Surviving SURVIVING JACK

Article first published as SURVIVING JACK Review on Seat42F.


With the ‘regular’ TV season almost over, if such a label is even still accurate, FOX pulls one of its hold-backs out of the closet and slaps it on screen this week. SURVIVING JACK is set in 1991 (does every decade need to be represented on television this year?) and tells the story of Dr. Jack Dunlevy (Christopher Meloni, Law & Order: SVU), who scales back his hours at work and takes over raising the kids so that his wife, Joanne (Rachael Harris, Suits), can go to law school.

SURVIVING JACK is another family sitcom about another wacky, yet relatable, clan. The parents argue with the teenagers, but unlike most real parents, sympathize with them in cheesy emotional moments meant to bridge the age gap with understanding. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, TV’s version of what a household looks like, one that falls a little short of reality, but it’s something we’ve seen done to death.

The “hook,” if you will, is that this is a period piece. Yet, even that doesn’t seem so fresh. With the 60s and the 80s so saturated on the tube and the 70s having been represented, too, it was only a matter of time before the 90s got their due, given that it’s been a full twenty-five years since the start of that decade. Reading Jurassic Park, seeing Christian Slater posters, and hearing some of the best music of the era might dredge up some nostalgia from the audience, but those are just details, not a reason in of themselves to watch a show.

And, of course, there’s an adult version of the main kid providing narration. On SURVIVING JACK, this role is filled by Kevin Rahm (Mad Men, Desperate Housewives). He does fine, but Rahm’s voice is so much less recognizable than, say, Patton Oswalt on The Goldbergs, that his casting could only work against this show.

As Jack Dunlevy is introduced, he’s all macho man, completely out of touch with who his teenagers, awkward, sex-obsessed Frankie (Connor Buckley, Deception) and pretty, sexually active Rachel (Claudia Lee, Hart of Dixie), are. This works for Meloni, who can play layered, but also excels at bonehead stupidity. Unfortunately, because the lead of a show can’t just be a stereotype, he softens before the first half hour is even over, finding ways to connect to Frankie.

I say unfortunately because I want to see a father on TV for once that acts like my father. My dad would never, ever open up enough to have a heart-to-heart with his child about feelings. That doesn’t make him a bad person, in my opinion, but every single patriarch on every single show is either an abusive, uncaring drunk (in the dramas) or a modern, sensitive man (in comedies), even when the show doesn’t take place in the modern day, that can get in touch with their inner self. Even the gruff ones allow that attitude to fall away from time to time, always revealing that hidden pussycat. Where is the realistic man who sticks to who he is and doesn’t play to the viewers’ heart-strings?

Of course, the premise of SURVIVNG JACK is that Jack finds a way to take over the household duties because he is a good husband and wants Joanne to have her life, and so he must grow and change to meet the needs of his new job. It isn’t easy for him, but we already see that he can do it, so the rest of his arc should be relatively predictable and not feature any more big jumps for him.

The show is also populated with friend characters who seem interchangeable, familiar types. The actors that play them, Kevin Hernandez (Get the Gringo) as Frankie’s Mexican friend George, Tyler Foden (Air Buddies) as the held-back-in-school Mikey, Lili Reinhart (The Kings of Summer) as Frankie’s crush Heather, Thomas Kasp (Dirty Teacher) as Rachel’s airhead boyfriend Doug, and Damaris Diaz (Maddoggin’) as slutty friend Alison, might be talented, but there’s no way to tell in their limited roles.

In general, I think the reason to watch SURVIVING JACK will be for the main family at the center. Meloni is always entertaining, and has solid chemistry with Harris, a wonderful actress with an extensive resume. The kids seem to do well enough in the parts, and whether viewers finds this foursome compelling enough will determine whether it can run past the initially-ordered eight-episode first season. For my part, I may watch, probably sometime in July after getting through most other regular season shows, but it’s certainly not at the top of my priorities list.

SURVIVING JACK premieres Thursday at 9:30 p.m. ET on FOX.

HART OF DIXIE Has Heart and Charm, But No Features

Article first published as DVD Review: 'Hart of Dixie - The Complete Second Season' on Blogcritics.

The CW’s Hart of Dixie is a charming, fluffy drama about a big city doctor who moves to a small town. Infused with quirky townspeople and traditions, sort of like Gilmore Girls, season two finds the good doc finally fitting into her surroundings and peers in the South. Personal relationships flare and falter, romance is rocky, and the recurring cast swells.

As season two begins, Dr. Zoe Hart (Rachel Bilson) is sleeping with Wade Kinsella (Wilson Bethel), having turned down George Tucker’s (Scott Porter) offer of a relationship until George can get over Lemon Breeland (Jaime King). George soon moves on with Wade’s ex, Tansy Truitt (Mircea Monroe, Episodes), after a brief fling with Shelby (Laura Bell Bundy, How I Met Your Mother), who then begins dating Lemon’s father, Brick (Tim Matheson). Lemon’s ex, Lavon Hayes (Cress Williams), begins seeing his former beau, Ruby Jeffries (Golden Brooks, Girlfriends), though Lemon’s best friend, Annabeth Nass (Kaitlyn Black) has a crush on Lavon. So, basically, everyone eventually dates everyone else.

As with many dramas, the main character, Zoe, has a basic choice between two men, Wade and George, and that is the primary romance that most viewers care about. George is the more sensible choice, but Hart of Dixie decides to try out Zoe with the bad boy first, saving George for another season, though most will assume that George and Zoe will be together eventually, if not in the end.

Wade is more than a scoundrel, of course. He is a womanizer at the start, but actually really likes Zoe, and tries to change his ways for her, which he is at least partially successful in doing. Zoe doesn’t see that at first, though, and one of her faults is how she can be judgmental. It takes her a long time to realize that she’s mistreating Wade and start to give him a real chance.

Besides the main characters listed above, there are many memorable citizens in the town of Bluebell, who occasionally have their own plots that intersect with the larger story, which helps round out the world. Dorky Tom Long (Ross Philips) and hyper waitress Wanda Lewis (Mallory Moye) find true love early in the show’s run, and have quite the visually exciting wedding. Dash (Reginald VelJohnson) is often seen running the local events, and Lemon’s materialistic sister, Magnolia (Claudia Lee), causes trouble.

Most of the acting is campy, but that’s in keeping with the light-hearted tone of the series. Bilson is goofy, in a good way, fully committing to the part, and the supporting cast is fun. Hart of Dixie won’t make many’s “must-see” list, but it’s an enjoyable way to pass the time.

And occasionally, it does delve into some more serious fare. There’s a really moving bit with Wade’s father, Crazy Earl (Christopher Curry), in the Christmas episode, which rises above the typical quality of the drama. Lemon also shows real growth over the course of the season, slowly becoming less annoying and more of a strong, self-sufficient character. These elements are why I continue to watch Hart of Dixie, because if it ever realizes its full potential, and moves past the constantly fluctuating pairings, it could really be something. Even if it doesn’t mature, though, it’s not a bad program.


As one might expect, the season finale drops some big stuff, changing the landscape for season three, though surely everything will return to normal not too far into the junior year. Since the show came back on the air a week ago, watching the DVD now will allow you to jump right in, without the long wait to see what happens next.

The Complete Second Season does have all twenty-two episode from last year on five discs, but sports not a single special feature. That’s the sort of release some old shows without a ton of anticipation may do, but it’s baffling that a currently-running series would dare not offer any extras for their fans. Weirder still, the cast has released some very humorous stuff online, proving they are worthy of featurettes and shorts, but none of which is included here. Combined with a very simplistic menu system, that looks old and boring, it’s not a strong DVD contender.

Hart of Dixie The Complete Second Season will be released this Tuesday, October 15th.

Hart of Dixie celebrates "Hairdos & Holidays"

     The CW's Hart of Dixie ends their fall run with the only vaguely Christmas-themed episode, "Hairdos & Holidays." Zoe (Rachel Bilson) ratchets up her rivalry with Lemon (Jaime King) to a new level as she mentors Rose (McKaley Miller, The Gates) in a beauty pageant against Lemon's sister, Magnolia (Claudia Lee, Zeke and Luthor). Though Lemon does respond to the challenge, she is distracted by memories of getting together with Lavon (Cress Williams) a year ago, which viewers learn happen as Lemon gets startling new about her mother (Meredith Monroe, Dawson's Creek, Criminal Minds). Unfortunately for Lemon, Lavon does not want to be reminded of any of it.

     Things between Lemon and Zoe seem to have cooled somewhat, so "Hairdos and Holidays" is a tad bit puzzling. Lemon is no longer spending all her effort trying to run Zoe out of town, or even getting upset about Zoe spending time with George (Scott Porter). Lemon still doesn't like Zoe, but she accepts her more. Instead, this conflict is kicked off by Zoe, who is jealous of Lemon's relationship with George, whom she likes. Lemon responds, but with her deep emotional plot underpinning this episode, she just doesn't feel fully committed, which makes the showdown lackluster, at best. Perhaps this story could have been better served if Zoe had some random guest star to square off with, instead of forcing Lemon into a place where she doesn't belong.

     Lemon's backstory is quite intriguing. Fans know Lemon's mother left long ago. In "Hairdos and Holidays," it is revealed that she likely did so because she was bored of being a housewife. Yet, when Lemon discovers her living nearby, that's what she is again. One cannot help but feel sympathy towards Lemon, who has been replaced, and feels justifiably confused and betrayed.

     Where is George as Lemon and Lavon bond over the mother issues? He isn't shown in any of the flashbacks. Did he gets back from New York so soon before Hart of Dixie begins? That could explain why Lemon must spill her guts to someone other than him. It's also understandable that they are deeply connected, he having helped her through some serious drama. But that is still no excuse for her cheating on George. However, if she and George were on a break at the time, it would be OK. Which is why there needs to be some explanation of George's place in these flashbacks.

     Lavon still cares very deeply for Lemon, wanting to win her back. George doesn't seem all that satisfied with Lemon, and is taken in by Zoe, so why not pair the foursome up in this way? It would seem likely this would occur save for the fifth main character, wild card Wade (Wilson Bethel). Might he win Zoe over before George becomes single, making George the odd man out when the dust settles? Whatever happens, in a series like Hart of Dixie, pairings are bound to shift many times over the run of the series, so the weight of hooking up between any two given characters is lessened.

     In "Hairdos and Holidays" Wade tries to help George find a Christmas tree for Lemon. Wade encourgaes George to unknowingly steal such a tree from an ex-girlfriend's father, which lands the two of them in jail. It's an amusing plot, giving the two guys time to hash out some of their feelings for Zoe. It also lets Lavon overhear George's declaration that he will be with Lemon forever. Other than the fun interchanges, though, it's a little weak. The father just drops the charges and lets them keep the tree? Why? He clearly hates Wade. More explanation is needed.

     Honestly, despite the bad writing in "Hairdos and Holidays," Hart of Dixie is a charming, engaging drama. Bilson is not believable at all, but the rest of the cast is really good. The show is worth your time, for the most part.

     Hart of Dixie will return to the CW in January.

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     Catch up on streaming episodes of Hart of Dixie.