Sordid Lives: The Series

Watch Sordid Lives: The Series

  • TV-MA
  • 2008
  • 1 Season
  • 8.3  (876)

Sordid Lives: The Series is a comedic and irreverent show that premiered in 2008, based on the popular play and movie of the same name from writer and director Del Shores. Produced by Once Upon A Time Films, the show features an impressive ensemble cast, including Bonnie Bedelia, Beth Grant, Leslie Jordan, Rue McClanahan, and Olivia Newton-John.

Set in a small town in Texas, Sordid Lives follows the lives and misadventures of a colorful cast of characters, all of whom are connected through their shared experiences of family, love, and loss. The show is known for its unapologetic and often outrageous depictions of sexuality, race, and gender, and has been lauded for its humorous yet poignant exploration of issues that are often considered taboo or controversial.

At the center of Sordid Lives is the eccentric Ingram family, who are reeling from the recent death of their matriarch, Peggy (played by Rue McClanahan). Peggy's passing has stirred up long-simmering tensions and secrets among her children, including her estranged daughter Latrelle (played by Bonnie Bedelia), her gay son Ty (played by Kirk Geiger), and her wild-child granddaughter Tammy Wynette (played by Caroline Rhea).

As the family struggles to come to terms with Peggy's death, they are also contending with their own messy relationships and personal crises. Latrelle, a devout Christian, finds herself at odds with her openly gay brother when he brings his boyfriend to town; meanwhile, Tammy Wynette is in the midst of a scandalous affair with a married man (played by Jason Dottley), and struggles to reconcile her wild ways with her newfound love for her grandmother.

Alongside the Ingram family, Sordid Lives also features a wide array of supporting characters, each with their own quirks and eccentricities. Beth Grant plays the heavily-medicated Sissy Hickey, who is haunted by her past as a stripper and constantly clashes with her uptight sister LaVonda (played by Ann Walker). Leslie Jordan is the flamboyant and hilarious Earl "Brother Boy" Ingram, Jr., a drag queen who is living in a mental institution after being sent there by his family for "reparative therapy." And Olivia Newton-John makes a memorable guest appearance as Bitsy Mae Harling, a country singer and ex-convict who becomes involved with Tammy Wynette.

Overall, Sordid Lives: The Series is a bold and entertaining show that offers a fresh and unflinching take on contemporary American culture. Through its witty humor and heartfelt drama, the show explores themes of family, identity, and self-acceptance, and celebrates the resilience and humanity of its flawed but lovable characters.

Sordid Lives: The Series is a series that is currently running and has 1 seasons (12 episodes). The series first aired on July 23, 2008.

Sordid Lives: The Series
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Seasons
The Trip
12. The Trip
October 29, 2008
LaVonda and Noleta arrive in Los Angeles for the opening of Ty's play, but Ty has other problems; G.W. proposes to Peggy; Bitsy Mae shares her feelings with Glyndora; Latrelle kicks her pill addiction; Sissy confesses to killing the goat and is arrested along with Noleta; Brother Boy blackmails Bumper and he and Jackie make their escape.
Compromising Situations
11. Compromising Situations
October 22, 2008
Ty comes out to Marc and tells Sara that he and Jacob are a couple; Brother Boy and Jackie try blackmail to get out of the institution; church members picket Bubba's; Bitsy Mae takes Glyndora in after Ritchie beats her; Latrelle quits popping pills, while Sissy wants to quit smoking; Noleta decides to accompany LaVonda to L.A. to see Ty's play.
Desperately Seeking Ty
10. Desperately Seeking Ty
October 8, 2008
Noleta and her gun save the day when Bumper fights with Latrelle, LaVonda and Sissy; the church circulates a petition to close Bubba's bar; Noleta finds evidence of G.W.'s extramarital affair with Peggy; LaVonda catches Bitsy and Glyndora in a compromising position; Sara refuses to accept that her ex, Ty, is now involved with a man.
Those Pesky Little Stalkers
9. Those Pesky Little Stalkers
October 1, 2008
Latrelle owns up to her pill addiction; Brother Boy learns of an escape out of the mental institution; Bumper goes to Latrelle's house to attack her; Walker dies and Sara moves into his old place, upsetting Ty further; G.W. wants to get rid of Noleta so he can be with Peggy.
Guess Who's Coming to Bubba's
8. Guess Who's Coming to Bubba's
September 24, 2008
Bitsy Mae speaks to the church; Peggy explains her reasons for taking Bitsy Mae in; Brother Boy is troubled by Dr. Eve's therapy; Sissy, Noleta and LaVonda search for a missing Latrelle.
An Audacious Affair
7. An Audacious Affair
September 17, 2008
Bitsy Mae and the gang at Bubba's decide to confront the church members; Brother Boy tries to convince Dr. Eve to continue his therapy; Noleta suspects G.W. of being unfaithful; Ty comes clean, but Sara refuses to believe he's gay.
Call Waiting
6. Call Waiting
September 10, 2008
LaVonda spends the day in the salon. While her hairdresser is at the store buying cigarettes, LaVonda receives several phone calls. Latrelle spies on Peggy and G.W. and catches them at the Galaxy Motel spending the night together. Sissy and LaVonda plot to convince Latrelle that she was dreaming about the affair while being unconscious from valium. Brother Boy agrees to pretend to "butch it up" in order to convince people at the institution that he's cured. LaVonda contacts several people at the bar who are aware of her mother's affair with G.W. and composes a cover-up story for everyone to stick to while convincing Noleta that G.W. was at Odell's home.
The Fall and Rise of Brother Boy
5. The Fall and Rise of Brother Boy
August 20, 2008
Brother Boy wakes up from his coma. G.W. and Peggy's affair heats up as they spend the night at the Galaxy Motel. Sissy and LaVonda are kept awake by the neighbor's pet goat. When it eats her prize violets, Sissy shoots it and they make it look like the goat was run over. Ty meets Walker, an older gay neighbor, who encourages him to come out of the closet.
Secrets and Lies
4. Secrets and Lies
August 13, 2008
Latrelle escapes after getting caught stealing pills by Bumper, the security guard. Bitsy learns Glyndora burned down her trailer - the crime that sent her to prison. G.W. thinks Noleta has poisoned herself. Ty is confronted about his habit of lying and decides to make a change. Dr. Eve explains her dehomosexualization therapy to Brother Boy's family.
Pills, Poison & Penises
3. Pills, Poison & Penises
August 6, 2008
Brother Boy is in a coma at the mental institution and is visited by the family. While there, Latrelle steals some Valium. G.W. has his legs repaired from Notela shooting some holes in them. Noleta threatens to kill her husband or herself, and buys rat poison. Sara opens Ty's apartment only to discover Ty and Jacob naked.
The Day Tammy Wynette Died, Pt. 2
2. The Day Tammy Wynette Died, Pt. 2
July 30, 2008
Brother Boy is visited by the ghost of Tammy Wynette (played by her daughter Georgette Jones), who wants Brother Boy to carry on her legacy. He also meets his new therapist, Dr Eve. Peggy goes to the local bar for the first time with bar singer/ex-con Bitsy Mae. Ty runs into his former girlfriend Sara and meets the very handsome Jacob during his play audition.
The Day Tammy Wynette Died, Pt. 1
1. The Day Tammy Wynette Died, Pt. 1
July 23, 2008
Sissy asks her nieces Latrelle and LaVonda to search for their mother, Peggy. Brother Boy learns that Tammy Wynette is dead. Noleta and GW have a fight over GW's desire to remove his false legs during sex. Ty goes to therapy and is nervous about trying out for a part in a play with gay characters.
Description
Where to Watch Sordid Lives: The Series
Sordid Lives: The Series is available for streaming on the Once Upon A Time Films website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch Sordid Lives: The Series on demand at Amazon Prime.
  • Premiere Date
    July 23, 2008
  • IMDB Rating
    8.3  (876)