With the huge success of MAD MEN, the networks have all scrambled to find a unique way to cash in on the popularity of the 1960’s themed television shows. THE PLAYBOY CLUB is NBC’s hat thrown in the ring. Set in the Hef’s original Chicago club, champagne corks pop and Bunnies smile warmly at key holding patrons while fending off unwanted advances; THE PLAYBOY CLUB gives a fictitious account of events behind the scenes at this world famous institution.

Bunny Maureen (Amber Heard) is the ingénue; Nick Dalton (Eddie Cibrian) is the attorney with the questionable past; Bunny Carol-Lynne (Laura Benanti) is the aging beauty with buckets of talent and a head for the business; Billy Rosen (David Krumholtz) is the chauvinistic Club manager who is down-right unlikeable; Bunny Alice (Leah Rene Cudmore) is the wide eyed sweet as sugar married to Sean Maher’s character (who is yet unnamed…[Amrie Note: Sigh…Sean Maher….]); Bunny Brenda (Naturi Naughton) is the sassy African American Bunny who has aspirations to be the first “Chocolate Centerfold”; Bunny Janie (Jenna Dewan-Tatum) is what appears to be a sexpot in a relationship with bartender Max (Wes Ramsey). Yes, there’s a LOT of people to keep track of!  Luckily they address each other by name frequently, or otherwise you’d need a scorecard.

In an unfortunate [Amrie Note: and highly improbably…]turn of events, Bunny Maureen and Nick Dalton are forced into a clandestine relationship which threatens both of their lives and reputations. Frankly, it was REALLY fast for me. The characters were barely introduced and suddenly BOOM: HUGE plotline. While central to the show, I could’ve done without it. That’s saying something.

The music and costumes are on point; I believe there will be a significant influx of Classic Bunny costumes at Halloween parties across the nation this year. But I found the major content of the show to be a bit weak. I felt the subplots to be far more interesting, which is probably not what the network is banking on. The complicated relationship between Bunny Janie and Max, the secret that Bunny Alice and her husband share that could destroy not only themselves but their closest friends [Amrie Note: This was the only story line in the whole show that surprised me….], Bunny Carol-Lynne with her tenure and wisdom versus Club Manager Billy and his sexist ways; those are the reasons I’ll be tuning in Mondays at 10/9c.  How about you? Why will you be watching?