By Jae-Ha Kim
Amazon.com
March 25, 2006
Campy, earnest, and (at times) funny, She Spies: The Complete First Season is more VIP and Charlie’s Angels (with a little classic Batman thrown in) than Alias or La Femme Nikita. Showcasing the considerable physical charms of Natasha Henstridge, Kristen Miller, and Natashia Williams, who portray recovering criminals turned sexy she-spies Cassie, D.D., and Shane, respectively, the whodunit series offers a tongue-in-cheek alternative to hardcore crime-solving shows.
She Spies debuted on NBC in 2002. After three episodes, the series went into syndication and did well enough to nab a second full season. But whether they’re waxing euphoric about the current state of affairs or the improbable plausibility of their own show, the women exhibit pluck and fairly decent comedic timing.
Henstridge, best known for her femme fatale roles, is surprisingly funny, especially when mocking her own sex-symbol image.
Plot isn’t a huge deal in any of the 20 episodes included on this four-disc set. In the pilot episode, for instance, no one questions why a talk show hosted by a former politician is run by his campaign manager rather than a professional television producer. The plotline is only slightly more integral when it can get one of the spies into lingerie or other skimpy clothing. Never mind that not one of the three spies looks like she could effectively execute a roundhouse kick to the enemy. The fact is, they all look fabulous nabbing the bad guys without breaking a nail or into a nasty sweat. And sometimes, that’s what it’s really about.
