Minx found its voice quickly out of the gate, looking like it might become a Hacks-like staple for Max. Then along came the Discovery/Warner merger, and David Zaslav’s merciless, brand-butchering cuts. Minx was a casualty, its greenlit, already-filmed second season canceled before it even aired. Thankfully, Starz picked it up to give that season the light of day; it didn’t extend the show’s life by much, but at least we got to see the episodes.
Set in the seventies, Minx chronicles the unlikely collaboration of feminist writer Joyce Prigger (Ophelia Lovibond) and opportunistic pornographer Doug Renetti (Jake Johnson). Their magazine, Minx, combines Joyce’s progressive idealism with Doug’s talent for commercial sleazery, resulting in an enlightened pornographic publication for women. In season two, the narrative switches from an origin story to a new chapter in which Joyce and Doug lure a wealthy feminist icon (Elizabeth Perkins) into their orbit to finance Minx to greatness. The next level of success, however, creates strife, as the staff – including Doug’s partner and business manager Tina (Idara Victor), photographer Richie (Oscar Montoya), and bubbly former model Bambi (Jessica Lowe) – cope with new challenges and changing roles. Commercial success brings new pressure for Joyce, as well, as her meteoric rise to fame leads to a heady career peak…but one that might be short-lived.
The shape of Minx’s second season isn’t quite as pleasing, but it retains many of the show’s strengths, with the non-romantic chemistry of Lovibond and Johnson driving the bus, as usual. It also continues to serve up entertaining commentary on the intersection of art and commerce, and examinations of the attempted sexual liberation of the seventies — including a major, well executed subplot involving Joyce’s sister Shelly (Lennon Parham) and her evolving marriage with Lenny (Rich Sommer). In the end, Minx was not afforded enough time (just eighteen episodes) to live up to its potential and make a lasting impression, but overall it’s another solid season of comedy TV for a show that deserved a better fate.
