Danielle Steels Full Circle

August 2024 · 6 minute read

Danielle Steel's 'Full Circle' (Mon.(9), 9-11 p.m., NBC) Filmed in L.A. by the Cramer Co. and NBC Prods. Executive producer, Douglas S. Cramer; co-executive producer, Dennis Hammer; director, Bethany Rooney; writer, Karol Ann Hoeffner; based on the novel by Danielle Steel; camera, Tom Del Ruth; editor , Janet Bartels-Vandagriff; sound, Kenneth B. Ross; music, Lee Holdridge; production designer, James J. Agazzi; casting, Jeff Meshel. Cast: Teri Polo, Reed Diamond, Erika Slezak, Eroc Lutes, Allison Smith, Nicolas Coster, James Read, Corbin Bernsen, Mark Liely, Starletta Dupois, Alice Carter, Robert Curtis-Brown, Rod Biermann, Mary Kate McGeehan, Nick Wechsler, Patrick Pankhurst , Christian Klemash, Joyce Guy, Jennifer Barker, Yolanda Gaskins, Peter Gantenbein, Fr. Clayton L. Thomason, Brad Yates, Lyn Merritt, Kotoko Kawamura, Leon Simmons Jr., Sue Casey, Savanna Ryan, Amanda Ware, Kate Tucci. Danielle Steel's second punch following last week's "Remember" deals with the effects of a college rape on the life of a woman named Tana, played persuasively by Teri Polo. Her 1980s-90s Frisco milieu, her wardrobe, her four principal suitors, her story echoing 1950s Redbook-Cosmopolitan tales will fare well among the 18-49 femme audiences. Steel knows how to build a romantic tale, and she constructs a plotline like a bricklayer. Tana's domineering mom, Jean (Erika Slezak), sleeping with her married boss, wants Tana to settle into married-life-with-kids , but Tana sees more to living than that she wants adventure, a career, a full life. Since the man who raped her is Jean's boss' son, Jean insists it stay under the rug. Tana endures the pain alone, not confiding even in best friend Harry (Reed Diamond), who loves her. She can't, but "Full Circle" tells a story about a wounded woman who makes a comeback. That's its drawing point. Hoeffner and director Bethany Rooney may not develop sympathy for this attractive woman who double-deals and plays fast. But that's the point: Tana asks for nothing and wins out with her own rules. It's a well-aimed storyline and characters are well-developed. Sentimental scenes crop up a wedding, a memorial service, a cutesy marriage proposal and give the vidpic a semblance of truth, but spontaneity or mussed hair would be out of place. Steel, Cramer and Hoeffner know their oats. Production, photographed imaginatively by Tom Del Ruth, edited expertly by Janet Bartels-Vandagriff, moves at a swift clip. Thesping's by episodic TV actors who know their way. Lee Holdridge has penned a lush score for the vidpic. Tony Scott

Danielle Steel’s ‘Full Circle’ (Mon.(9), 9-11 p.m., NBC) Filmed in L.A. by the Cramer Co. and NBC Prods. Executive producer, Douglas S. Cramer; co-executive producer, Dennis Hammer; director, Bethany Rooney; writer, Karol Ann Hoeffner; based on the novel by Danielle Steel; camera, Tom Del Ruth; editor , Janet Bartels-Vandagriff; sound, Kenneth B. Ross; music, Lee Holdridge; production designer, James J. Agazzi; casting, Jeff Meshel. Cast: Teri Polo, Reed Diamond, Erika Slezak, Eroc Lutes, Allison Smith, Nicolas Coster, James Read, Corbin Bernsen, Mark Liely, Starletta Dupois, Alice Carter, Robert Curtis-Brown, Rod Biermann, Mary Kate McGeehan, Nick Wechsler, Patrick Pankhurst , Christian Klemash, Joyce Guy, Jennifer Barker, Yolanda Gaskins, Peter Gantenbein, Fr. Clayton L. Thomason, Brad Yates, Lyn Merritt, Kotoko Kawamura, Leon Simmons Jr., Sue Casey, Savanna Ryan, Amanda Ware, Kate Tucci. Danielle Steel’s second punch following last week’s “Remember” deals with the effects of a college rape on the life of a woman named Tana, played persuasively by Teri Polo. Her 1980s-90s Frisco milieu, her wardrobe, her four principal suitors, her story echoing 1950s Redbook-Cosmopolitan tales will fare well among the 18-49 femme audiences. Steel knows how to build a romantic tale, and she constructs a plotline like a bricklayer. Tana’s domineering mom, Jean (Erika Slezak), sleeping with her married boss, wants Tana to settle into married-life-with-kids , but Tana sees more to living than that she wants adventure, a career, a full life. Since the man who raped her is Jean’s boss’ son, Jean insists it stay under the rug. Tana endures the pain alone, not confiding even in best friend Harry (Reed Diamond), who loves her. She can’t, but “Full Circle” tells a story about a wounded woman who makes a comeback. That’s its drawing point. Hoeffner and director Bethany Rooney may not develop sympathy for this attractive woman who double-deals and plays fast. But that’s the point: Tana asks for nothing and wins out with her own rules. It’s a well-aimed storyline and characters are well-developed. Sentimental scenes crop up a wedding, a memorial service, a cutesy marriage proposal and give the vidpic a semblance of truth, but spontaneity or mussed hair would be out of place. Steel, Cramer and Hoeffner know their oats. Production, photographed imaginatively by Tom Del Ruth, edited expertly by Janet Bartels-Vandagriff, moves at a swift clip. Thesping’s by episodic TV actors who know their way. Lee Holdridge has penned a lush score for the vidpic. Tony Scott

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