It’s not a mid-life crisis, insists actress Stephanie Szostak. When her character on USA Network’s new drama Satisfaction begins an affair with a male escort, it’s not her character freaking out at getting older and mourning the loss of her youth. Instead, the French beauty says, “I think it is more of an awakening. It’s that stage where especially, women, you’re devoted, you’re a mother, a wife, and suddenly, you think, ‘Gosh, Who am I?’”
It’s a thought-provoking question, and as Szostak’s character, Grace Truman, ponders who she is outside of her roles of wife and mother, she finds that she craves a life for herself. Her once-promising art career was halted by her much-desired pregnancy and now that her daughter is a curious and independent teen, Grace embarks on a journey of self-discovery. She finds herself yearning to find herself. In the show’s pilot, Grace admonishes her book club as they discuss the exploits of a character, “Why don’t we live? Why don’t we make our own stories and not just read other people’s stories?” She drags the women to a nightclub where, surrounded by a pulsing throng of revelers, she feels alive and free.
Grace’s thirst for freedom leads to a sexual awakening and subsequent affair, but Szostak isn’t worried what audiences will think of her character’s infidelity. “I think that’s the death of an actor,” She says, “when you try to be likable, even thought that has crossed my mind. I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh, I hope I’m not perceived as bad.’ But you can’t think like that, you have to understand your character — and Grace isn’t thinking, ‘am I likeable?’”
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Externally, Grace and Neil Truman are extremely likable. They’ve put on a façade of success and placation, but their masks bely their internal struggles and desires for something more. “Neil and Grace try to protect each other by being so nice and by not really opening up,” she says. We’re all so afraid to be honest and we want to say that everything is great, but it can make you grow apart.”
Szostak hopes that viewers use Neil and Grace’s quest to escape from their mutual and stoic unhappiness to better their own relationships, “If the show can trigger conversations amongst people that would be great,” says Szostak. “There was an article in Marie Clare that said that people who watch movies about relationships [find] that it helps their marriages. They compared it to counseling … I was like ‘ooh, how appropriate!’”
Satisfaction premieres Thursday, July 17 at 10pmEP/PT on USA Network
image © Robert Ascroft/USA Network
See the Article Stephanie mentioned (courtesy Marie Claire)
Just watched 5 episodes of this series on demand. I agree with the above comments regarding the poor moral conduct of the lead characters. However, this premise is consistent with the progressive desensitization and overexposure to immorality in our society. Most media content now includes both violence as well as explicit sexual references. Furthermore, infidelity is one of the main reasons that 2/3 of marriages fail. This television series makes viewers uncomfortable because it depicts very unflattering and plausible interpersonal situations. If people find it disturbing, the writers have accomplished their intended goal…. To provide a cautionary tale as a catalyst for self reflection and better communication bt family members, friends and colleagues.
Have just seen the preview of the Season Finale next week. Somebody has a gun. Somebody is going to die. Speculating who is going to get shot is difficult, as every character in the script is a possible victim. Personally, I would take great delight in seeing husband Neil tap wife Grace in the head about twelve times.
you folks obviously didnt watch this show with an objective mind. a few things you should gather from this shows initial pilot and first few episodes are…. 1) COMMUNICATE and grow. 2) NEVER put yourself in any kind of questionable situatuon or scenario. and IF by chance you do GET THE HELL OUT. 3) if/when you DO give in please dont wait to disclose or break it off cause it only gets worse and the stress will take its toll.
SATISFACTION is a one-hour weekly television show. If it were a full-length 2-hour movie showing at your local neighborhood theater, how would it be different?
(1) We could expect the characters to be totally nude.
(2) We could expect to see sex being performed, in all its variations, with nothing left to the imagination.
(3) We could expect the movie to have an “X-Rating.”
(4) We could expect everyone to simply call it “PORN.”
Why don’t we see this in the TV show? Because there are Federal regulations that control what you can, and cannot, put on public television.
The “Duck Principle” applies. If it looks like a Duck … walks like a Duck … swims like a Duck … and quacks like a Duck —– It’s a Duck. SATISFACTION is porn. It has been edited for television as required by Federal Law, but it is still porn nonetheless.
The entire story is pornographic in nature. It would have to be totally re-written (script, plot, and story line) to qualify as something other than porn. Both Matt Passmore and Stepanie Szostak will be remembered as being just a couple of porn stars.
The show is about the sexual adventures of two people. They are technically still married, but their relationship collapsed long-long ago; and as stated, the marriage is now nothing more than a legal technicality. They no longer have sex with each other, opting to have sex with just about everyone else in town. Both are into prostitution.
SATISFACTION is utterly unbelievable and unrealistic. As a result, it fails to qualify as “Drama.” It is about sex … and nothing but sex. The script, the plot, and the story line are designed to do nothing more than set up the next sexual encounter. Thus, it is “Porn” … plain and simple.
Stephanie Szostak, is a hot mama but this role that she is playing is really turning me off towards her. The images of her craving the sleazy Simon make me want to puke. Those kinds of images can taint an actresses real life image. For me it already has.
I hope this show ends with the lead characters finding themselves and their way back to a solid faithful, loving marriage. Otherwise what is the point of all the depravity. Just two more morally deficient suburbanites. m. is right, no entertainment value. I will probably stop watching because it is not leading to anything close to a happy ending. Simon is a real sleazebag, while I once thought there was hope for Grace but she has gone slutty and sleazy
also. I was pulling for her at first but now I’m disgusted by her, and Neil is no better.
If I were Stephanie Szostak’s husband in real life, there would be a very serious conversation at our house about the kind of role she’s going to accept and the kind of show she’s going to do. “Satisfaction” is one step short of being “Soft Porn.” Both lead characters are morally depraved. This show has no entertainment value.