New Series INVINCIBLE

 Article first published as Amazon Prime's INVINCIBLE Review on Seat42F.

Amazon Prime has a new hour-long animated series coming next week called INVINCIBLE. Based on the comics of the same name by Robert Kirkman, the story follows a teen boy who begins to exhibit superpowers like his dad. This in a world filled with supers, both heroes and villains, with teams of powered people everywhere you look. But this particular boy is soon drawn into drama between several of them, and some dark secrets make things messy, indeed.

In preparing for this review, I not only watched the three episodes Amazon made available, but also read the first dozen or so issues of the comic. INVINCIBLE is a compelling tale that starts out looking like one thing but then becomes something almost completely different, yet at the same time holding onto a steady core. There are differences in the adaptation from page to screen, with some characters changing ethnicity and gender, and events are rearranged. Also, the comic seems to have more roles that are direct copies or parodies of existing properties from other publishers. But the changes seem to be good ones, mostly made to deepen the story and fit the episodic format length. If you were already a fan of the book, I suspect you’ll like this adaptation.

I can’t think of another hour-long animated show. The episodes, without commercials, come in at forty-some minutes, about as long as a broadcast drama, and double the length of most cartoons. The material in INVINCIBLE justifies it, though. Like Robert Kirkman’s other famous property, The Walking Dead, the story is complex and disturbing, at times graphically violent (as teased in the trailer). Yet, INVINCIBLE also has a cheery optimism because of its lead, Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun, The Walking Dead), that keeps things entertaining.

The voice cast is stacked with huge talent. Yeun stars, and the other two leads listed in the credits are Mark’s superhero dad, Nolan Grayson (J.K. Simmons, Whiplash, Spider-Man), and ‘normal’ mom, Debbie Grayson (Sandra Oh, Grey’s Anatomy, Killing Eve). There’s a shady government type, Cecil Stedman, voiced by Walton Goggins (Justified). And among those playing other supers are Gillian Jacobs (Community), Jason Mantzoukas (The Good Place), Zachary Quinto (Star Trek), Seth Rogen (Pineapple Express), Mahershala Ali (House of Cards), Michael Dorn (Star Trek: The Next Generation), Clancy Brown (Lost), Melise (The Vampire Diaries), Lennie James (The Walking Dead), Michael Cudlitz (The Walking Dead), Chad L. Coleman (The Walking Dead), Ross Marquand (The Walking Dead), Khary Payton (The Walking Dead), Lauren Cohan (The Walking Dead), and Sonequa Martin-Green (The Walk-, er, Star Trek: Discovery). Not to mention other characters voiced by Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Chris Diamantopoulos (Silicon Valley), Andrew Rannells (Girls), Zazie Beetz (Atlanta), Jonathan Groff (Mindhunter) and Mark Hamill (Star Wars). Believe it or not, this is not a complete list of recognizable names, and this list should give you an idea of how good the show is that so many pros wanted to be involved.

The world of superpowers has been done to death, and yet INVINCIBLE feels fresh. Partly because it leans on the tropes and familiar archetypes you already know and subverts them. Partly because it sometimes feels like its making fun of the genre it portrays, even while the characters feel grounded. This is a new take, and one worth watching.

As far as the story goes, I can’t say much. There are locks on spoilers, and I wouldn’t want to give anything away if I could because the shocks hit hard and fast. What I can say is this. The pilot starts out looking very much like a late 80s / early 90s cartoon of my youth, and that style never changes, lending an immediate comfort. But by the end of the first hour, this is disrupted, and each subsequent installment only continues the transformation. It is an artistically interesting production with an intriguing mystery and plenty of emotional-moving scenes. I both laughed and cried already. I definitely recommend it.

INVINCIBLE drops its first three episodes on Friday, March 26th, with weekly episodes streaming after that, only on Amazon Prime.

DVD Review: ‘The New Normal – The Complete First Season’

Article first published as DVD Review: ‘The New Normal – The Complete First Season’ on Blogcritics.

In the 2012-2013 television season, NBC presented a different kind of family sitcom called The New Normal. From the mind of Ryan Murphy (Glee, American Horror Story) and Allison Adler (Chuck, No Ordinary Family), it took what Modern Family does a step further, with an edgier, even less traditional clan, while still remaining thoroughly charming. Finally, the series, which ran only one year, comes to DVD, though the release is strangely subtitled The Complete First Season.

In 2014, we all know that not all families look the same, even less so than just a couple of decades ago, but while the television industry is getting better about portraying that, it still does not reflect the large diversity out there. The New Normal may be quite specific in the make-up of its clan, but the characters are earnest enough that most should find a way to relate, even if their circumstances don’t mirror exactly the mixture shown on screen.

The premise is simple enough: A young mother named Goldie (Georgia King, Little Dorrit), who gave birth to a daughter, Shania (Bebe Wood), as a teenager, is tired of putting her dreams on hold and relying on her bigoted grandmother Jane (Ellen Barkin, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Drop Dead Gorgeous). Jane raised Goldie after Goldie’s own mother, who also gave birth young, split. After Goldie catches her boyfriend cheating on her, she gets the courage needed to make a change. This leads her, with Shania in tow, to the strange land of California.

At the same time, a gay couple named Bryan (Andrew Rannells, Girls, The Book of Mormon) and David (Justin Bartha, The Hangover) are ready to start a family of their own. Armed with eggs provided by Abby (Gwyneth Paltrow, Glee, Iron Man), their first attempt is a misstep. But then they meet Goldie and decide she is perfect. After she agrees to serve as their surrogate, they offer to help her with her goals, much to the dismay of Jane, who has by now tracked them down.

Oh, and Bryan has an assistant named Rocky (NeNe Leakes, The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Glee), whose love/hate relationship with Jane makes for some of the best material of the series.

Over the course of the year, there is actual growth among the characters, and lessons are learned. Yes, The New Normal can be slightly preachy at times, and the season finale, more so than any other episode, plays to conventional sitcom tropes. But maybe that’s a good thing, as the show needs to help people become more accepting, and by staging a half hour that feels like it could have been written for any other show, it feels ‘normal.’

Thankfully, the last episode ties up most of the major arcs pretty well, leaving us without a never-to-be-resolved cliffhanger.

The writers of this show clearly know what they’re talking about. Adler herself has gone through the surrogate process, and both creators are gay. The situations and characters they’ve created here feel only slightly exaggerated for television, avoiding stereotypes as much as possible, and are definitely well-defined enough to tug the heartstrings, with layers to various characters’ motivations. Bolstered by a terrific cast, The New Normal fully earned the People’s Choice Award it won for Favorite New TV Comedy, and more than a year after its cancellation, it is still missed.

This three-disc set contains all 22 episodes produced, but no special features at all. On the one hand, this is hugely disappointing because there is so much more I want to know about how the show came about and why it didn’t last. On the other hand, I guess fans should just be grateful we get the opportunity to relive the episodes at all, considering how quickly they came and went.

The New Normal – The Complete First Season is available now.

"Rides" May Be Bumpy for GIRLS

Article first published as "Rides" May Be Bumpy for GIRLS on TheTVKing.

What will season four of HBO's Girls look like? As season three ends this week with "Two Plane Rides," Hannah (Lena Dunham), the lead of the series, without whom the show could not go on, is poised to accept a prestigious graduate school position in Iowa. Since Girls cannot exist without Hannah, nor would it work without the ensemble around her, what will the show do? Split its time between New York and Iowa, or skip a couple of years?

I would like to see the latter. While the females aren't always in a group, their interactions are the best parts of the show, more so than their individual stories. This is perfectly exemplified in "Two Plane Rides" when the gang goes to the theater, or even in the scene where Marnie (Allison Williams) drops by Shoshanna's (Zosia Mamet) apartment. Sure, Hannah could visit and call the others, but Girls would really lose something to fragment its cast in this manner. Jumping ahead now might not be ideal for everyone, but they could make it work, and that would also allow Hannah to have growth.

Hannah has a real problem with arrested development. She is her own worst enemy, fighting against the things that could better her, such as a job she quits. Her parents (Becky Ann Baker and Peter Scolari) have to talk her into continuing her education, even when this great opportunity comes along, but once they do, she seems to be into the idea. If she can develop herself and make connections, she might have a shot at a career instead of just bumbling around New York for the next few decades, relying on charity from others.

The biggest reason Hannah may stay in the Big Apple is Adam (Adam Driver). She convinces herself that he will be happy for her, as she is happy for him that he's finding success on Broadway. But, as usual, she's selfish and unthinking, giving him the news at the worst possible time, and as any normal person would expect, Adam doesn't take it well. Hannah's idea of them both being fulfilled creatively is nice, but, again as usual, her execution leaves much to be desired, and reality will probably never match the dream in her head.

Adam and Hannah have been through more than their share of ups and downs, but they've always prevailed because no one else really can stand to be with them. Oh, and they deeply love each other, in the ways that they can love, with is different for each. They're perfectly matched, and I think their relationship could totally survive another break or work long distance if that's what they decide to do. It's just a difficult situation when what you need to advance your career doesn't line up with where someone else needs to be.

Lucky for Adam, he has a nephew on the way to keep him occupied. It's funny that Caroline (Gaby Hoffman) and Laird (Jon Glaser), two people who are even more dysfunctional than any of our main cast, now seem to have the most stable, solid pairing. Since Adam's sister, Caroline, is pregnant and living in his building, that could take his mind off missing Hannah somewhat while she's gone. Or Adam could just take up with his cast mate, who appears very interested.

Love is also messed up for Shoshanna and Ray (Alex Karpovsky). Shoshanna wants Ray back, but even though he cares about her, he doesn't think it's a good idea. Ray is probably right, he seems to have his head squarely on his shoulders, but that doesn't cushion the blow of rejection for Shoshanna. This is a totally realistic and heart-breaking scenario, beautifully executed. I want them to be together, but I completely understand why Ray resists. Very well done, Ms. Dunham and your writers and actors.

Marnie is in a worse place. She wants Desi (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), who is with Clementine (Natalie Morales). I don't like Marnie in this pursuit. She's lying and sneaking around. We know Marnie is selfish, maybe more so than Hannah even, but never has she been so despicable as she is now. Her actions may be chalked up to desperation and depression, but that doesn't excuse her. I hope she finds a way to love herself first, and then maybe she can try to be in a healthy couple.

There are many varying arcs weaving through "Two Plane Rides," but one of the most interesting is the one completely isolated from everything else. Jessa (Jemima Kirke) reluctantly agrees to help Beadie (Louise Lasser) kill herself. Besides not wanting to be responsible for someone dying, Jessa is still struggling to stay clean and out of trouble, so it's probably not a good idea for her to participate. However, her compassionate side wins out, and Beadie's pleas sway her.

Then, Beadie changes her mind, after she's already taken the pills. There is no way this plot can not have consequences for Jessa. Whether she spends time locked up in jail, or feels like her life has changed through the experience, this will have an impact on her. Will it be enough to knock her from her flighty ways and finally make her confront life? I guess we'll have to wait and see.

If I can make one plea for Girls season four, besides a sizable time jump, I ask that they upgrade Elijah (Andrew Rannells) to full-time status. Whether he's photo-bombing Adam's cast photos or just hanging with Hannah, he always increases the enjoyability of every episode he appears in. He's fun, delivers great one-liners, and he has staked out a corner of the world none of the other players have yet. I'd love to see more of him, even apart from the others.

Girls is a polarizing show, and haters will find plenty to complain about. For my money, season three continues a compelling narrative, and I have every confidence Dunham and company will continue to deliver next year. I look forward to seeing what they come up with.

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER Skims Other Side of the Story

Article first published as HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER Skims Other Side of the Story on TheTVKing.

For its 200th episode this week, CBS's How I Met Your Mother brushes over the past eight years from The Mother's (Cristin Milioti) perspective. In the installment, entitled "How Your Mother Met Me," we see where she was at the beginning of the show, how her path crossed with Ted's on multiple occasions, and the gaps where the narration previously mentioned her existing are filled in. It's a quick skim of her history.

The problem is how brief it is. The Mother jumps from one thing to the next, skipping years between scenes. It feels very disjointed, and there isn't really time to invest in any of the story's scenarios before it moves on. Even the theme song seems weak, making it more about one character than an ensemble, even though The Mother's story is clearly set up for a larger cast, though I would argue The Mother could carry a show on her own. This really needed to be multiple episodes, or have a narrower focus.

One thread that stands out in "How Your Mother Met Me" is of The Mother's broken heart. Her boyfriend dies in the beginning, and it takes quite a lot of time passing before she wants to date again. When she finally opens herself up and makes a relationship work for two years, it then abruptly ends. This is a sad story, and one that does touch the viewer emotionally, but because it's just one of a number of different elements, it isn't fully fleshed out.

The ending, when The Mother declines the marriage proposal, should be a really great moment. She tearfully talks to her dead boyfriend, and we're left in suspense of her answer, which ends up being a twist. But because we don't have enough of the back story and don't really see The Mother develop throughout her journey, it feels flat. I teared up, but not nearly as much as I should have given the actress's amazing performance.

Now, this could be solved in the potential spin-off, How I Met Your Dad. Should that go to series, all of the gaps can be appropriately filled in and we'll get the depth The Mother deserves. But I do worry that "How Your Mother Met Me" really limits the arcs of that series, as now there are a fair number of dots that must be connected at set points. And if it gets canceled early, we're robbed of the full tale, this outline preventing any quick tie-ups after only a couple of seasons.

Another problem for a potential spin-off is how the supporting characters are worked into this episode. The Mother's best friend, Kelly (Ahna O'Reilly, The Help), has series regular written all over her. But others, like Cindy (Rachel Bilson), Darren (Andrew Rannells), and the long-term boyfriend, show up much later in the timeline. Who knows what the availability of those actors will be in five years? It's a treacherous corner to be painted into. Unless that show unfolds completely non-linearly, which could be cool, but also very difficult to do well. Or if The Mother and Kelly are the only main characters.

I'd like to analyze the episode on its own merits, because I did really enjoy the half hour, finally getting to see more of Minlioti, who is excellent. I also really, really loved when Ted (Josh Radnor) hears her singing and falls for her, one of the best scenes of the whole series. But it's hard to separate this away from a possible expanded franchise. Should How I Met Your Dad never come to fruition, "How Your Mother Met Me" will be a decent entry, if a bit rushed in pacing. However, knowing what could be happening, it seems unwise to play this out in this manner.

How I Met Your Mother continues to wind down its final season Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER Doesn't Act Like "Bass Player Wanted"

Article first published as HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER Doesn't Act Like "Bass Player Wanted" on TheTVKing.

Despite some early reticence, I have to admit that CBS's How I Met Your Mother has had a pretty great final fall run. Two weeks ago "The Rehearsal Dinner" was super sweet, and this week's "Bass Player Wanted," which serves as the mid-season finale, brings things together nicely. There are complaints to be had (such as Marshall taking half a season to join the others), but overall, it's been an enjoyable, heart-warming, and occasionally funny batch of installments.

My biggest complaint is that we haven't had enough of The Mother (Cristin Milioti). After being added to the central cast and making an instant impression, we've seen her only briefly and sporadically. She is well-used when she appears, but she's missing for long stretches of time and that's disappointing because she is such a likable, interesting character.

In "Bass Player Wanted," The Mother meets Marshall (Jason Segel) when she picks him up on the side of the road. They have wonderful chemistry right off the back, quickly able to joke with and relate to one another. It's very similar to The Mother's meeting with Lily (Alyson Hannigan), and it's very easy to see how she will fit in the group because of this.

Picking The Mother was a very difficult task for the production. She not only had to be a good actress, but they had to craft a character that would enjoy hanging out with the others, not bring too much of her own baggage, but still be a well-rounded person who isn't a loner. Somehow, the exact right mix of this has been found in Milioti's role.

"Bass Player Wanted" introduces us to Darren (Andrew Rannells, The New Normal, Girls), The Mother's 'friend' who has taken over her band. The Mother mentions knowing him for a few years, so presumably he will have to be in the upcoming spin-off, How I Met Your Dad. But, since he's definitely not a pal, having him be a main player would be difficult, and that actor is in-demand, so he may not be free for a recurring part. It will be interesting to see if or how this plays out.

We also learn that The Mother has been in a band for years. This will also have to be an element in How I Met Your Dad. How much of the series might include her singing? We know Milioti has a great voice (she's been praised for her Broadway work), and knowing this gives us an interesting taste of the new project.

More important than The Mother, though, is how the central quintet of characters come together, even though this half hour sees them at odds.. Marshall finally arrives for the wedding, but Lily is very angry because he took the judgeship behind her back, dashing her professional dreams. Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) gets ticked off at Ted (Josh Radnor) upon learning of Ted's plan to move to Chicago. Lily is angry at Robin (Cobie Smulders) for siding with Marshall, even though Robin is only doing so because she doesn't want Lily to move away. Also, Robin thinks Lily is stealing her thunder.

Halfway through the series' final season, things are kind of falling apart for our protagonists. They have kept some secrets from one another, and not always put their friends first. "Bass Player Wanted" is the sweet moment when they all come together and work through those differences. It probably won't be completely smooth sailing for the rest of the season, but as the time of the wedding moves closer, these five need to stick together, and this is a good way to get to that.

There are some nice little bits in this episode, too. Linus (Robert Belushi, son of Jim) continues to get plenty of screen time, becoming a fun recurring part. The humor 'rule of three' is satisfied as a third bottle of extremely expensive scotch is broken. The Mother buys Ted a drink, and even though they don't meet, it's a cool start to their relationship, knowing as the viewers do that they will be together. And ending the episode with the fourth slap, cliffhanger-style, is appreciated.

How I Met Your Mother will return to conclude its run soon on CBS.

The New Normal Slightly Too Normal in Season Finale

Article first published as The New Normal Slightly Too Normal in Season Finale on TheTVKing.

NBC's freshman sitcom The New Normal completed its freshman run with a pair of episodes this week, "Finding Name-O" and "The Big Day." While not exactly a two-part story, these installments do flow well together, as Bryan (Andrew Rannells) and David (Justin Bartha) talk about baby names and prepare for their wedding, and then see the birth of their son and say their vows.

My issue with the episode, especially "The Big Day," is that The New Normal follows the traditional sitcom tropes. Right as Bryan and David are getting ready to say "I do," Goldie (Georgia King) goes into labor. Not only is this not the first show ever to have such an occurrence happen, it's not even the first series in the past month to use the scenario. As such, it feels completely stale and rote.

But maybe that's a good thing. The New Normal wants to show that an extended family, including two gay men raising a child, is just as typical as any other clan. By using such a familiar, played-to-death scenario for their year's final half hour, they seem even more like other programs on television.

However, I like to think they can do a little better, and they often do. There is plenty of sweetness and originality present throughout the first year of the series, including in these two chapters.

For instance, I love that Goldie decides not to go back to Clay (Jayson Blair) before the end, avoiding a predictable summer cliffhanger or a retread of a romance we've been shown is dead. Clay really is trying to change and be there for Goldie and Shania (Bebe Wood), but he has a lot to make up for. Someday, he may earn his place back at Goldie's side, but for now, it would be foolish of her to reconcile with a lazy, irresponsible ex, and she wisely chooses not to.

What's more, she is encouraged not to by those around her, who love and care about her. Sitcoms are the breeding ground for families made up of friends, which is sort of an artificial concept. The New Normal makes it feel authentic, though, and by reminding us how much Goldie has touched everyone's lives, and how much growth has happened for the characters this year, we see that this show will allow change and development much more so than many of its peers.

I also think it's important to have such a wonderful example of a steady gay couple on television. Bryan and David love each other, and even when the bicker, they both compromise to go out of their way and keep their relationship strong. This not only sets a great example for young gay viewers, but also may help the more closed-minded members of our society dispel some ugly and untrue myths about homosexuals, which linger mostly among the older generation.

The character that speaks to that the most is Jane (Ellen Barkin), of course. Jane arrives on the West Coast with some stubborn, Mid-Western opinions. (Disclaimer: I live in the Mid-West, and these are far from universally shared). After a little exposure to people outside of her small community, she sees that she is wrong, and she now understands a different point of view. She'll continue to be grump and coarse and have great one-liners, but she's a different person than in the first episode, and has become sort a role model.

The New Normal is hilarious, and there are plenty of funny moments in "Finding Name-O" and "The Big Day." Most of them involve the grooms' mothers (Jackie Hoffman and Mary Kay Place), who are both hilarious in their own right, and in totally different ways. We also get the return of Michael Hitchcock and John Benjamin Hickey.

The show is serious and touching, too. Among the best scenes in these episode are when Bryan and David agree on a name, Jane thanks Goldie for bringing her out to California, Jane and Rocky (NeNe Leakes) party together at the wedding, and when "Beautiful Boy" plays during the rush to the hospital for the baby's birth.

It does such a bit that Jane is not included in the beach wedding. I wonder why that was done.

I do wonder if there will be any objection from the Catholic community that a priest ends up performing the gay wedding ceremony. The Catholic Church is definitely an institution that is well behind the times on such issues (another disclaimer: I was raised to be Catholic), and it's fantastic to see someone playing a priest push for change in his own small way, but I could see some being upset about this. However, those are probably also the same people who wouldn't watch this show in the first place, so hopefully bad nothing comes of it.

The first year of The New Normal is relatively strong over all, with wonderful characters and heart-warming stories, and I look forward very much to a second batch of episodes next fall. If the show gets picked up, that is, which it deserves to be, but that is very much up in the air at this point. If you've enjoyed it, as I have, feel free to encourage NBC to renew The New Normal.

"It's About Time" for Girls

Grade: 93%

HBO’s GIRLS is back this Sunday, January 13th at 9 p.m. ET with “It’s About Time.” And while the titular characters may be slightly older, they are still far too immature to be called women, no matter what they do sexually.

Hannah (Lena Dunham) just cannot make up her mind about what she wants. Should she keep taking care of Adam (Adam Driver), who has been hit by a truck, and is now fully admitting his love for her, or should she hook up some more with the new guy (Donald Glover, Community) that she’s been seeing on the side?

Why can’t Hannah make a decision? She is plenty confident in picking a party theme idea, or stripping off her dress without hesitation, but she has no will to choose a man to be with. It’s not that she’s not getting enough sex with Adam, or that he’s still being mean; it’s more that she doesn’t know what she wants, so she can’t let herself be happy with what she has. Adam seems like a good match for her, but she isn’t willing to admit that, so she bed hops.

Unfortunately, it’s not fair to either of the guys. Adam has the biggest right to feel betrayed, considering how he has been sleeping with her for awhile, and has expressed his feelings. The newbie, meanwhile, seems to know about Adam, and doesn’t mind what’s going on, but only because Hannah presents the impression that she no longer cares for Adam. It’ll be interesting to see how Hannah eventually deals with being the unlikely (though I’m sure she expected it) center of a love triangle.

Thankfully, Hannah’s uncertainty doesn’t extend to her friends. She is careless with their emotions, as Marnie (Allison Williams) finds out when Hannah dismisses her feelings of loneliness. But Hannah does say she still loves Marnie, and wants to be good friends, despite their fight last year, so that’s something.

Marnie is sad because she has no guy and no job. Things aren’t made any easier when Hannah doesn’t have time for her and her ex, Charlie (Christopher Abbott), brings his new girl to Hannah’s party. This excuses Marnie’s almost hook-up with Hannah’s gay roommate, Elijah (The New Normal’s Andrew Rannells), which fails to happen because of him, not her. One cannot help but feel sorry for her, being in as depressing a place as she is in “It’s About Time,” and with no end in sight.

Still, is that an excuse for her to crawl back into Charlie’s bed? As unhappy as Charlie may be with his current girlfriend, he should never let Marnie sleep over until a break up happens. And Marnie should know better. But I guess that’s the folly of the young, and why they are still called GIRLS.

One thing that does seem odd in the episode is that Marnie continually makes a point to keep her boobs blocked from the camera during her semi-sex scene with Elijah. I respect that the actress doesn’t want to do the nude scenes, and no one is asking her to act like Dunham, completely free-wheeling. But when she holds her arm a certain way, then pulls her dress back up, as Elijah commits fully to the moment, and her character  is portrayed as wanting the intercourse, her modesty just feels awkward and wrong. Either she needs to show more skin, or her character shouldn’t have these types of scenes.

Speaking of sex, Shoshanna (Zosia Mamet) has been trying to get over her one night stand with Ray (Alex Karpovsky), even though, to paraphrase, she feels like something is missing without her hymen. Her resolve to avoid him, though, predictably breaks down when they meet in the bedroom during the party, and they end up making out.

What is the hesitation here? Yes, Shoshanna works best on the series in small doses, but Ray doesn’t seem to mind her personality. Why not let them be a couple? It would be very interesting to see how Shoshanna behaves when she begins to get regular sex, and we could use a little more Ray (or any decent guy) on screen.

If you’re a fan of Jessa (Jemima Kirke) and Thomas-John (Chris O’Dowd), I’m sorry to report that there’s really nothing to say about them in “It’s About Time.” However, given the end of the episode, that probably won’t be the case for long.

I admit, I was missing GIRLS, and “It’s About Time” it came back! It’s a quirky, unique, certain-of-itself show that doesn’t hold back, and always entertains. Even when a scene ventures too far into something I don’t really want to see, I don’t regret watching because the pay off is fantastic. The characters are authentic and more real than what exists in most of television. Overall, few complaints can be made. Welcome back, GIRLS!

Want to read some of my fiction? It's on my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Also, for the latest updates and article links, as well as commentary on episodes I don't fully review, please follow me on Twitter!

Article first posted on Seat42F

Is The New Normal normal?

Grade: 89%

Coming to NBC next week is a different kind of family sitcom. THE NEW NORMAL is from the minds of Ryan Murphy (Glee, American Horror Story) and Allison Adler (Chuck, No Ordinary Family), and takes what Modern Family does a step further, with an edgier, less traditional clan.

In 2012, we all know that not all families look the same, but our television shows still do not reflect the large diversity that is out there. THE NEW NORMAL may be quite specific, making their situation less relatable, but it’s the oddness and quirkiness that should prove entertaining. Also, seeing a group of people in such an untraditional situation may help many find this familiar, even if their circumstances don’t mirror exactly the mixture shown on screen.

The premise is this: A young mother named Goldie (Georgia King, Little Dorrit), who had daughter Shania (Bebe Wood) as a teenager, is tired of putting her dreams on hold and relying on her bigot grandmother, Jane (Ellen Barkin, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Drop Dead Gorgeous). Jane raised Goldie after Goldie’s own mother, who also gave birth young, split. After Goldie catches her boyfriend cheating on her, she gets the courage needed to make a change. This leads her, with Shania in tow, to the strange land of California.

At the same time, a gay couple named Bryan (Andrew Rannells, Girls, The Book of Mormon) and David (Justin Bartha, The Hangover), are ready to start a family of their own. Armed with eggs provided by Abby (Gwyneth Paltrow, Glee, Iron Man), their first attempt is a misstep. But then they meet Goldie, and decide she is perfect. After she agrees to serve as their surrogate, they offer to help her with her goals, much to the dismay of Jane, who has by now tracked them down.

The writers of this show clearly know what they’re talking about. Adler, herself, has gone through the surrogate process, and both creators are gay. The situations and characters they’ve created here feel only slightly exaggerated for television, and are definitely well-defined enough to tug the heartstrings. Bolstered by a terrific cast, the first episode, at least, is a sweet story with a lot of potential.

THE NEW NORMAL does not play to stereotypes too much. While sometimes the characters act exactly as one might expect they would, this isn’t always the case, and there are layers and motivations behind the various decisions they make. For instance, Jane isn’t just a bigot because she’s old. Her husband cheated on her with another man. It’s no wonder, then, that she is uncomfortable around gay people, her personal experiences clouding her overall opinion.

As to why she also is racist, well, that isn’t clear yet. We do know that the guys have a gal named Bryan has an assistant named Rocky (NeNe Leakes), and Jane doesn’t like her, either. But that’s something to explore another day.

Those familiar with Murphy’s other recent work may be expecting a song-less Glee, but hopefully this will not be the case. Glee proved that even if a good pilot is delivered, the story can still be wildly uneven, airing terrible weeks right after great ones. It will be interesting to see if, with a smaller cast, and without the structure that songs necessarily build into the story, Murphy can maintain a high quality. He did it with American Horror Story last year, albeit in a different genre entirely.

All in all, THE NEW NORMAL looks to be a fun new series that feels fresh and different from the standard fare. This opinion could change as the season unfolds, but it has made a good first impression, and on television, as in life, that is extremely important, and not always easy to do.