Earlier this week, I was having dinner at Spanish Kitchen in West Hopllywood with an industry source and we were gabbing about everyrthing from the presidential race to, well, "Dante's Cove." He said he thought of it as soft-core porn and I found myself just sorta saying, "Well, I like it. I like all the supernatural stuff."
Then yesterday, I got a screener in the mail of the "Dante's Cove" season three opener and decided to watch it before heading out for yet another pre-Emmy party at the Pacific Design Center (more on that later). As I watched, it came back to me why I have enjoyed this show so much: yes, there is nudity and sex but it's also great fun with some funny lines, some corny lines, and all the Tresum stuff peppered in to give it some unpredictability. I think the whole thing is just delicious.

First off, I love that Kevin (Gregory Michael) and Ambrosious (William Gregory Lee) are now a hot couple and it's sad that Kevin and Toby aren't together but it is not at all unpleasant watching them interact. I'm sure they won't live happily ever after but they have a great sex scene that starts in a shower about five minutes in.

Then there is the fabulous Tracy Scoggins as Grace who is an old pro at this stuff dating way back to "Dynasty." Scoggins continues to look sensational and delivers her lines with bitchy gusto but I sense her softer side emerging a bit as well. Her character has been in limbo for six months by her sister Diana (Thea Gill) and when she finally returns to Dante's Cove, it is by landing in the dirt, face first. Her first lines: "Diana. Bloody cow! Bloody, pasty-faced shrew! She's gonna see suffering like no one ever has before."
A bit later in the episode, the two sisters have a Alexis-Krystal on "Dynasty" type fight where they throw stuff at each other, slap, kick, and wrestle to the ground. It's delicious.
Scoggins is a HOOT! And while Grace has been evil and ultra confident until now, her supernatural powers are out of whack and we see her softening a bit - which is a good thing since the residents of her hotel have all moved into her house in her absence because a tsunami has destroyed the hotel.

Among the residents are Toby (Charlie David) who is even more handsome than last season now that his hair is shorter and lighter; Adam (Jon Fleming), Toby's best friend who is in love with him; a female couple played by Michelle Wolff and Jenny Shimizu.

NOTE: The female love scenes is far better than any of the male scenes because they go for it, kiss like they mean it, devour each other. Some of the guys like Gregory Michael and newcomer Jensen Atwood are straight in real life and kiss boys like they would kiss their grandmother. I do not get it. If you are willing to play gay, willing to be naked with another guy, then kiss the guy like you would kiss a girl you were gonna have sex with. It's called ACTING. This closed-mouthed stuff rings false and undermines your believability. Charlie David, an out actor, lknows how to kiss, as does newcomer Reichen Lehmkuhl and William Gregory Lee usually gives it a good go.
OK, a few words about Reichen, who has a steamy quickie with Fleming's character in episode one that is kinda hot, he does a really good job! I was surprised in a way. But he was natural and believable and kinda charming as Trevor and I think is going to have some kind of professional partnership with Scoggins' Grace. He's a nice addition to the show and, as you can see from this photo, has a killer bod.
The other newcomer, Jensen Atwood, has a more substantial role as a member of the Tresum council who is already causing all kinds of troulbe. Atwood, best known from his role on "Noah's Arc," is as sexy as they come and his sex scene with Gabriel Romero is a sizzler.
But it would have had even more sizzle with a more convincing kiss.
As for other SPOLERS, I don't know if Van (the terrific Nadine Heimann) is really dead and her true love Michelle (Jill Bennett) looks very different because she's played by a different actress this season. She's changed in olther ways too, you're just gonna have to watch the show to find out how.
The first episode of the new season will begin airing in October on here! TV.