The gentlest drama of them all? > ‘That’s Life’ explores middle-class existence

The success in recent years of first “Providence,” then “Judging Amy” has shown the networks that there’s an audience out there for family series without all the sturm und drang of many of today’s dramas. Think of these as the television equivalent of “chick flicks.”

Now comes one that might be the gentlest one of all: “That’s Life,” which debuts at 8 p.m. Sunday on CBS before moving to its regular 8 p.m. Saturday time slot starting Oct. 7. Its concept in a nutshell: A thirtysomething woman seeks to branch out from her middle-class existence by returning to college.

“That’s Life” focuses on Lydia DeLucca (played by Heather Paige Kent), who has had 58 different menial jobs in the tri-state area in her 32 years. In the midst of her bridal shower, she has an epiphany and breaks up with her blue-collar boyfriend of eight years. You see, she’s just figured out that he doesn’t support her longtime dream of returning to college and making something more of her life. So she takes the money she’d saved for the wedding and enrolls at Montclair University instead.

Her parents (played by veteran actors Ellen Burstyn and Paul Sorvino) don’t understand her choice, and worry about her “now that she doesn’t have anyone to take care of her.” Her longtime friends, beautician Jackie (Debi Mazar) and ex-beauty queen Candy (Kristin Bauer), support her, even if they do think she’s making a mistake.

When the Jersey girl drives onto the campus of Montclair, and her aged car abruptly dies, she starts to have doubts as well. The fish-out-of-water drama deals with how well Lydia can fit into this world of academe with students 10 to 15 years her junior, while still living in her old, very Italian, neighborhood.

“That’s Life” does an admirable job of taking a rather mundane situation and bringing it to vibrant life, without getting too soapy or weepy. Kent’s Lydia is pulled in all directions, but she showed a steely determination to succeed. The talented cast around her is uniformly strong and believable.

Is there room on TV for a show that doesn’t inflate into melodrama? Let’s hope so, because “That’s Life” is a thoughtful gem that deserves a chance to shine.