Since Sex and the City and …And Just Like That ended, I don’t think there have been many TV shows that have catered to women over 40 (I could be wrong, as I’m three and a bit years shy of 40), but now, Ryan Murphy (Glee, American Horror Story) has done a Darren Star and moved into the realm of entertainment aimed at older women. All’s Fair has been universally panned by critics, but is it really all that bad?

Well, yeah, kinda. As of writing, I’ve only watched the first two episodes, and it is, objectively, not that great. It follows a group of female lawyers who set out to start their own firm, and ten years later, they are in the thick of settling divorces and broken partnerships on behalf of women. It seems to pick style over substance, with the fashion, the make up, the soundtrack, the stars all being quite something. They do attempt to delve into issues that affect women, but it’s hard to take seriously when some of the characters open their mouths, such as when one declares to an older woman over the phone that she has great style while said older woman is trying to (somehow comedically) hide from an abusive husband. The dialogue is often corny, if a touch hilarious now and then (“…do you ever think how much happier we’d all be if your mother swallowed?” says Glenn Close to Sarah Paulson), but on the whole the quips the women come out with are more akin to something men would say to each other – women are generally catty, not crude; we also tend to put a little more thought into our insults, I think. The fact this was written mostly by men is glaringly obvious.

Don’t let the cast fool you: Paulson and Close stand out, making the best they can in this project that should be beneath them, but Naomi Watts seems to be hiding her performance talents, perhaps to give Kim Kardashian a chance to… erm… shine…? We’ve seen Kardashian try her hand at many things (and I for one am supportive of any woman elevating themselves, especially in fields generally dominated by men, and for Kim that’s the world of law), but since appearing on American Horror Story she appears to be vying for an acting branch of her career tree. She has moments where she’s okay, but her performance does stick out like a sore thumb amongst the experienced actresses. On scrolling Niecy Nash’s IMDb page I realise I am unfamiliar with her work, however I quite like her ballsy character Emerald. Teyana Taylor is coming off the back of a terrific performance in One Battle After Another, so this feels like a step-down for her in terms of career progression.

Will I continue to watch this show? Honestly, yes, because just as some other viewers have said, it’s car-crash television: it’s not good, but we just can’t look away. I also think I’m here for more one-liners, but I don’t expect to get blown away by the rest of the season.