Today, Fox Showcase airs the hotly-anticipated Julia.
Inspired by the extraordinary life of legendary chief Julia Child (Sarah Lancashire), Julia begins in 1961 with Julia and her husband Paul (David Hyde Pierce) enjoying a celebratory dinner for the news that her first book, ‘Mastering the Art of French Cooking’, will be published.
A year later, Julia is promoting the book on Boston’s Public Television when the segment turns into an omelette making session, which is a great success to the surprise of director Russ (Fran Kranz).
This allows Julia to propose an idea that could change her life if all things go to plan – her very own cooking show. Alice (Brittany Bradford), a young black producer at the station, can immediately see Child’s appeal. Along with childhood friend Avis (Bebe Neuwirth) and editor Judith Jones (Fiona Glascott), they set out to make the idea a reality.
While Julia is about cooking and Child’s rise to stardom, it is also an exploration of her personal life, from being told that she’s entering menopause, to her semi-retired husband being against television, all wrapped up in the cultural impact of the 1960s.
Lancashire delivers a masterful performance as she makes the character her own without losing the heart. Pierce is also a highlight, while Bradford shows that she a talent on the rise.
Creator Daniel Goldfarb has delivered something special here, and it’s engrossing to see how Child became an icon. The show’s first three episodes, provided for this review, are a scrumptious treat as the story unfolds.
Set the table for a truly delectable dish because Julia is one of the must-see shows of the year.
4.5 Stars
Julia premieres a double episode 8:30pm Sunday, April 3 on Fox Showcase with new episodes weekly. Binge is also dropping episodes on Sundays.
