As a promotion for Showtime, my friend Sarah and I scored two free tickets to a premier for their shows Shameless and House of Lies. Really the most exciting thing about the showing was the free medium popcorn and soda. We did the math…we scored a $10 dinner. We only had to wait in line for about an hour and a half.

First, they debuted their new show, House of Lies. As this is Showtime, there was an incredible amount of gratuitous sex and nudity. But, unlike HBO, there was no gratuitous violence, so that was somewhat refreshing. The show stars Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell (AKA Veronica Mars),  Ben Schwartz (AKA Jean-Ralphio). It is basically the inside/Thank you for Smoking look at “management consulting” but with more strippers, clever lines, and fast pacing (but just not enough Jean-Ralphio).

I will give them props for their open expression of gender identity. Don Cheadle’s character, Marty, son cross dress and tries out for the part of Sandy in Grease. While he is intitually unsure of his son’s motivations, Marty unblinkly devfends his son’s right to gender expression to others that question its validity.

I think it is a show worth checking out. I wouldn’t pay the extra price for Showtime but would rent the DVD in a year.

The lesson I learned today was that popcorn always tastes better when it is free. And smothered in butter with a side of free Coke Zero.