Here are my first impressions of Season 3 of “Being Erica,” which airs at 10 p.m. Central Wednesdays on SOAPnet.
1. The most notable development of the season premiere is that Erica (Erin Karpluk) learns she is not Dr. Tom’s (Michael Riley) only patient, and she embarks on group therapy. She tags along with another patient as he journeys back to his mom’s deathbed and works through some issues. At first blush, I don’t like this new premise. In most episodes in the first two seasons, Erica journeyed into her own past. We also saw an episode in Dr. Tom’s past and one in Erica’s future. But now we’re going into random characters’ pasts as Erica learns how to become a therapist herself.
2. In shows that center on one main character, writers have to watch out for the “boo-hoo” effect. Erica — recently in a loving relationship and gainfully employed — is now single and starting a risky business venture with former boss Julianne (Reagan Pasternak): their own publishing company. But she still has a nice apartment in beautiful Toronto, she and Julianne got a great deal on office space, and she gets free therapy sessions whenever she needs them. When Erica finds out she’s not as special as she thought, a lot of viewers might sarcastically think “boo-hoo.”
3. Perhaps the “Being Erica” writers feared the show being too much about Erica, and that’s why they rejiggered the premise. If that’s the case, they might’ve slightly underestimated the lovability of Erin Karpluk. Maybe they felt they had explored all of Erica’s past issues. If that’s the case, I would’ve been up for more episodes that go into the future, or a possible future. Or more Dr. Tom episodes. If the series sticks with focusing on other members of the therapy group and Erica’s attempts to help them, “Being Erica” could start to feel like a second-rate “Quantum Leap.”
4. So, yeah, I’m a little bit worried about the future of the show, but one thing that keeps it grounded is the real-world, present-day storyline. Currently, the main thread is Erica and Julianne’s publishing company and its uphill battle against established powerhouses like their former employer, River Rock. This storyline could provide insight into the power and perils of entrepreneurship in the weak modern economy. And the topics of the books could be juicy metaphors for what’s going on in Erica’s life.
Verdict: I like “Being Erica,” but I’m not quite in love with it at the moment. Season 3 could spiral off in myriad directions, some of which are appealing, some of which aren’t. At least for a few more episodes, I’ll be tuning in to see what path it chooses.