The Botoxed Babes of TNT - Can an Actress "Act" when Her Face is Frozen?

I am a hearty fan of cable channel TNT for bringing us some wonderful, weird and just plain wacky dramas and comedies, a number of which feature actresses in the prime of their professional lives and careers. I am especially grateful to the network for reviving the beautifully scripted and acted drama involving law enforcement officers in southern Los Angeles, which NBC had dropped in favor of - gasp! - the low-level talent and burgeoning ego of (alleged) comedian Jay Leno. That show, plus Kathy Reich's dramedy about her career as a forensic anthropologist, are two of my all-time favorites.

I have, however, discovered of late a very disturbing trend that seems particularly prevalent on this cable channel.

A LOT of their series' lead actresses appear to have been Botoxed almost beyond recognition.

There are three in particular whose faces seemingly never move: Holly Hunter, Kyra Sedgwick and Emily Deschanel. Sadly, each of these three women are exceptional actress, Hunter in particular.

Hunter, the youngest of seven children, was born in 1958. She is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, and has appeared in numerous films and television series, having won both an Oscar and an Emmy.

In her current TNT show, which is mercifully ending in a few weeks, the 51 year old actress has been remolded into a creature few of us who've followed her career recognize. Not only is her skin taut and tight, the wardrobe department has molded her into a feisty pint-sized Texas vixen (or at least what TNT thinks we think a Texas vixen looks like.) Her bleached-blond hair has been pulled into long waves, her feet stuffed into cowboy boots, and her tiny, 5'2" frame dressed in very tight jeans (Definitely Not Your Mothers Jeans), those tank tops known as (shudder) 'wife beaters', and the occasional plaid shirt. The show has transformed an award-winning mature actress into ... Barbie. It is painful to watch an actress in her early 50's try to play a character who's been written as a girl in her late twenties to early thirties. Even more difficult to watch is how Hunter now has to emote by bulging out her eyes, yelling - with that always-charming lisp of hers - , writhing around in the dirt and on the ground, and fist-pounding. Her face is as smooth - and solid - as marble, and equally immobile.

Deschanel, the lead in the series based on Kathy Reich's novels, is at least portraying a woman close to her own age. It's really stretching her credibility, though, to watch her play the role of genius scientist, crime-fighter, forbidden love of agent Seeley Booth using only those gorgeous eyes of hers. The face doesn't move, so the camera pans to her legendary eyes to give us viewers some clue as to her emotions. Deschanel is a truly beautiful woman whose occasional smile - or even better, smirk! - on the show is worth the wait. Not a wrinkle or a crow's foot on the face of a woman whose character has been written such a rich, complex history and future. Dealing with characters such as The Gravedigger and Garmagon should,by rights, take a toll on anyone's emotional and physical well-being; however, Dr. Bones looks as if she sleeps a solid 12 hours a night...

Sedgwick is probably the worst of the lot. Apparently no one has told her that she is no longer 25 (or 40, for that matter). She portrays a southern law enforcement official in campy fashion whose specialty is getting felons to confess, she is a 'closer, someone who can get a confession out of a suspect. In her show's very first season, Sedgwick's character was mostly known for her swath of bright red lipstick painted across her very generous, wide mouth, giving her somewhat of a clown-like appearance. The show is almost too painful to watch. Since she can't move her facial muscles, Sedgwick - merrily riding through her career as the lesser-known, lesser-talented half of a marriage to Kevin Bacon - she has to resort to stomping around like a woman possessed, throwing things, slamming doors, bulging out her eyes. Apparently closing the deal on sealing a confession isn't all that stressful after all - not a wrinkle to be found on that middle-aged face...

I believe that all three of these actresses - Hunter in particular - genuinely are talented. They are, however, of middle age, and have fallen victor to the HDTV effect: That close up, crystal clear lens can be brutal on one's appearance on camera. Clear, laser-treated skin pulled taut by the Botox needles are so kind to a woman's face onscreen. It's particularly disappointing that Hunter didn't chose a wiser career path than that of portraying a tomboyish law enforcement officer communicating with God through an angel in the form of a disreputable bum. I know that good opportunities - any opportunities? - are very hard to come by in Hollywood for actresses over the age of 35 these days, but Hunter - and we, her fans - deserve better...