Whitney Has Her "Cake, Cake, Cake" and Eats It, Too

Article first published as Whitney Has Her "Cake, Cake, Cake" and Eats It, Too on TheTVKing.

NBC's Whitney surprised many when it got picked up for a sixteen episode second season last spring. Now, sitting on the bubble again, hopefully it will defy the odds once more and get a third year's order. It has worked on correcting the initial flaws hard enough to deserve it.

I really like Whitney. At the end of season one, I was of the opinion that only the stuff between Whitney (Whitney Cummings) and her boyfriend, Alex (Chris D'Elia), worked, while their friends should go. With a bit of retooling, though, I've ended up liking the other three that were kept from the first season. Newcomer RJ (Tone Bell) has yet to establish himself as a valuable member of the ensemble, but that can be worked on, or he could be replaced, too. The series has found its groove, with a good balance between the comedy and emotion, and I think it has the legs to run awhile longer, at least four or five seasons, anyway.

In the season finale, "Cake, Cake, Cake," Roxanne (Rhea Seehorn) gets jealous when Mark (Dan O'Brien), who has been pursuing her for awhile, begins dating another girl. Mark is frustrated with waiting, and assumes Roxanne isn't ever going to come around. But after seeing her reaction, he ditches the date and kisses Roxanne.

As Whitney and Alex move to "fixed" status, which I'll get to in a minute, Whitney still needs the messed up characters. Roxanne and Mark can serve that purpose nicely. The problem in season one is that Roxanne and Mark seemed too stable. Now that they have been shown to be amusingly and majorly flawed, too, they fit in the show. I look forward to the possibility of seeing them work on a relationship, and the foibles that will come with such a plot, should the series get renewed.

Lily (Zoe Lister Jones) doesn't have a lot to do in "Cake, Cake, Cake," but instead gets her story in the penultimate episode, "Alex, Meet Lily," which also aired this week. She used to appear to have things together, but as she acknowledges why her relationships don't work, and vows to work on herself, she also, like her co-stars, steps into a role that will be interesting moving forward.

Now that these three have solidified their places in the larger scheme, Whitney becomes a true ensemble.

At the same time, Whitney realizes that Alex has fixed her. Despite her screwed up childhood, a long-term bond with Alex has left her happy and relatively well-adjusted. Yes, it's fun to see Whitney freak out and show off her damage. But it's also great for her to finally see that these things are in her past, and while everyone has problems, hers aren't so bad right now. If the show ends here, at least Whitney has managed to come around and achieve her happy ending.

Lest you think they are now destined to become a boring couple, Alex starts to crack owing to his parents split. Just as Whitney is healed, Alex needs help himself. It's an intriguing swap, and it also not only opens the door for other developments in the future, but makes them feel like a fully formed, two-sided couple, which is a wonderful step forward for the show.

Should the series get a third season, and I definitely hope they do, there is another plot I'd like to see pursued besides those already mentioned, and that is the story of Whitney's therapist, Dr. Price (Chelsea Handler). This is a woman that eats a cake with her hands in the park in "Cake, Cake, Cake," reveals that she sees Whitney as her best friend, and is cool with being in Whitney's life after treatment has stopped. Dr. Price is extremely damaged, and while Handler probably doesn't have time for a full-time sitcom role, a recurring place for her would lend nicely to the already established direction.

Whitney is done for the year, and now awaits news on whether it will return to NBC or not. If the answer is not, might I suggest TBS as an alternative home? It has worked for Cougar Town.

Whitney's wedding less than perfect

NBC's Whitney brings its season (and, likely, the series) to an end with "Something Black, Something Blue." Whitney (Whitney Cummings) and Alex (Chris D'Elia) decide to go to City Hall to get married. But from an expired ID, to a broken finger, to being handed the paperwork for a divorce, things just keep going wrong. In the end, they decide that being together is enough, and they don't need a legally recognized union.

Perhaps due to a mediocre start, Whitney never took off with viewers. That's a shame, because it has become a pretty decent sitcom, and lots of shows take a few episodes to find their footing. Right from the beginning, there has been a special chemistry evident between Cummings and D'Elia, and the more the series has allowed that to flourish, the better it has gotten. As someone who watched every single episode, sticking with it from beginning to end, it is pretty darn enjoyable, overall, and it will be sad to see it go. If it goes. Which is likely. But there's still a (very small) chance...

As mentioned above, the heart of this sitcom is the relationship between Whitney and Alex. What they have isn't traditional, but in the modern age, it isn't completely unusual, either. The two have pledged to be together long-term, and they don't need marriage to do it. They are characters people can relate to, and laugh with, rather than at.

Funnily enough, they are not opposed to marriage. Whitney is, at first, because of her upbringing and issues. But by showcasing how much she trusts Alex in "Something Black, Something Blue," the series is able to demonstrate her lasting commitment, even without a ring. She is willing to get married if that's what he wants, but when it proves to be too much trouble, he doesn't want it anymore. This is fitting for the characters, if slightly disappointing for those wanting to see them take that plunge. Though, admittedly, the proposal should have been saved for a couple of seasons, and probably only happened because of the sense that the end was near.

The weaknesses of Whitney lie in the other characters. Had the show stuck to just the central couple, it may have proved more popular. Instead, likely to keep with an accepted formula, four other people are shoved into the stories. It's not that the actors are bad, but they don't quite fit the way that they are inserted.
Early on, none of them are interesting. By the middle of the season, each becomes better defined, and starts landing consistent laughs. By "Something Black, Something, Blue," though, they land somewhere in between the high and the low points.

The issue is that once the writers figure out what to do with the other four, and capture them wonderfully, there isn't a lot of wiggle room for situation comedy, based on who these people are. They are developed in a kind of narrow way. So forcing Neal (Maulik Pancholy) to suddenly be gay, and then to have Lily (Zoe Lister Jones) enjoy a kiss with Mark (Dan O'Brien), who is interested in Roxanne (Rhea Seehorn), seems desperate and gimmicky. It gets them out of the box that they are written into, but not in a way that feels natural. Had Neal and Lily taken their walk down the aisle, perhaps they would have been boring, but at least they would have stayed true to the characters presented.

That being said, season two could still be good. Perhaps Lily and Mark might work as a couple, if they are given a chance. Neal could become a fun gay character, once the awkwardness of his out-of-nowhere coming out wears off. Roxanne is actually fine the way she is now. And, of course, more tales of Whitney and Alex will always be welcome.

The only bright spot to a cancellation, and I do mean only, is if Pancholy returns to 30 Rock, where he has been missed.

Whitney airs (aired?) on NBC.
 
If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Click here to catch up with streaming episodes of Whitney. Article first published as TV Review: Whitney - "Something Black, Something Blue" on Blogcritics.

"Christmas is Cummings" for Whitney

     NBC's Whitney ends its fall run with "Christmas is Cummings." Whitney (Whitney Cummings) and Alex (Chris D'Elia) plan to start new Christmas traditions with their friends, and lie to their families to do so. However, Whitney's mom, Patti (Jane Kaczmarek, Raising the Bar, Malcolm in the Middle), and dad, Vince (Peter Gallagher, Covert Affairs, The O.C.) show up anyway, and Whitney must lie to get rid of them. Feeling bad, she goes to apologize, only to find them sleeping together. This is unexpected, since they hate each other, and aren't a couple.

     Kaczmarek is a delight in her second appearance as Patti, and Gallagher really shows viewers something far different from his current USA role. The two are totally believable as Whitney's parents, and their craziness goes a long way towards explaining why Whitney is a little messed up in the head. One can only hope the two will return over and over again to give more insight on the title character of Whitney.

     In the truth-must-be-told tradition Whitney tries to begin, a very startling secret comes out. Alex admits, in front of Whitney's parents and all of their friends, that he almost dumped Whitney after meeting her parents. It's a shocking bombshell, and one not dealt with enough in the episode. Alex assures Whitney that she is a great person, and he is glad he didn't break up with her. Still, despite Whitney's wonderful expression after the confession, she doesn't talk about it with him later. Perhaps they don't need to talk, as Whitney and Alex already have a perfect chemistry. This is demonstrated in "Christmas is Cummings" when they join hands at the end. But Whitney doesn't seem the type to let something like this go, and there are so many juicy possibilities that could spring from the loaded statement, that it's a shame they aren't delved into.

     As Whitney and Alex try to lie to the folks, Roxanne (Rhea Seehorn) points out that they all dislike their families, or else they wouldn't be gathering with their friends instead. This is a television conceit that has been around for a very long time, but one wonders where it comes from. Sure, it is convenient to not have main character all return to their homes at Christmas, thus negating the need to have lots of different sets and guest stars. But is it realistic? Certainly not where I'm from. People want to be with their families, and often enjoy them. This is a bad stereotype being given, and it's lazy writing.

     At least the supporting characters on Whitney are becoming more developed, though sadly this is barely touched on this week. Roxanne is interesting when she stays sober and pines for her marriage in "Christmas is Cummings." Neal's (Maulik Pancholy) lack of Christmas traditions should become fodder for next year's seasonal special. Mark (Daniel G. O'Brien) has little to do this week, but is seemingly a good friend who has a fine relationship with Alex. Lily (Zoe Lister-Jones) is probably the least layered, but given more time, perhaps she can grow into a person.

    In January, Whitney will move to Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

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    Click here to catch up with streaming episodes of Whitney.

Whitney has some whit

     NBC's newest addition to the Thursday night sitcom line up is Whitney. In the "Pilot," Whitney Cummings (Whitney Cummings, Chelsea Lately) attends yet another wedding with her boyfriend of three years, Alex (Chris D'Elia, Glory Daze). There, the conversation convinces Whitney that they are not having enough sex. Determined to correct that so she doesn't lose Alex, though she doesn't like the idea of marriage, Whitney buys a sexy nurse costume. But sex night is ruined when Alex falls and hits his head, requiring real medical attention.

     Whitney is better than the commercials make it out to be. For one thing, Whitney has some pretty funny laugh lines. For another, Cummings and D'Elia have great chemistry as a loving, modern couple. The series does better than most at capturing a realistic dating life in this day and age. True to Whitney's nature, Whitney doesn't glamorize and exaggerate sex. Also like Whitney's comedy, this can be mined for laughs.

     If one wonders how Whitney got the way she is, her character's mother (Jane Kaczmarek, Raising the Bar, Malcolm in the Middle) shows up at the hospital, complaining about what a terrible father Whitney has. With someone as self-absorbed as her mom, one wonders how Whitney turned out half as good as she did, and it is surprising the girl even still believes in love. It also adequately explains the anti-marriage attitude. In an era with so many divorces, the next generation isn't so willing to commit.

     The cast is rounded out by four other performers, who play Whitney and Alex's friends. Maulik Pancholy should be recognizable enough for his roles on 30 Rock, Weeds, and Web Therapy. Rhea Seehorn has had parts on Franklin & Bash and Head Cases, and Zoe Lister Jones is in Delocated. Dan O'Brien merely has a few small credits to his name. They'll all fine, though, at least in the "Pilot," generic and interchangeable, especially the guys. This show is about Whitney and Alex, and anyone else is just extraneous.

     Whitney would benefit from dropping the laughing. No, it's not a track. Whitney is filmed before a live audience. But the noise is distracting, and often comes after jokes that just aren't all that funny. The series isn't bad, but would soar a little better without the chuckling dragging it down.

     Only time will tell whether Whitney deserves to be in a great comedy line up, but the first episode shows promise, if not a lot of originality. Watch Whitney Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

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