WANDAVISION Blurry

 Article first published as TV Review: WANDAVISION on Seat42F.

WARNING: This review contains spoilers from the first two episodes.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first television show, the highly anticipated WANDAVISION, dropped its first two episodes yesterday on Disney+. Set in a fantasy sitcom world, the series is slow to reveal the mysteries at its heart, instead dwelling in the neighborhood that has been constructed, and not giving viewers many clues as to why or how these characters are here. It’s a strange, surreal comedy that touches every cliché of decades past, with a dark undertone for what will surely be revealed as the season unfolds.

Elizabeth Olsen reprises her role from the films as Wanda Maximoff, while Paul Bettany returns as Vision. This premise is immediately suspect as, last we saw Vision, he had been utterly destroyed by Thanos. Yet, here he is, happily married to Wanda and in a suburbia that never existed. This isn’t just a reimaging, as the presence of a beekeeper (a familiar symbol of AIM to comic book fans) and a garbled radio broadcast asking Wanda what was done to her make it clear there is a life beyond this constructed one. So the question seems to be, who captured Wanda and what kind of experiments are they doing on her that has left her locked in this dream with her deceased lover?

WANDAVISION could easily just be Wanda-centric, given she is possibly the only one truly existing here, but the title and the way the story unfolds gives equal weight to both heroes, hinting that perhaps something of Vision has survived the removal of the Soul stone from his lifeless physical form. Given that Vision started in the MCU as an A.I., it is reasonable to think perhaps he can continue as such, even as fans (including myself) may hold out hope for him to rejoin the rest of the Avengers in the real world eventually.

I could easily see WANDAVISION as a film instead of a nine-part series that presumably will run about four and a half hours. It lingers so, so much in the fake scenario, going through entire stories in each of the first two installments. The premiere is about Vision having his boss and his wife over for dinner, and of course Wanda isn’t prepared and things go wrong. This one looks like the ‘50s in a The Dick Van Dyke Show house. Yet, as the second episode begins, they’re shifted over to a 1960s Bewitched format (with no comment on the change) for a talent show scenario involving the local women’s club. Each are stand-alone entries of slightly different styles, but there are small hints at reality trying to bust through. As enjoyable as these are, I began to quickly grow impatient to get to the larger narrative. Though a Pleasantville-style occurrence in the second installment indicates the pacing might speed up a little soon, and the ‘commercials’ are definitely leading to something.

Despite my wish that WANDAVISION not move so slowly, there are many familiar faces to help it along and make the wait go easier. Kathryn Hahn (Transparent) is fantastic as nosy neighbor and friend, Agnes. Debra Jo Rupp (That ‘70s Show) delights as Vision’s boss’s wife, Mrs. Hart. Emma Caulfield Ford (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) is perfect as the mean lady that heads the local ladies. Teyonah Parris (Mad Men) is immediately magnetic as Geraldine. There are many others, as well, and if there wasn’t a mystery box waiting to be opened, this could be a fun throwback sitcom outside of Marvel.

One of the actors above has been confirmed to actually be someone who exists beyond this, and was played by someone else in an MCU film, though to avoid spoiling, I won’t say which one. Additionally, other performers from the MCU movies have been tied to this production, they just haven’t shown up yet. I’m anxious to get to those reveals.

I liked WANDAVISION, but I do wish, because they’ve chosen the drag the story out over 9 episodes, that they’d just released them all at once for us to binge. It’s frustrating and hurts my enjoyment to not get much towards the big picture in episodes 1 and 2. After this much anticipation, I feel like we needed a little more payoff. Let’s hope the ensuing weeks make up for that (and I suspect they will). I can’t help but think most of the glowing reviews are from those that have seen more than has been released to the public at this point.

WANDAVISION streams weekly on Disney+.

HAPPYISH Will Make You Happy-ish

Article originally written for Seat42F.

Thomas Paine was one of our Founding Fathers who inspired revolution against Great Britain. Thomas Payne was a bookseller and publisher, not all the important in the grand scheme of things, but still remembered with a small paragraph on Wikipedia. Thom Payne (Steve Coogan, Philomena) is a little bit of both, an insignificant man who is becoming obsolete, but bristles at the thought and really doesn’t want to let it happen. Showtime’s new half-hour dramedy, HAPPYISH, is his story.

As HAPPYISH begins, Thom is turning 44, not old enough to be an executive like his boss, Jonathan (Bradley Whitford, The West Wing, Trophy Wife), nor is he young enough to be into the social media scene, like the young Norwegians who just bought the advertising company Thom works for. The latter would like to force him, in the nicest way possible, to adapt to their mindset, but Thom just doesn’t want any of it. He’d rather write a book or rant about how things used to be.

It seems likely that Thom’s story will ring rather familiar to viewers of a certain age. Many people may keep themselves from flying off the handle as Thom does, but it has to be frustrating to be asked to keep up with a rapidly changing world on top of everything else going on in one’s life. Thom is married with a young child; he doesn’t have time to be accustomed to twitter, and justifiably thinking it is stupid, why should he? But that’s the position he is in for his career, and one has to keep paddling or drown.

Thom’s home life doesn’t make things much easier. His wife, Lee (Kathryn Hahn, Parks and Recreation), is loving, but not all that satisfied with the way Thom’s ED pills and antidepressants interact, making them less effective. His son, Julius (Sawyer Shipman, Adult Beginners), isn’t a bad kid, but he’s young enough that he still needs a lot of attention from his parents. Neither of them are obstacles per se, Thom glad to have them in his life, but they certainly divide his attention.

Despite all of the misery, HAPPYISH is very enjoyable. Part of that is the cast, which includes recurring players Carrie Preston (True Blood), Andre Royo (The Wire), Molly Price (Third Watch), and co-star Ellen Barkin (The New Normal). Hahn is absolutely fantastic, and the rest all make the proceedings more fun. Thom may be unhappy, but those around him aren’t always, and they are able to play off Thom’s broad actions well. It’s a really good group of players.

Seeing Coogan play the role, it’s hard to imagine Philip Seymour Hoffman as Thom, though Hoffman starred in the original pilot before his death. Coogan, as he must, completely owns the role and uses his talents to help shape the character. Coogan is a different type of actor than Hoffman was, and while HAPPYISH might have been good without Coogan, it would be a different show. I think this version is likely funnier. I’m glad, seeing the product, that Showtime decided to move forward with this project even after losing its star.

It’s funny that HAPPYISH premieres now, so soon after HBO’s Togetherness ended its freshman run. I feel like the two shows share a lot of DNA, having similar themes and quality. While Togetherness is more of an ensemble and HAPPYISH has a stronger, more singular lead, both capture an authentic spirit in a moment where they are especially relevant. I don’t know that both are needed on the air, but I’d be hard pressed to say one should be cancelled over the other.

HAPPYISH premieres Sunday, April 26^th at 9:30 p.m. ET on Showtime.

Not Quite the CHOZEN Series

Article published as CHOZEN Review on Seat42F.

FX’s newest animated series, originally announced for FXX, but reassigned to FX, is CHOZEN. CHOZEN follows the titular character (Bobby Moynihan, Saturday Night Live), a gay, white rapper just coming off of a ten-year prison stint he didn’t deserve. Now, Chozen is living with his sister, Tracy (Kathryn Hahn, Parks and Recreation), and determined to rebuild his musical career.

Chozen defies just about every stereotype rap music has to offer. He isn’t a minority, didn’t have a hard life, and isn’t into illegal activities, at least, not before he ended up behind bars. He’s a sweet boy who cares about people and loves men, something one does not expect to see in this world.

The question is, how long will that premise remain funny? Initial reactions will likely be of laughter because of the bizarre set up, but after several weeks of the show, that won’t be enough to maintain viewers. There must be a compelling story or characters that viewers want to spend time with. After watching only a single episode, I didn’t see that, but I’ll give it another chance before dismissing it, mostly because the voice cast, which also includes Hannibal Buress, Paul Iacono, Michael Pena, Nick Swardson, Gary Anthony Williams, and Danny McBride, is pretty good.

Part of the challenge CHOZEN faces is attracting fans that aren’t into rap music. I myself don’t appreciate the style for the most part, and the “Pilot” featured several interludes that I did not enjoy. CHOZEN doesn’t defy its source material enough to appeal outside of it from the start. The lyrics are amusing enough, and that helps some, but in order for the series to succeed, it needs a broad-ish base, or a way for its target audience to find it. I’m not sure FX provides that automatically, with Archer being the lead in, but I could be wrong.

I did enjoy several parts of the story that didn’t involve rapping. Chozen and Tracy have an interesting relationship that bears further exploration. Chozen is admirable for not being angry all the time. Jail has given him a taste for weed, made him care less about what others think, and he curses more, but at heart, he’s still a good guy. This is evidenced by the fact that he’s not obsessed with revenge, as many would be. He can grow up and move on, and that’s laudable.

Chozen is the type of guy you want to see do well, but while he does have talent for rapping, I’m not sure he has the personality to make it in such a public business. He has confidence, but lacks the ability to play the politics, so it would be unrealistic for him to go too far.

But it also makes a little bit of a pushover, when taken with the fact that he just quietly served his jail sentence and never appealed to the media or anyone to help him. Or maybe he did and that bit just isn’t included in the “Pilot.” If so, it really should have been. It’s frustrating that Chozen doesn’t just tell the truth. Surely, his body could be drug tested, and his friends and family could testify to his character. Is our justice system so broken we just have to accept that he served a long time for no good reason?

Perhaps I’m overthinking CHOZEN. It’s a comedy, and the most important thing is that it should make people laugh. Had I been laughing, I probably wouldn’t be asking so many questions. Humor is subjective, and I won’t say CHOZEN is a bad series, it’s just not my cup of tea. It is by the producers of Archer and Eastbound and Down, and while I love the former, the latter I can’t stand. Fans of that show, however, who enjoy that sensibility might like this one, too.

CHOZEN airs Mondays at 10:30 p.m. ET on FX.

Parks and Recreation election results are in!

NBC's Parks and Recreation has had a heck of a spring, as the characters work tirelessly to help Leslie (Amy Poehler) campaign for Pawnee City Council. It all comes down to this riveting series finale, as Pawnee citzens vote, and a winner is declared. Yep, it's Bobby Newport (Paul Rudd). But not so fast! A recount is triggered, and when the smoke clears, Leslie is, in fact, the ultimate victor!

It's kind of hard to believe that "Win, Lose, or Draw" finds Leslie making a career advancement. The city council members have played very little role in Parks and Recreation thus far, so it's not exactly a natural move within the confines of the show. However, considering Leslie's background and loyalty, it will not be surprising if Leslie makes the Parks Department a priority for the council, which would bring her into the circle of the rest of the characters on a regular basis.

There are also some gaps that are going to need filled. For one, Chris (Rob Lowe) needs to pick a new second in command, since Ron (Nick Offerman) turns down the job. This isn't entirely unexpected, given Ron's penchant to try to keep things as static as possible. He is already going to have to deal with replacing Leslie as his number two. He doesn't want to move offices and actually take on responsibility, too!

Who would be an appropriate successor for Leslie? April (Aubrey Plaza) seems a logical choice. She pretends not to care, but her character has proven her worth many times over. She would make a very different leader of the Parks Department than Leslie has been, but it could be an interesting change. If that is the way Parks and Recreation chooses to go, then April will still need to be replaced, too, leaving room for a new character.

Andy (Chris Pratt) considers a change in "Win, Lose, or Draw," too. While comforting April for the colossal mistake she makes, it comes out that Andy would like to be in law enforcement. Becoming a cop might be a dream too far for the lovable dolt, though maybe not, given some small towns' low standards. However, he could at least become a security guard, albeit a bumbling, ineffective one.

Ben (Adam Scott) also contemplates a move, deciding, with Leslie's encouragement, to accept a job working on a campaign with Jennifer (Kathryn Hahn, who could continue to recur since Free Agents was canceled) in Washington D.C. This is a big step, as Leslie and Ben's careers just happen to be taking off at the same time, in opposing directions. If Ben does well, what's to keep him from staying in the nation's capital, instead of returning home to Leslie? Ben would not be the first boyfriend Leslie has lost to an out-of-town job. But their romance is so sweet. Too bad Leslie is years away from running for national office. Perhaps in the final season...

Ann (Rashida Jones) resists Tom's (Aziz Ansari) attempts to get back together with her in "Win, Lose, or Draw." That is, until she gets drunk and agrees to move in with him. Despite Tom's declaration of no take backs when she sobers up, is there any chance that this will stick? Their romance has been weird from day one, and only gets odder as it continues. Ann is great as Leslie's best friend, but as that is a small, unimportant role, her character is continually beefed up with subplots. Unfortunately, the perfect story has not yet been found for her.

"Win, Lose, or Draw," besides foreshadowing many changes for Parks and Recreation going forward, is also highly amusing. Chris and Jennifer have lots of sex. Jerry (Jim O'Heir) loses track of time and forgets to vote for Leslie. Donna (Retta) fixes April's big disaster in three seconds flat. Chris wisely denies Jean-Ralphio (Ben Schwartz) a job. And Bobby not only doesn't understand the joke he makes when he declares publicly that he is voting for Leslie, he also needs Leslie's help to operate the voting booth equipment.

Parks and Recreation continues to be funny and sweet; realistic and full of dreams. Does anyone really believe Ben didn't write Leslie a concession speech? Probably not. But it's a drama-y sitcom about a group of people striving for the lives the want, and willing to work hard to get them, with a few laughs along the way. The evolution coming next season will only further enhance the world created here, and the show should have no problem continuing for years to come. As the only NBC Thursday night sitcom to get a full season order next year, at least so far (aging The Office has yet to be picked up), it'll have to continue to bring its A game, being the network lineup staple for the time being.

A final note. These past few weeks, extended versions of Parks and Recreation have been available online. I highly recommend checking out these, on average, five minutes longer episodes, as they give more jokes to the delightful supporting cast, who deserve the extra screen time. Hopefully, this trend will continue next year.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! To purchase Parks and Recreation DVDs and streaming episodes, please click here.

Free Agents a bit freer in original verison

     Last night brought the premiere of the original, British version of Free Agents on BBC America. Airing in 2009 "across the pond," Free Agents ran for six episodes. The first two were broadcast back to back last night. Alex (Stephen Mangan, Episodes, Billy Elliot) is a depressed man going through a divorce who falls into bed with his co-worker, Helen (Sharon Horgan, The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret). Soon after sex, Alex becomes a weepy mess, and Helen, still upset over the death of her own guy, sends him away. But Alex is convinced that Helen is right for him, no matter how many dates Helen tries to set up for Alex, and thus begins their dance.

     Mangan and Horgan have excellent chemistry, and work really well together. Their not-quite-a-relationship is believable and sweet. Even though Alex is a mess emotionally, so is Helen, which is why she has sympathy for him, even as he keeps crying. After all, how many women would put up with that? Their understanding of each other's feelings and their friendship in the workplace are the makings of something real, should Helen finally decide to go for it. Which she probably will, despite reservations, because she truly does care for Alex.

     Rounding out the cast is Anthony Head (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Merlin) as their pervy boss, Stephen. Stephen is obsessed with porn and all things sexual, and is a multiple divorcee. By episode two of this series, Stephen falls for a woman, thinking seriously of marrying her. Yet, that doesn't really change him. His outsize, bluntly honest personality make for a very funny character, and add levity to what could potentially be, without him, a depressing, sappy sitcom.

     With all of this, Free Agents is definitely worth a watch. While it will only air for a few weeks, and no second series has been ordered two and a half years after the original run, it's still a nice story, well made and well acted. It's too bad there aren't more installments, if the first two entries are any indication of what's to come.

     The American premiere of the British version comes at an interesting time, as the American remake, airing on NBC, recently premiered its first season, but is not doing well, and may soon be canceled. But watching both series together allows an easy comparison. It is very clear that, as delightful as the American stars are, they do not have the chemistry of the original Alex and Helen. Head reprises his role, but is less integrated with the central duo, and thus, less effective. And many additional characters are added, seemingly just to force laughs. This drags the series down.

     Sure, the Americans probably realized they couldn't run a show for years off of 6 episodes worth of material, and needed to expand the cast and stories, a la The Office. Except that third tier comedians make up those side characters, who are weird and goofy in a bad way. Thus, the original comes across as far superior, despite having much of the same dialogue in the first episode, and an almost identical story.

     Plus, since the series is kind of filthy, and very sex-based, the American remake is at a disadvantageous because it can't use the obscene language or dirty teasing of the original.

     Watch the original Free Agents, Saturdays at 11 p.m. ET on BBC America.

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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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