Lipstick Jungle fans have a reason to rejoice this season: the show has not been cancelled after all. A few weeks ago, the internet was full of stories that Lipstick Jungle (along with the ailing NBC series My Own Worst Enemy) had been scrapped by the network. However, reports of Lipstick Jungle's demise were premature; according to Brooke Shields, the show is still very much alive and currently in production.

This is great news for Lipstick Jungle's loyal viewers, who are quite passionate about the show (in fact, many Jungle fans mailed lipstick to NBC to protest the cancellation of their favorite series). I'm relatively new to the Lipstick Jungle craze, but I can see why the series has developed a following. The show is soft on plot and the writing is sometimes trite; however, Lipstick Jungle's focus on female bonding certainly fills a void for fans that miss HBO's weekly chickfest Sex and the City.

I came late to the Lipstick Jungle party; the show is now in its second season and I just started watching the series this fall. Since Lipstick Jungle's main focus is on the relationships between the three major female characters and their struggle to balance personal and professional fulfillment, it was easy to jump right into watching the series without knowing a lot about the plot and past storylines.

An hour-long comedy drama based on the novel of the same name by Candace Bushnell, Lipstick Jungle is a story about the friendship of three highly creative and career-driven women: Nico Reilly (Kim Raver) is a high-powered magazine editor-in-chief having an affair with a younger man, Wendy Healy (Brooke Shields) is regrouping after being fired from her position as head of a film studio, and Victory Ford (Lindsay Price) is the slightly kooky but lovable fashion designer who is carrying a torch for her dashing billionaire ex-boyfriend (the “Mr. Big“ role played by Andrew McCarthy).

Lipstick Jungle's plot seems to amble along and there isn't a lot of forward movement to the show. In my opinion, the real pleasure of the series is watching the characters interact with one another. The show's standout is Kim Raver, who manages to bring some depth and intelligence to the proceedings. Through her nuanced acting, Raver shows us the inner conflicts in Nico as she presses forward to make it to the top in the fashion world.

Another delight is Victory Ford as played by Lindsay Price, who has a light comedic touch and a way of throwing away a line that reminds me of those romantic comedy heroines of the thirties and forties. Rounding out the main players is actress Brooke Shields, who is slightly less memorable than Raver and Price. I give Shields points for sincerity as Wendy Healy, but her character is not as fun or interesting as the other two women. Lipstick Jungle has its serious side but it's a light romantic confection and not a melodrama. Shields comes across as more heavy handed and over the top in her portrayal of Wendy; however, this could be the fault of the writers who have her character trapped in victim mode over the last few weeks.

The heart of Lipstick Jungle is the strong friendship of Nico, Wendy and Victory as they support each other through thick and thin. Lipstick Jungle writer Candace Bushnell also wrote the book Sex and the City, so there are bound to be comparisons between the two shows: both are set in the Big Apple, they each have plenty of sex and romance, a focus on female friendships, and highlight the struggle to balance a personal life with a professional career.

I sometimes found Sex and the City a bit hard to watch, with its explicit scenes, gross out humor, crude tasteless gags and too much information about bodily functions. Lipstick Jungle's softer focus on dating and mating is more enjoyable and entertaining for my taste. When Lipstick Jungle tries to copy or echo Sex and the City, it gets into trouble. I cringe when Wendy and Nico argue in a restaurant just like Miranda and Carrie used to spar on Sex and the City. Lipstick Jungle really shines when it lets its own lighthearted vibe and quirky characters take center stage and doesn't try to be a Sex and the City clone.

As she works at Bonfire Magazine, will Nico maintain her relationship with her young boyfriend or will she be attracted to her boss Griffen Bell? Will Wendy go back to work for a movie studio or go in an entirely new life direction, and who will she be when she finds herself? Whatever will become of Victory and her true love Joe's relationship, which seems broken beyond repair? These are the cliffhangers presented during November 2008 sweeps that have Lipstick Jungle fans coming back for more.

Whatever happens next on Lipstick Jungle, for me, the getting there is as much fun as the destination. I enjoy spending an hour with Wendy, Nico and Victory and I'm glad I discovered this feather light romantic comedy drama before NBC decides if it will cancel the series. Watch Lipstick Jungle each Friday night at 10 p.m. on NBC, and check out the entire first season of Lipstick Jungle available on DVD.