” I’m very high class, which means I charge by the hour, and I charge a lot. ”
Created by British writer Lucy Prebble, Secret Diary of a Call Girl originally debuted on ITV2 in the United Kingdom in 2007, before being broadcast on Showtime in June 2008. The series is loosely based on the blogs of Belle de Jour, a woman who claims to be a former London call girl.
Belle (Billie Piper) isn’t a street prostitute desperately in need of that next trick to get her fix. Right from the opening scene of the first episode we learn that Belle (Hannah, by day) really likes money and she absolutely loves sex. Easily bored, she finds it more exciting to change partners quickly and have no real attachments, rather than have a relationship.
Belle loves London, where she caters to the personal needs of a vast array of upper class clients. In the midst of all this, she speaks directly to the camera, telling the audience all about her professional life. She keeps things safe by working with an “agent,” being vigilant about hygiene and being very discreet–never allowing her two lives as Belle and Hannah to intersect. Even her closest friend Ben (Iddo Goldberg) has no idea about her life as an escort. He, along with her family believes she is an international law secretary, who works long hours doing fairly mundane tasks.
Little do they know, Hannah transforms into Belle and engages in all sorts of sexual activities: ménage a trios, S&M, double-shift hotel work and “girlfriend experiences.” There is no real “rough stuff” here, and that would seem to be the appeal of the show. Secret Diary of a Call Girl attempts to humanize a taboo profession by stripping away many of the stereotypes associated with it. Belle is always in control, her clients are well mannered, pleasant people and the sex is always sensual; never hurtful.
Belle’s regular communication with the audience humanizes her and gives the audience an interesting window into what she’s thinking. She tells the viewer how she sizes up her clients with a bit of a wink, but lets us know that for her it all comes down to sexual desire; the only difference between you (the audience) and her is that she decided she might as well get paid for it.
Billie Piper is perfectly cast as Belle/Hannah. Given the “almost anything goes” scripts, Piper is asked to be a mix of businesswoman, sex kitten, ingénue all in one. As Belle, she wants to have a clear set of boundaries, but sometimes her interest in sex overrides her precautions. As Hannah, she struggles to maintain a close relationship with her brother and the rest of her family, but the fact that she has to keep her true profession a secret forces her to keep them at arm’s length.
Each of Secret Diary of a Call Girl’s eight episodes is 20-23 minutes long. Fifteen minutes or so, usually pertain to Belle’s sexual entertainment for the week. The rest of the time is usually taken up with cinematography tricks–brightly colored, starkly contrasted scenes of a sexual nature that are photographed in a way that gives the scenes a dream-like look.
Secret Diary of a Call Girl is definitely a show for adults only. The series definitely enjoys pushing the boundaries of what we’re used to here in the States. Despite that, the tone of the series doesn’t make you feel like the shows only goal is to shock and titillate; maybe Belle is just trying to find some peace in this chaotic world, just like the rest of us.
Attractive as the haze may be in its 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen presentation, it doesn’t come together into a terribly good DVD transfer for the series. While the colors are pretty good, there is some noticeable ghosting. Some DVD collector’s will find these digital issues simply unacceptable.
The English 5.1 Dolby Digital presentation isn’t much better. Dialogue plays an important part in setting the mood for each scene. Here, it’s hit and miss with audibility, no matter the efforts from the universally articulate cast members. There are times when the track sounds fine but most would hope for something more reliable. English and Spanish subtitles are available to accompany the English language option.
Secret Diary of a Call Girl – Season One comes with one extra. An Interview with Billie Piper (6:46): Piper discusses getting into character, the series’ across the pond to the United States, as well as some of her personal “tastes” in the bedroom. She also discusses her transition from singer to actress.
