GCB

GCB, an acronym for Good Christian Bitches, is an American comedy-drama television series adapted from Kim Gatlin's book of the same name. The show aired on ABC in 2012, showcasing a blend of dramedy, satire, and Southern charm with an exploration of the world of the church-going elite of Dallas, Texas. The season, though just a single season long, made its mark as a unique and daring series breaking boundaries with its risqué title and unique storyline.

At the core of GCB is Amanda Vaughn, an alluring and once wealthy mother of two who during a difficult phase of her life, gets a "comeuppance". The saga begins when Amanda's husband dies tragically in a car accident, coupled with a scandalous affair and heavy embezzlement. The tragedies lead to a rapid downfall of Amanda's life from riches to rags. Financially broken, Amanda decides to move back to Dallas, to her mother Gigi's mansion in Hillside Park, the elite neighborhood where she’d spent her youthful years. Her return home isn't as comforting as she'd hoped. It ignites a series of gripping tales of love, hate, revenge, and redemption, turning her life upside down again.

Amanda is met with hostility by her still resentful childhood peers. The women of Hillside Park, referred to as Good Christian Bitches or GCB's for their two-faced antics, are yet to forgive Amanda for her "mean girl" high school years. The GCB's include; Carlene Cockburn, the reigning queen bee of Dallas society who bears the deepest grudge against Amanda, Cricket Caruth-Reily, a high-powered businesswoman with a secret, and former beauty queen, Sharon Peacham, who carries her own spite against Amanda.

With Dallas being the heart of the Bible Belt, religion plays a significant role in GCB. The characters are seen frequently dishing out Bible quotes to justify their deeds, all while indulging in gossip, envy, and high-stakes power games. The church is not just a place for prayers, but a social hub where identities are validated and status quo is maintained. The irony of following Christian values while engaging in sins forms the primary comic vein of the series, reflecting the hypocrisy among some supposed "pillars of the community".

Kristin Chenoweth’s scene-stealing performance as Carlene anchors the series’ ensemble cast brilliantly. The rest of the cast, including Leslie Bibb as the protagonist Amanda, Annie Potts as Amanda's strong-willed mother Gigi, Miriam Shor as Cricket, Marisol Nichols as Heather, and Jennifer Aspen as Sharon Peacham, also delivers a powerful act. Despite the show being primarily a women-centric drama, the men in the series, played by Mark Deklin, Brad Beyer, and David James Elliott, have important roles that infuse further drama, love triangles, and secret affairs into the storyline.

GCB subverts the contemporary, conservative ideologies in a comic manner while highlighting society's obsession with money, power, and beauty. Despite the outrageous title, the series provides a fun, frothy, and over-the-top dramatisation of the elite Dallas society with a frivolity that’s determinedly harmless, yet leaves the audiences with subtle messages about falsity and hypocrisy. The show refrains from mocking religion, but targets those who misuse it for personal agendas.

The series is written by Robert Harling, who is best known for penning "Steel Magnolias". Paired with Darren Star, the creator of "Sex and the City", the duo provides a wealth of funny, sharp, and succinct dialogues. GCB made sure to instill each episode with a fair share of scandal, intrigue, and humour. The production design, costume, and the dramatic Texas environment contribute effectively to making a visual statement in the series.

Viewers of GCB can expect a juicy, exaggerated drama riding high on satirical comedy. While it preserves the soap-opera style drama, GCB also takes a critical, side-eyed look at extreme religious hypocrisy and social power plays present in the supposedly sophisticated high society. Comical yet introspective, sassy yet poignant, GCB is a show that showcases the glamour and grimness of Southern upper-class lifestyle in a compelling manner.