About ABOUT A BOY

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.

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.

Free Agents - "Pilot"

     NBC's new sitcom Free Agents, which premiered last night, is about two friendly co-workers who sleep together. This might not be the best idea, considering Alex (Hank Azaria, The Simpsons, Huff), the gentleman in the scenario, is recently divorced, and the girl, Helen (Kathryn Hahn, Crossing Jordan), lost her fiancé a year ago. The episode begins with the aftermath of the sex, so how two people who are just friends end up in bed together is not shown. But Alex begins crying, and then gets clingy. Helen, when not trying to help Alex move on, downs copious amounts of wine and looks at the dozens of pictures of her fiancé that line her walls. Not exactly a match made in heaven.

     Yet, there's something about these two that is oddly endearing. They are both messed up people, but they seem to really take comfort in each other. While the romantic sparks may not be flying left and right, there is genuine affection present. Helen tolerates Alex's crying, and even helps him shop for a shirt for a date. Alex leaves a date with a very attractive, much younger girl when Helen calls him upset. The rest of the pieces could eventually fall into place if they just remain available for each other.

     If the series were just about Alex and Helen, it would be wonderful. Sadly, the rest of the ensemble cast mostly drags the series down, even those that are welcome on screen. For instance, it's thrilling to see Anthony Head (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Merlin) as Stephen, their somewhat creepy and sex-obsessed boss. Natasha Leggero (Ugly Americans, Last Comic Standing) is a hilarious woman, and gets the best one-liners in Free Agents. But both are mere distractions from the central story, which is not nearly as funny as they are. And that's ok, when sweet romance is the subject material.

    Then there's Mo Mandel (Chelsea Lately) who is a seemingly well rounded co-worker, but his entire plot in the pilot is getting Alex to double date with him. Walter (Al Madrigal, Gary Unmarried) is a married man who is skeazy because of his desire to go out with Mo and the girls. Maybe he really just wants some time away from his house, but he comes across as not someone you'd want to hang out with. Gregg (Joe Lo Truglio, Reno 911!) the security guard is just as bad as Walter, forcing Alex to sit through homemade videos of him swinging a sword. All three of these characters are worse than useless. I find myself groaning each time they are on screen.

     For Free Agents to succeed, it needs to figure out what it's strengths are, and trim the fat. There could be a really cool story here, told in an original way. But sitcoms on television feel the need to beef themselves up with "quirky, funny" supporting characters, and they are not always necessary. It's almost as if two completely different series are warring for screen time, and it makes the flow stumble.

     That being said, scenes where Alex improvises a sexual conversation to co-workers, or Head shows Alex photos of some of the named sexual positions, are really quite humorous. So some belly laughs are OK, as long as they included appropriately.

     Free Agents normally airs Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

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