weird, and kind of corny, to the point that while you can’t imagine someone performing that publicly, at the same time you could imagine one weirdo who would be comfortable enough to make a fool out of themselves like that. Without batting an eye.

Megan’s Screen Test with Kyle

Chemistry is very important, especially in a show like this which really seems to be art imitating life. So when Megan was testing with Kyle for some kind of action movie, one in which she was some strategist and he was the agent she always monitored, I was surprised when I felt something. Evangelista crafted this character who you could tell was in love with Kyle’s character and I was so immersed that I forgot for a second she was just auditioning for a film.

Kyle’s Life Is Wrapped In Mystery

With Lisbeth leaving him at the altar, a very attentive assistant who hands him his towel after watching him shower, and Terrence working for a company which seems very culty, Kyle presents multiple reasons to side eye his life. Leading you to wonder why did Lisbeth leave him, for real? We are told it is because she was feeling swallowed by Kyle’s life, but that seems like a lie.

On The Fence

Annika and Megan’s Friends

Annika is a character who we are introduced to as the person Megan’s ex was cheating on her with. However, it seems Megan, if not Nic, may have been setup. Then with Megan’s friends, while I dig Shaun, I must admit her other friend Hope had me rolling my eyes. But, the main reason that these characters are being noted within the “On The Fence” section is because they neither draw you in or repel you. They have the potential to make things interesting, yet they could also become the type of characters you hope are forgotten about as Megan’s life with Kyle begins.

Overall: Positive (Watch It)

I don’t think I knew this show existed because, outside of Mariah’s World, I haven’t watched E! since they stopped premiering new E! True Hollywood Stories. Plus, since I primarily view things online, I don’t see a whole lot of commercials. Luckily, though, as I landing on the Xfinity homepage this popped up and I’m so glad it did. For while I was thinking this would have been E!’s version of that Bella Thorne show coming up in one or two months, it far surpassed what that show may likely present. But what really got me to label this as positive is that there is something about Evangelista which makes it seem you should take note. For while I’m no casting agent, I perhaps can’t spot a star in the making, I do feel this show won’t be the last we’ve seen of her and we should get used to seeing her face in trailers and advertisements.