The Makeover (TV)

The Makeover is an update of George Bernard Shaw's play "Pygmalion" that changes the genders of the main characters. Hannah Higgins (Julia Stiles) attempts to turn blue-collar Boston beer vendor Elliot Doolittle (David Walton) into a viable candidate and inadvertently learns something of Elliot's side of life. Hannah is a smart, driven education consultant. She’s so driven she runs for Congress to advance the cause of education reform. Hannah’s not a likable candidate, though; her elitism turns off Boston voters, big time. Hannah and her business partner, Colleen Pickering (Camryn Manheim) don’t give up easily. Next election, they recruit a candidate – beer vendor Elliot Doolittle – who definitely is a man of the people. His mother Allie (Frances Fisher) is the definition of “piece of work,” as is his sister Bonnie (Georgia Lyman). Elliot – whose thick South Boston accent masks considerable intelligence – is the polar opposite of prim and proper Hannah. Hannah takes Elliot on as a “project.” Pygmalion like (modern day), if she can just teach him to speak like gentleman, dress like a gentleman, comport himself like a gentleman .. why he might become a gentleman, a gentleman who can run for Congress– and win. Elliot and Hannah are about as oil and water as two people can be. But as Elliot becomes more “presentable” and Hannah becomes less “proper,” could this be a match made in electoral Heaven.