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Cape Town - South African divorce statistics are at an all-time high. The latest report from Statistics South Africa, released earlier this year, show that divorce rates are up and marriage rates have dropped steadily over the last 10 years. For any of the 25 000 couples getting divorced each year, this comedy drama is a good one to add to the watchlist.
Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce stars Lisa Edelstein (Dr Cuddy from House) as Abby McCarthy and centres on her divorce after her husband Jack cheats on her. Divorce is bad enough at the best of times, but Abby’s divorce is made worse by the fact that she’s built her career as a relationship guru! And it’s not just Abby whose marriage is falling apart - her friends Lyla (Janeane Garofalo) and Phoebe (Beau Garrett) are also going through the messy reality of conscious uncoupling.
But there’s more to the show than divorce: “This is a story about a woman. I hear a lot of language about women who are ‘no longer relevant’ after a certain age and that really pisses me off and that’s not what this show is. It’s not about relevance or irrelevance. This is about being a female of any age and pushing through the world,” said Edelstein in a Rotten Tomatoes interview.
Here’s what we love about it:
1. It’s real, it’s funny and it’s messy
Divorce doesn’t bring out the best side in most people, and GG2D doesn’t shy away from showing the ugly, crazy AF side that comes out during the process. Abby may be the star of the show, but there are two sides to every divorce and she’s not entirely blameless - even if her husband did cheat on her.
2. There are truths in every episode
Each episode has a rule as the title like: #36: If You Can't Stand The Heat, You're Cooked, #72: It's Never Too Late To Be A Mean Girl and #25: Beware The Second Chance.
There are some great lines too:
Abby: “I would have killed for a night alone when I was married, and now that I get it? I fall apart.”
Lyla: “Of course. Because it’s a different kind of alone. Now you’re aloooooone. Alone.”
3. It shows that divorce isn’t always a bad thing
It may be a horribly painful experience, but GG2D doesn’t only focus on the bad stuff, it looks at how life can improve after a divorce - especially if you’re a divorce lawyer like Delia (Necar Zadegan). Delia: “You don't know what his style is, precious. Not anymore. Divorce makes people crazy. You don't want to go to war with a water pistol, Abby. Be smart.”
4. It reminds you why your girlfriends are so important
Just like Sex and the City before it, at the heart of GG2D isn’t the awkward dates, disappointing husbands and stuffy marriages, it’s about the enduring power of friendship. Long after the wedding rings have been melted down and remade into earings, your girlfriends will be there for you - ready to let you laugh, cry and help you hit the dating scene again.
5. Droolworthy fashion and decor
The houses, decor and fashion in GG2D looks like it’s straight off a Pinterest board. There’s loads to love in each episode.
Binge season 1 and 2 on ShowMax today. ShowMax internet TV gives you access to thousands of fabulous shows and movies for a monthly subscription. Check out the free trial at ShowMax.com.
(Photos: Bravo TV)
*This article is sponsored. Channel24 is part of Media24, a subsidiary of Naspers.
