ABC debuts the soap “GCB” on Sunday, March 4th as what the network hopes will bet their “Desperate Housewives” replacement.
“GCB” stars Leslie Bibb (“Iron Man”) as Amanda Vaughn, Kristin Chenoweth (“Pushing Daisies”) as Carlene Cockburn, Annie Potts (“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” “Joan of Arcadia”) as Gigi Stopper, Jennifer Aspen (“Rodney”) as Sharon Peacham, Miriam Shor (“Swingtown,” “Damages”) as Cricket Caruth-Reilly, Marisol Nichols (“24”) as Heather Cruz, Mark Deklin (“Lone Star”) as Blake Reilly, David James Elliott (“JAG”) as Ripp Cockburn and Brad Beyer (“Jericho”) as Zack Peacham.
In the show’s synopsis, Amanda Vaughn (Leslie Bibb), once the ultimate high school “mean girl,” is forced to return home in disgrace after her marriage ends in scandal. Reluctant but desperate, Amanda has no choice but to turn to her mother, Gigi (Annie Potts), for help. Gigi, the quintessential proper Dallas socialite, wants nothing more than to have Amanda back and to give Amanda’s two teenage kids a good southern upbringing. The problem is that Amanda is nothing like the girl she was 20 years ago and is hesitant about re-entering this world of opulence, status and salacious rumor mills. She is hopeful for a new start, but soon finds it’s not that easy to escape your past in this tightknit community.
The women of Dallas are none too happy to see Amanda back in town. Carlene Cockburn (Kristin Chenoweth), once the ugly duckling, was tortured by Amanda in high school but has made quite the “assisted” transformation since. Now she has a picture-perfect, lavish life with a gorgeous husband, yet she still can’t seem to let go of old grudges. Then there’s Cricket Caruth-Reilly (Miriam Shor) whose boyfriend Amanda stole and later married. Cricket is now a tough-as-nails, successful businesswoman with a perfect marriage – at least so it appears from the outside. Sharon Peacham (Jennifer Aspen), the fallen beauty queen whose chance at the Miss Teen Dallas crown was snatched away by a malicious rumor Amanda started, hasn’t really been the same since. Finally, there’s Heather Cruz (Marisol Nichols), a bit of an outsider back in high school who has now become fully inducted into this twisted little social clique of affluent, sugary, God-fearing, steely women whose bark is as bad as their bite. You know what they say about payback, Amanda, it’s a…
Based on Kim Gatlin’s hit book, Good Christian Bitches, “GCB” is executive-produced by Robert Harling (“Steel Magnolias”), Darren Star (“Sex and the City”), Aaron Kaplan (“Terra Nova”), Gretchen J. Berg & Aaron Harberts (“Pushing Daisies”) and Victor Nelli, Jr. (“Ugly Betty”). The pilot is written by Harling and executive-produced and directed by Alan Poul. “GCB” is produced by ABC Studios.
Check out this sneak peek video:
