The Client List (TV series)

The Client List is an American television drama series based on the 2010 television film of the same name, which aired on the Lifetime network.[1] The series starsJennifer Love Hewitt, who starred in the film,[2] though she plays a different character in a premise that is slightly different from the film. The series premiered on Sunday, April 8, 2012.[3]

Lifetime ordered an initial 10 episodes for the first season[4] and on May 7, 2012, renewed the series for a second season of 15 episodes to air March 10, 2013.[5]

On November 1, 2013, Lifetime cancelled the series after two seasons.[6][7]

Contents
[hide]
 * 1 Premise
 * 2 Cast and characters
 * 2.1 Main cast
 * 2.2 Recurring cast
 * 3 Episodes
 * 4 Production
 * 4.1 Development
 * 4.2 Filming and premiere
 * 5 Controversy
 * 6 Renewal delay and show cancellation
 * 7 Ratings
 * 8 Awards and nominations
 * 9 References
 * 10 External links

Premise[edit]
The series follows Riley Parks (Jennifer Love Hewitt), who begins work in a day spa in a local town after her husband abandons her and their children, leaving her in financial debt. She quickly realizes that the spa gives much more than massages, but works with the parlor's owner in order to keep food on the table. While helping to run the business, she struggles to discreetly balance two lives – a single mother who must provide for her family and a strong businesswoman working in a unique and frowned-upon business.[8]

Main cast[edit]

 * Jennifer Love Hewitt as Riley Parks (née Montgomery), the main character whose husband leaves her during a financial crisis when they risk losing their house to foreclosure. Riley is hired at The Rub as a massage therapist and soon realizes the only way to make enough money to catch up financially is to agree to give "extras" to some of the clients. Although hesitant at first, she soon accepts this as a way to provide for her family, catch up on her mortgage, save their house and provide a good lifestyle for her and her children. She has a supportive brother-in-law, Evan, who is always looking after her children when she is out and is a close friend to her. Riley and Evan soon develop a relationship, which upsets Riley's husband, Kyle, when he returns later in the series. Riley's best friend Lacey tells her that Kyle planned on leaving her after Lacey finds out the truth about the job's extra services.
 * Cybill Shepherd as Lynette Montgomery,[9] Riley's mother who works at a hair salon and has been married many times. She tries to look out for Riley's and her grandchildren's best interests.
 * Loretta Devine as Georgia Cummings-Clemens,[10] the former owner of the massage parlor, The Rub, in Sugar Land.
 * Colin Egglesfield as Evan Parks,[11] Riley's brother-in-law, her husband's brother, who also harbors secret feelings for her.
 * Rebecca Field as Lacey Jean-Locklin,[12] Riley’s best friend since childhood who has discovered the truth about what Riley and most of the other massage therapists do and wants her to quit.
 * Alicia Lagano as Selena Ramos,[13] a masseuse at the parlor, who often offers "extra services" to her clients. Selena also recommended the masseuse job to Riley. She is shown to be jealous of Riley's relationship with Georgia, who gives her extra responsibilities at the shop, and later becomes her boss. She and Evan had a brief romance, but it did not last.
 * Brian Hallisay as Kyle Parks (recurring role, season 1; main role, season 2), Riley's husband and Evan's brother, who ran away from his family. He is arrested for stealing copper wire and wants Riley back. She hires a defense attorney for him solely because he is the father of her children.
 * Naturi Naughton as Kendra (season 1),[14] a hard-working masseuse at the parlor. Kendra quit The Rub along with Jolene in the beginning of the second season.
 * Kathleen York as Jolene (season 1),[15] another masseuse working at the parlor, who does not give "extras". She only gives "straight" massages. Jolene quit The Rub along with Kendra in the beginning of the second season.
 * Laura-Leigh as Nikki Shannon (season 2), the newly hired masseuse at The Rub.

Recurring cast[edit]

 * Tyler Champagne as Travis Parks, Kyle and Riley's son
 * Cassidy Guetersloh as Katie Parks, Kyle and Riley's daughter
 * Greg Grunberg as Dale Locklin, Lacey's husband
 * Elisabeth Röhm as Taylor Berkhalter,[16] a woman who continually competes with Riley and ends up buying the hair salon where Lynette and Lacey both work.
 * Bart Johnson as Beau Berkhalter, Taylor's husband, who later cheated on her.
 * Rob Mayes as Derek Malloy (season 2), a masseur working at the parlor, who has sexual relations with Selena.
 * T.V. Carpio as Shelby Prince (season 2), a fellow police officer who met Evan at the police academy, later becoming his girlfriend.
 * Michael Beach as Harold Clemens (season 2), Georgia boyfriend and later husband.
 * Brian Howe as Judge Overton (season 2), one of the names on the client list, working on the inside with Riley.
 * Marco Sanchez as Graham Sandoval (season 2), Kyle's attorney.
 * Johnathon Schaech as Greg Carlyle (season 2), a strip club owner that Nikki used to work for, before becoming a masseuse.
 * Tammy Townsend as Karina Lake (season 2)
 * Sunny Mabrey as Lisa Munsey (season 2)
 * Michelle Faraone as Michelle (season 2)
 * Desi Lydic as Dee Ann (season 1), a masseuse working at the parlor.
 * Brian Kerwin as Garrett (season 1), Lynette's ex-boyfriend, whom Lynette almost considered marrying.
 * Jon Prescott as Dr. Mark Flemming (season 1), a single-father widower who asked Riley on a date.

Episodes[edit]
Main article: List of The Client List episodes

Development[edit]
On August 10, 2011, Lifetime announced the production of a series based on the 2010 television film, with Jennifer Love Hewitt reprising the lead role. The series, however, is a re-imagining of the film and is not a direct continuation of the film's storyline.[1] The most notable change is that the husband of Hewitt's character abandons his family in the television series before she becomes involved in prostitution, whereas in the film he leaves with their children after the scandal is exposed. The pilot was written by Jordan Budde, and the film's producers all executive-produced the series alongside Hewitt.[4]

Nancy Dubuc, president and general manager of Lifetime, stated: "Beloved by viewers, Jennifer Love Hewitt is an amazing talent on and off the screen and we are very excited about continuing our relationship with her on The Client List. This project falls in line with our strategy to expand Lifetime's slate with unapologetic programming that will surprise audiences." Hewitt later stated: "I am thrilled to be working with the fantastic team at Lifetime again. Jordan Budde has written a show that truly reflects the spirit of the movie and I am looking forward to an amazing partnership with Lifetime as both a producer and actress. After hearing Lifetime's vision for the new direction of the network, as well as the amazing level of talent they are working with, I knew I wanted to partner with them in making quality television."[8]

Three promotional materials were filmed in October 2011[19] and released before the series premiered.[20] The first of these materials, released on January 26, 2012, featured Hewitt performing Shirley Bassey's "Big Spender" in a music video-style advert, in reference to the true nature of the work at the massage parlor.[21] The video received much interest from the media due to Hewitt's risqué role, who noted that "based on this new promo, the show is going to be seriously hot."[22][23]

Filming and premiere[edit]
Season 1 consists of 10 episodes. The series began filming on January 17, 2012.[24] Filming of Season 1 ended on May 2, 2012.[25] Season 1 premiered on April 8, 2012 and ended on June 17, 2012.[18]

Filming for the second season began on November 1, 2012.[26] Filming of Season 2 ended on April 18, 2013.[27] The season 2 premiered on March 10, 2013 and ended on June 16, 2013.

Controversy[edit]
The Client List was the subject of a nationwide campaign by licensed massage therapists to stop the show before it aired. The group is Massage Therapists Against The Client List. Petitions have gathered over 6,250 signatures as of February 18, 2013.[28] The group asserts that:

A&E responded to the controversy with the following press release:

Renewal delay and show cancellation[edit]
An expected third season renewal for the series was put on hold after the announcement of Jennifer Love Hewitt's pregnancy in June 2013. Hewitt reportedly wanted/insisted the real father of her child, co-star and fiancé Brian Hallisay, to also be the father of a fictional baby to be born by her character in the third season, while the show's executives and writers wanted Colin Egglesfield's character to be the father. Lifetime was undecided which led to a renewal delay that lasted into October 2013.[30] Due to creative differences between Hewitt, Lifetime, Sony Pictures Television, and ITV Studios America, the show was officially canceled on November 1, 2013 after two seasons.[6][7]

Ratings[edit]
The first season of The Client List, consisting of 10 episodes, was watched by an average of 2.51 million viewers per week.[31] The second season, consisting of 15 episodes, was watched by an average of 2.05 million viewers.[32]