Rita Rocks

What’s the Story?

In RITA ROCKS, a disenchanted middle-aged mom tries to reconnect with her own youth by starting a garage band. Happily married for 20 years to her college sweetheart, Jay (Richard Ruccolo), Rita (Nicole Sullivan) is a hardworking mother of two girls who's mastered the fine parental arts of raising a defiant teenager and juggling the demands of a busy 9-year-old. But when she's passed over for a promotion at her lackluster job, Rita gets nostalgic for the dynamic dreamer she was in her younger days. Encouraged by her nosy mail carrier, Patty (Tisha Campbell-Martin), she dusts off her old guitar, determined to recapture some of that fire.

Is It Any Good?

Rita Rocks' subject matter certainly isn't groundbreaking, but it's still a highly enjoyable comedy about the implications of being a responsible adult. Backed by a strong cast, Sullivan shines as the long-suffering Rita in the throes of a full-fledged identity crisis. Women who can empathize with Rita's emotions and frustration over being their family's underappreciated work horse will find a hero in her -- not to mention get plenty of chuckles over relatable woes like disciplining a difficult teenager, maintaining romance with a husband, and carving out precious personal time.

Rita Rocks has some drinking, salty language ("hell" and "ass," for example), and sexual innuendo (much of which has to do with a teen couple's physical attraction to each other), but none of it is likely to be new to teens. That said, much of the show's humor is likely to be lost on teens, since they can't relate to the midlife troubles that fuel the series' laughs.