Article first published as ABOUT A BOY Review on Seat42F.
NBC brings the acclaimed novel and film ABOUT A BOY to the small screen this week with a sitcom of the same name, previewing Saturday night after the Olympics. Having not seen or read that work, this review is solely about the “Pilot” of the new series itself. It’s the tale of two males, one old, one young, who form an unlikely friendship that helps them both to grow as individuals. And it’s totally not creepy.
NBC brings the acclaimed novel and film ABOUT A BOY to the small screen this week with a sitcom of the same name, previewing Saturday night after the Olympics. Having not seen or read that work, this review is solely about the “Pilot” of the new series itself. It’s the tale of two males, one old, one young, who form an unlikely friendship that helps them both to grow as individuals. And it’s totally not creepy.
David Walton (New Girl, Perfect Couples,
Bent) stars as Will, a successful composer of a Christmas song who
lives alone in a nice house in San Francisco. He has a friend, Andy (Al
Madrigal, The Daily Show), but Andy has his own family, leaving Will
alone most days to chase women and meander through life like an
overgrown child. It’s a little pathetic. OK, maybe more than a little.
Then Marcus (Benjamin Stockham, 1600
Penn) moves in next door. Marcus is overly sheltered by his vegan
mother, Fiona (Minnie Driver, The Riches, Good Will Hunting). Will’s a
good son, dedicated to cheering her up with a song, as Fiona suffers
from depression, even though she won’t let him eat ribs. Of course, a
boy like this will be bullied, and is soon on the run from classmates
who’d like to pound him to a pulp.
This has the makings of a mutually
beneficial relationship. Marcus could use a male role model who can
teach him how to loosen up and be cool, as well as protect him from bad
boys, and Will needs to grow up, taking on a role as a mentor, and
actually letting someone really get to know him. They also quickly
appear to be layered individuals, both guys managing to keep what could
very easily be stereotypical parts away from cartoonish territory.
The “Pilot” takes us through their first
meeting, introducing the characters, providing illustrations of their
starting points, and still manages to squeeze in a pivotal moment for
their relationship. It does feel a lot like a full-length film condensed
down to twenty minutes, which means the pacing is a little faster than
it should be, and scenes pass by in a whiz.
That being said, ABOUT A BOY does do a
great job of letting the emotion shine through. A montage makes the bond
feel real, despite the brief screen time, and Walton and Stockham have
amazing chemistry. Both being parts of failed series on multiple
occasions before this one, ABOUT A BOY may just be the right vehicle to
help them succeed.
There are definitely some cheesy parts
in this first episode. For one thing, Marcus isn’t nearly as good a
singer as the show pretends, and Will is a bit more devious than most
viewers might be willing to overlook. Not to mention, Fiona is uptight
enough to insist Will not grill meat unless the wind is blowing in a
southeasterly direction. Ridiculous. The hope, though, is that this cast
is good enough that the audience will see the talent in the writing,
direction, and performances, and give it a second chance.
Even at its weakest points, I connected
to ABOUT A BOY. There is something really authentic and joyous in the
tone, something magnetic that should draw people to it. Don’t let the
late, mid-season start fool you; ABOUT A BOY is better than pretty much
any other new broadcast network sitcom this year, in my opinion, with
the possible exception of The Crazy Ones. I can’t speak to the long-term
viability of the premise yet, but Walton and Stockham have sold me on
the project, and I’ve already happily set a season pass.
If nothing else, I’m really curious to
see if the writers can keep Dakota (Leslie Bibb, GCB) around as a
believable recurring character who might eventualy see past Will’s
heinous lies. She seems poised to return at this point.
For fans of PARENTHOOD, which also airs
on NBC, Will may seem familiar. That’s because the character already
appeared in a January episode, meaning this series had a crossover before it even premiered! Pretty impressive.
Catch ABOUT A BOY late this Saturday night on NBC.
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