Ladies of the ’80s: A Divas Christmas Review: Soap Icons, Sisterhood, and Sass Delivers Epic Fun That Invites A Sequel

Tis the season for the seasoned!

All the different Christmas motion pictures can go forward, pack it up, and go residence.

Why? Because Ladies of the ’80s: A Divas Christmas simply has that magic.

No one can fairly ship like veteran actresses, and there wasn’t a single second of this movie that wasn’t pleasant.

Lifetime can strike gold in relation to reuniting stars of yesteryear, from collection to movies for productions like this, particularly Christmas movies.

A Christmas Spark was the excellent Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman reunion and was one of the community’s finest Christmas movies lately.

They’ve additionally succeeded in bringing us little reunions each vacation season.

But reuniting and bringing collectively some of the most iconic girls from soaps was no straightforward feat, and it made for a vacation movie that left viewers squealing in glee whether or not they have been cleaning soap followers or not.

I’ve observed a sample this season the place the vacation movies do not feel as heavy on Christmas, as the vacation serves extra as background plots for greater issues. A Divas Christmas was not an exception both.

It introduced these veteran actresses from a well-liked cleaning soap opera from again in the day collectively for a reside Christmas present, one thing pushed for by a younger actor turned author and producer, Alex.

But regardless of the decorations all over the place and the particular they have been filming, the movie wasn’t saturated with Christmas and even felt prefer it had a Christmas theme.

It’s a film that would simply be on heavy rotation all yr spherical to indicate how totally fabulous it’s to have these 5 girls interacting with one another in the most entertaining methods.

Divas of Christmas was pure, unadulterated, soapy, humorous, campy, heartwarming enjoyable.

That’s exactly what you need from a vacation movie, so this has arguably been one of the most fulfilling ones from the season.

What Lifetime is doing extremely nicely is delivering fulfilling, refreshing, and actual content material for “women of a certain age,” why not? Those girls probably make up most of the community’s demographic in the first place.

One cannot reiterate sufficient how invigorating it’s to see girls over 40 loving, laughing, dwelling, and being their most genuine selves on the display.

And A Divas Christmas gave us 5 of them without delay, with some of the most recognizable faces in the sport! And my goodness, all of them seemed gorgeous.

It was laborious to not smile from ear to ear the second they appeared onscreen. Can we speak about how a lot of a goddess Donna Mills is?

Getting a double dose of her this yr after her stint throughout the V.C. Andrews Dawn collection proves we will need to have been on the “Nice” listing.

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The girl can nonetheless mild up a display all these years later.

Morgan Fairchild stays all of the freaking targets with one of the finest wardrobes in the sport. If there’s a chance of that girl having a horrible angle, we have not discovered it but.

Loni Anderson was such a dream, and she’s so easy in every thing she does. You gravitated to her each second she appeared on the display.

Dallas’ Linda Gray is the very definition of iconic, and she was pure leisure as Lauren. As somebody who has loved episodes of Dallas, it was additionally enjoyable to see the many nods to her iconic function.

And Nicolette Sheridan is divine. She had one of the movie’s most on-the-nose however heartfelt storylines — the very heart of it.

Staying true to kind, this movie wasn’t a lot about romance however opted to showcase the love and battle amongst these girls, and it was all the higher as a result of of that.

The breakaway from placing romance at the forefront of the film was the finest transfer and the most rewarding and distinctive one.

All of these veteran actresses are undoubtedly identified for being horny, one thing that they nonetheless deliver to the desk full cease, and we see that sexiness and confidence exuded of their each transfer.

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But they’re additionally identified for being robust, highly effective girls who aren’t outlined by their relationships with males. It was so pretty that whereas Lauren was married, males as lovers have been peripheral characters of their general story.

In this movie, we received the finest of each worlds, recognizing them as sexual beings without having to make no matter romance they have been experiencing the heart of their story.

The love for the Divas was in them reuniting after so a few years, repairing their relationships, and recognizing their love for one another.

A Divas Christmas was such a deal with for cleaning soap followers. They had many nods to those women’ iconic roles, cleaning soap plots, and many others. Juliette getting shoved into the pool was a giant one, and Lauren rocking an ensemble that embodied her Dallas character was one other.

But the movie knew how to not take itself too critically; having the girls take jabs at themselves and their careers, the style of tv, and the business was past amusing.

It did this whereas additionally placing some respect on the style. Soap operas get a nasty rep as a result of they don’t seem to be deemed as prestigious, however if you suppose of all the work that goes into them, what different style serves up all of that?

No different style of tv has actors studying new scripts each single day. The turnaround for soaps is insane. You should be constructed a sure option to endure it efficiently, and let’s not overlook that the scripts they’re studying can veer to the absolute outrageous!

Soap stars are up there with theater actors for being some of the sport’s most proficient but severely underrated.

Morgan Fairchild simply had some of the finest traces and quips from the movie, delivered in that straightforward, snappy, sarcastic, and blunt method of hers that made Margaux my favourite Diva of the bunch.

She nailed that unapologetic directness with out a lot of a filter that may be so widespread in seasoned girls as they’re nicely previous the level of their lives the place they’re inclined to chunk their tongues or maintain again.

Margaux was an individual you’d love to hang around with as a result of she might lower via all the BS and get straight to the level, and she had the knack for telling it prefer it was and saying what others have been considering with out being impolite about it.

My coronary heart harm for her as her penchant for males and a number of marriages caught up along with her when her late husband embezzled all of her cash and left her struggling.

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Her monetary woes after that felt very actual, and whereas it made sense that she withheld that data for the others so lengthy out of pleasure, you could possibly admire that she had such a survivor spirit.

You might really feel the load she was carrying get launched the second she might speak in confidence to her cleaning soap sisters about what she was coping with financially.

I really like that the conflicts and points these girls have been going through have been so actual and resonated with viewers as a result of it is the kind of stuff that on a regular basis individuals might determine with or really feel.

As a girl probably deemed “past her prime” in the business, you could possibly really feel for Lily and the undeniable fact that she by no means received her due with sufficient award recognition and an Emmy.

It’s not an unfamiliar feeling in the business. Still, it is also one thing that actual girls watching might grasp in some capability, whether or not via their profession and work life or their private one with relationships and household.

Everyone needs to be seen, acknowledged, and valued for what they bring about to the desk. It was additionally reassuring to see that even in any case these years, Lily struggled with being in the shadow of the “bigger stars” of their bunch.

Lily’s Imposter Syndrome was so real that it was one of the finest minor plot factors.

In addition to that, it was price appreciating that she needed to step into who she was unapologetically by donning her grey hair reasonably than sporting blond wigs or dying.

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It spoke volumes about embracing age and the magnificence of it reasonably than kowtowing to an usually sexist and ageist system and society.

On the floor, Lauren’s dietary storyline felt pedestrian in comparison with the others, but it surely was nonetheless fulfilling, and even that had its message labored splendidly.

In the days when every thing is so binary, lacks nuance, and individuals solely give attention to such extremes, moderation in life is essential and a necessity.

It’s one thing we should advocate for and observe at each conceivable flip.

But the lynchpin plot that held this movie collectively was the feud between Dana and Juliette.

It would not be a correct cleaning soap with out some relenting feud, and the Knots Landing queens gave us all the materials we wanted.

The realism of twenty years going by and neither of these girls nonetheless at one another’s throats as a result of of miscommunication wasn’t misplaced.

If they’d a easy dialog a while in the past, possibly they would not have missed out on years of being one another’s soulmate in the purest kind.

Best pals fall out, and that is actual. One can admire a movie that acknowledges the ache in that and how a friendship breakup will be simply as if no more painful and traumatic than a romantic one.

Being in the similar room practically value everybody round them as a result of of how chilly or snippy they have been with each other.

Fortunately, their makes an attempt to pretend it via the festivities for Alex’s sake was the much-needed alternative they wanted to work together extra, have precise conversations reasonably than speak at each other, and squash their beef.

There is at all times a lot extra to a collection. Juliette thought that Dana deserted her when she left the collection, and that is why they fell out and hadn’t stored in contact.

But Dana finally confessed that her inappropriate relationship with Juliette’s fiance is what drove her away and had her feeling as if she harm her good friend an excessive amount of to return again from it.

It was such an uncommon second of acknowledgment. Still, fortunately, Juliette might take a look at the scenario’s silver lining and settle for that had she identified and kicked her philandering fiance to the curb eons in the past, she would not have her son.

The different Divas did a wonderful job of meddling in one another’s enterprise and encouraging methods for the two girls to make issues proper, however they weren’t overbearing, nor did it detract from them having their very own stuff to take care of.

The movie might’ve taken such a petty, catty, sexist strategy to having 5 girls come collectively for one thing like this. They might’ve leaned too closely into them being aggressive and jealous of each other.

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They additionally might have lowered them to sexist caricatures.

But as an alternative, the sense of sisterhood was robust. You felt the love and respect amongst these girls even once they have been at odds. They have been at odds at occasions as a result of they liked one another a lot.

A Divas Christmas proved that there’s a seat at the table for more than one woman at a time, yes, even as they mature over time.

On a romance front, frankly, the Alex and Nell storyline wasn’t even necessary for the film. That said, I enjoyed it anyway.

These meddlesome maternal figures doing everything they can to push past their differences for Alex was emotional enough. They highlighted how they held him in such high regard and would do what was necessary for the family.

Their advice and actions to help Alex and Nell acknowledge and act on their feelings for each other were precious.

I loved that they gave Nell a makeover, but she was still Nell. It wasn’t about transforming her into something or someone she wasn’t but pulling out who she already was, boosting her confidence, and inspiring her to be more assertive.

They encouraged Nell to stick up for herself and be an active woman in control of her own destiny rather than a passive person who let life happen to her.

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Each diva had some words of wisdom or some way of helping her, and it was adorable to see them taking her under their wing, whether it was the cliche route of having them envious of her or excluding her.

The women collectively used their years of experience in life to guide Nell into being her best self and the woman she was and needed to be.

And they knew how to play their cards with Nell, knowing full well that Alex needed a reality check and a dash of knowing he could lose Nell again to wake him up and keep him from taking her for granted all over again.

In a way, Nell and Alex’s romantic conflict paralleled the sisterly feud between Juliette and Dana.

Nell thought she and her best friend had a moment and were destined to pursue a new stage in their relationship after sharing a passionate kiss in college. But then she felt Alex abandoned her when he dropped out of college the next day and stopped communicating.

She had no way of knowing that all of Alex’s actions after the fact were a result of losing his mother. Alex should have told her then; they could have gotten through it together.

Nevertheless, all these two lovebirds needed was a push from their fairy-glam mothers and honest communication about their feelings and where they stood.

And it was worth it in the end to see them finally kiss. As a secondary plot, it was heartwarming for a different reason, but I loved it.

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The film’s final moments were great because it felt like all the women found their footing, and the success of their special led to something even bigger.

It meant there was still space for these seasoned ladies, who were well-received, loved, and admired.

Their stories, successes, and lives don’t have to stop once they reach a certain age.

And because of the open-ended nature of their being more for the Divas, Lifetime left a perfect opening for these ladies to reunite again for a sequel.

I, for one, could not think of anything better than the opportunity to spend more time with them and have another movie in the works, as this one was everything one could have asked for and more.

Fabulously Dishy Bits, Zings, and Thoughts

• 
  Lily’s shady line about being part of “For the People” Shonda Rhimes’s “Only Flop” made me cackle. Poor Lily must’ve forgotten about Off the Map.

• 
  Side note: For the People was such a kickass series, and you should totally stream it on the CW app or Hulu, even if it’s simply to see Bridgerton breakout heartthrob Regé-Jean Page before he hit it big.

• 
  Lily also joking about how great of an actress she was for selling a romantic storyline with Rodney Dangerfield was also one of the greatest zingers.

• 
  Dana’s meta Lifetime biopic/Mother Teresa line was fantastic.

• 
  Donna Mills’ daughter, Chloe Mills, making a cameo as her daughter was perfection.

• 
  Alec Mapa is always the best side character for soapy, reality show-level roles.

• 
  Nell absolutely SLAYED that flowy red jumpsuit! Whew, I want it!

• 
  One of the film’s most honest moments was Lauren lying to her husband about the burger and fries she scarfed down.

• 
  There was more casual shade throwing than an eclipse, and I lived for every second of every zinger they threw into this film.

• 
  Alex sleeping in his office and doing all of his writing in a messy room while wearing nothing but his underwear was so real.

• 
  All the Divas definitely felt like the type of women who went to bed and woke up with a full face of makeup on.

• 
  I’m so glad we’re in a ‘seasoned” renaissance!

• 
  The Golden Bachelor is a massive hit and the best of the franchise. Martha Stewart is a total smoke show on the cover of Sports Illustrated. The Golden Girls is still a comfort show and cult hit across generations. Featured films about women late in life, and mature romances thriving and being just as sexy onscreen; I’m loving every second of it!

• 
  I’m trying to figure out if I want to be Margaux Roberts or just Morgan Fairchild when I grow up. Both? Maybe both.

• 
  The food fight was epic and fun!

• 
  No, but really, I need a sequel.

Over to you, Lifetime Fanatics.

Did you love this Divas Christmas? Would you love a sequel? Which of these iconic soap stars were you most excited to see? Hit the comments.

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