Tell Me a MANHATTAN LOVE STORY

Article first published as MANHATTAN LOVE STORY Review on Seat42F.

ABC’s MANHATTAN LOVE STORY may very well be the cheesiest series of 2014. It’s a classic tale of romance, beginning with a guy and a girl who have an awkward meeting and stumble through a variety of obstacles, but all the while, viewers know the two are soul mates, destined for one another. The dialogue and style backs this up at every turn, with many cutesy moments, more concerned with sticking to the tone than being believable.

Which doesn’t make it a bad show.

I have to admit, I’m a sucker for the romantic comedy. MANHATTAN LOVE STORY is every stereotype of that genre, rolled into a show that can run for awhile without getting too stale. The cast is nearly picture perfect, and while events may be predictable, anyone who is a fan of this wouldn’t want heavy drama infusing the program and weighing things down. It’s delicious, fluffy dessert, not hard-hitting pathos.

Our tale begins with Dana (Analeigh Tipton, Hung, Warm Bodies), the fresh-faced, wholesome beauty who has just moved to the Big Apple to chase her dream job in publishing. She’s plucky and charming, prone to gullibility and clumsiness, but only in ways that make viewers fall more in love with her every minute. She’s got the determination and optimism to push through, sure it will all work out in the end.

Her counterpart is Peter (Jake McDorman, Greek, Shameless), the playboy who is just waiting for the right woman to come along and tame him. He’s sweet at heart, and his flaws come from his fear of commitment, endearing him to females who want to ‘fix’ him and know that, unlike real men, Peter can be the dreamboat women wish for. Plus, he’s got a smart assistant (Chloe Wepper) who more or less keeps him in line.

I do wish Peter and Dana switched traditional roles. They are too spot-on for this type of thing, exactly the same as a hundred other characters that have graced the screens, big and small, before. That would make MANHATTAN LOVE STORY a little more original. However, there is something to be said for the nostalgia the show raises, hitting the familiar notes beat by beat. Combined with two terrific leads, the series works for me and should for other saps, even if the quality is nothing to shout about.

Both Peter and Dana do have running voiceovers, which is fun. It’s an element that may be a tad overused, but MANHATTAN LOVE STORY isn’t about to make its viewers think too hard, willing to lay out exactly what is happening inside the characters’ heads, as well as out. I assume this is not just a convention of the pilot, and will continue throughout, though I only viewed one episode.

Because a show like this needs supporting players, MANHATTAN LOVE STORY does have a typical sitcom-size ensemble of six. Dana temporarily lives with her best friend from college, controlling Amy (Whitney Cummings-lookalike Jade Catta-Preta), whom she may or may not have had a lesbian fling with, and Amy’s husband, David (Nicholas Wright, Accidentally on Purpose), whose fondest wish in life is to get Dana and Amy drunk enough to (re-?)kindle their sexcapades. Amy and David are typical sidekicks, non-threatening and present for comic relief, who will probably develop as the show goes on out of necessity.

William is the sixth member, not exactly a fit with the others, but played by the terrific Kurt Fuller (Psych, The Good Wife, Scandal, etc.), so he’s welcome to join in the fun.

ABC has something that could work with MANHATTAN LOVE STORY. It’ll never win a slew of Emmys or be must-see, but people like romantic comedies, and it’s a satisfying example of one, consistent in what it delivers. It’s not smart or high-brow, but it is comfortable and sweet. That might be enough.

MANHATTAN LOVE STORY premieres Tuesday, September 30^th at 8:30 p.m. ET.

Hung goes for "The Whole Beefalo"

     HBO's Hung brings season three to a close with an unusually short titled episode, "The Whole Beefalo."  Ray (Thomas Jane) learns that because Charlie (Lennie James) jumped bail, he and Tanya (Jane Adams) will be losing Happiness Consultants. That is, unless they can come up with $40,000. Lydia (Ana Ortiz, Ugly Betty) helps them track down the pimp, and Ray decides stealing Charlie's cattle is the best way to get their money. Impressed by Tanya standing up for herself, Charlie lets them do it.

     Tanya is the growing character. Slowly she has morphed from a timid, scared woman into a confident, brave fighter. Part of this can be attributed to her success in business, and her belief in the concept she is selling. Another part is because of Charlie, who teaches her how to be the best pimp that she can be. Thus, it's hard for him to get angry when she only demonstrates the things he instructs her to do. Tanya doesn't immediately think to confront and fight Charlie to get what is rightfully hers. But when pushed, she doesn't back down either. This is to her credit.

     Ray, on the other hand, is understandably angry that Tanya would risk their business for a guy. But he's also sympathetic to the pain she is feeling after Charlie runs out on her. So instead of lecturing and yelling, or at least not much, he steps up to help her solve the problem. At times, it feels like Happiness Consultants is really Tanya's business and Ray is just an employee, since her motivation and ideas fuel the practice. Whoever, in "The Whole Beefalo," Ray does his share as partner, and takes a vested interest in the company. It's nice to see, and the chemistry between these two leads is finally settling in nicely.

     The threat hanging over Hung since episode one is that Jessica (Anne Heche) will discover Ray's "side job." She does, in the episode before "The Whole Beefalo," and with little fanfare. It may help that she figures things out herself, in her own time, instead of being told and forced to deal with it. However it goes down, though, she takes it in stride. Is she proud of him for doing something so unexpectedly bold? Or is she over him so much that she no longer cares how many women he sleeps with? This is now the major question concerning Jessica going forward, and her confrontation with Matt could be fueled by frustration or inspired by Ray's braveness. It's hard to tell.

     Jason (Stephen Amell) makes a very important choice, deciding to go back to Lenore (Rebecca Creskoff), rather than staying with crazy Sandee (Analeigh Tipton). This might be a mistake, especially because Jason dumps her while her grief over losing her grandmother is fresh. It's terrible timing, and Sandee is already pretty unstable prior to this development. As such, she goes to Lenore's with a gun, looking for revenge. Hung allows the gun to go off, but doesn't show if anyone is shot or hurt. It's a tantalizing cliffhanger that must be resolved, and means that HBO has to renew Hung now!

     One question remains from season three of Hung. Why is Lenore working a suicide prevention hotline? Is this a hint of humanity, and a sign that her character is not destined to be the continuous villain?

    Hung airs on HBO.

     For Hung streaming episodes and DVDs, please click here.

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Hung - "What's Going on Downstairs? or Don't Eat Prince Eric!"

     HBO's Hung continues its unstable year with "What's Going on Downstairs? or Don't Eat Prince Eric!" Ray (Thomas Jane) feels insecure when Jason (Stephen Amell) pulls more clients than he does, so he very reluctantly agrees to take the transsexual Kyla (Jamie Clayton, an actual transsexual) to her high school reunion. Ray is extremely uncomfortable, until Kyla's former classmates get judgmental, and then he springs to her defense. Meanwhile, Charlie (Lennie James) helps Tanya (Jane Adams) puts Jason and Sandee (Analeigh Tipton) in their place, then takes the money and runs. And Lenore (Rebecca Creskoff) sends Jessica (Anne Heche) to Tanya's business in revenge for Tanya poaching Jason.

     Lenore is always going to be the villain on Hung. No matter what arrangements Tanya and Ray may work out with her, the series is just more interesting when Lenore is at odds with the pair. That's why her partnership with them couldn't work, and she feels betrayed, once more. Yet, they only cut her out when she becomes intolerable to work with. And amazingly, in this season Tanya and Ray finally seem to be getting the upper hand. Lenore attempts to run them out of business by hiring Jason, but he soon goes to work for them because they pay him more fairly.

    While Lenore outing Ray and Tanya's business to Jessica is an extreme measure, it's a little surprising she hasn't done so before now. Perhaps it's because she never felt threatened enough to need to. Don't back an animal into a corner, or they turn on you, which is what Lenore has done. Hung has flirted with Jessica finding out a couple of times, so it's about time she actually learn Ray's secret at this point. Hopefully, the series will not wimp out of the reveal again.

     What would Jessica finding out really do? Might she be so disgusted that she tries to get sole custody of her and Ray's children? That's about the only consequence she could mete out, given that she and Ray are divorced. Sure, it almost seems like a reconciliation will be possible between them, and finding out what Ray does would set them back a whole lot. But it probably wouldn't permanently separate them. It will be just one more obstacle to overcome.

     Charlie doesn't choose to stick around and work on obstacles. He is growing more and more frustrated that Tanya never listens to his advice. Her horror at his actions towards Jason and Sandee probably do not endear her to him anymore. Not only does he leave Tanya, though, and puts her on the hook for his bail, but also steals her money, leaving her with no financial means to cover him. This is a very bad thing for Tanya, putting her in a deep legal and economic hole.

     The story between Kyla and Ray is predictable, though sweet. The entire high school reunion plot is straight out of a rom-com, and things play out exactly as one would expect. The only major difference here is that it is a transsexual who goes through the pain, and must be comforted. Perhaps Hung could be applauded for bringing some needed diversity to the worn-out story, and finding someone to play the role that can realistically connect to it. But then again, the premise is pretty worn out by this point.

    Hung still has three episodes left in the third season. Watch it Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on HBO.

     For Hung streaming episodes and DVDs, please click here.

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter!