THE BIG BANG THEORY - THE COMPLETE NINTH SEASON

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: 'The Big Bang Theory - The Complete Ninth Season' on Blogcritics.

Some television shows begin to show their age after nearly a decade on the air, especially sitcoms, which tend to thrive on one-off stories. Their lack of complexity makes them fun in the short-term, but it’s hard to sustain a high quality level of humor and enthusiasm year after year without the cast and the audience beginning to grow bored. An exception to that generalization is The Big Bang Theory, which is releasing it’s ninth season on Digital HD, Blu-ray, and DVD this week, and shows little sign of slowing down.

If you’re not familiar with the show (though it’s hard to imagine you aren’t, with the series being the most-watched comedy of the last several years), it’s about four geeky scientists and the women that they love. The Big Bang Theory didn’t start with much in the way of female representation; the sole woman in the early days was Penny (Kaley Cuoco), and she was mostly just there to be a dream girl for Leonard (Johnny Galecki) to pine for. But over time, that changed, and other girls came along and stuck.

I think that’s part of the key to The Big Bang Theory‘s success: it has allowed itself to evolve and grow over time. Penny and Leonard marry in the season premiere of this release, but it’s no longer a one-sided affection, nor is it shallow these days. They have come to appreciate one another for a variety of reasons, and work as a couple because they’ve both changed through their exposure to one another. They seem like a solid pairing.

This rings true, also, for Howard (Simon Helberg) and Bernadette (Melissa Rauch), the former of whom is still getting over his mother’s death from last season as they move into her house this year. They begin to think about starting a family in season nine, and we can see how they have stabilized, the man child ready to be a man with a child, and the woman who has thankfully pushed him towards that point.

Raj (Kunal Nayyar) is far less settled, dating two women at once. It’s not as skeezy as it sounds (usually), as Raj really does care deeply for both Emily (Laura Spencer) and Claire (Alessandra Torresani, Caprica), and he doesn’t lie to them (much). But even with the negatives in the story, it’s a big leap for Raj from the shy man who couldn’t even speak in the presence of women at the start.

Even famously particular Sheldon (Jim Parsons) is softening, forced to face the fact that he may lose Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik) if he doesn’t learn how to express his affections both vocally and physically. The results of these growing pains are funny, yes, but they’re also painful as we learn what makes Sheldon tick, as happens arguably more this season than in any other.

If that makes the guys and Penny sound totally different from where they started, they are. Yet, all of this evolution has been gradual and authentic, changing as real people do over time. They rub off on one another, and it has made them all more complex, mature individuals. The Big Bang Theory hasn’t lost its premise or what made it special; it simply enhanced and deepened it as the years went by, a sure recipe for success. I can’t wait to see what season ten has in store this fall.

The Complete Ninth Season has a bunch of bonus features, though I would rank it middling in what is offer. Two sets of “#JustAskBBT” has cast members responding to fan questions, though most of them aren’t very good questions, and it’s puzzling why this is in two parts instead of just one. “Love is Rocket Science” is basically just a recap of the romantic relationships at this point, which is emotionally satisfying, but doesn’t really add anything to what we’ve already seen. But “The Big Bang Theory Gives Back” is better, highlighting how the series has positively helped college students going into STEM fields. And the included gag reel is predictably, comfortably funny.

While I’m lukewarm on the extras, I’m clearly not on the episodes, which attract guest stars like Bob Newhart, Christine Baranski, Laurie Metcalf, Judd Hirsh, Keith Carradine, Wil Wheaton, Adam Nimoy, Stephen Merchant, Elon Musk, Adam West, Stephen Hawking, June Squibb, and more in just this season alone. Whether you’ve been a faithful watcher from the beginning, have only caught a few episodes here and there, or want to jump in for the first time, I can unequivocally recommend The Big Bang Theory – The Complete Ninth Season, available September 13th.

GETTING ON And On And On

Article first published as GETTING ON Review Season 2 on Seat42F.

HBO’s GETTING ON is back! For those that missed the six-episode first season a year ago, feel free to jump on into season two when the premiere episode, “No Such Thing as Idealized Genitalia,” airs this weekend, no prior knowledge needed. But for fans, you’ll delight in seeing the staff of the Billy Barnes Extended Care Unit of Mt. Palms Hospital in Long Beach, California again, who are basically up to the same things they were when last seen.

Dawn Forchette (Alex Borstein) is continuing to work for Dr. Jenna James’ (Laurie Metcalf) research study. Dawn doesn’t like working for Dr. James, and why should she? Dr. James is emotionally abusive and takes advantage of Dawn whenever she can. But for Dawn, who isn’t feeling well (something explored with a very unexpected twist late in the episode, and that will extend to future installments), she’s tired of bending over backwards to fit Dr. James’ requests in with her regular work and getting absolutely no appreciation for the effort. In fact, Dr. James expresses the opposite of appreciation.

Dr. James is under a lot of stress, admittedly. She is still fighting Dr. Paul Stickley (Mark Harelik) to get her research funded, something far from a certainty in her business. She has to put up with the hospice corporate vulture she hates (Jayma Mays, Glee) trying to make inroads in the hospital (again, something that will continue throughout the season because of another beautiful twist). She is drawn into a fight with an obnoxious patient (played by a familiar face I can’t quite remember – feel free to let me know who she is in the comments) for bed space. And she has to deal with the annoyance of Nurse Patsy de la Serda’s (Mel Rodriguez) “green” program, which results in lights turning off in the bathroom after mere seconds. But does that justify her behavior towards Dawn? Nope.

Technically, GETTING ON is a comedy. The laughs come at the characters’ expense, though. Is it fun to see Dawn get dumped on my Dr. James? No, but there’s something inherently amusing in the way Borstein shows the pathos of the downtrodden character. Does one laugh at Dr. James issues in the bathroom? Of course not, but again, there are some sight gags that will elicit a smile, even as we feel sorry for her. It’s smart, slow-burn comedy.

In “No Such Thing as Idealized Genitalia,” Nurse Didi Ortley (Niecy Nash) emerges as the heart of the show. This is something she’s been seen as before, but the role is reinforced in her behavior this week. Whether it’s taking care of her family or her co-workers, whether they could actually be called friends or not, Didi is a person who has compassion for others. This, all while making next to no money, and meeting much resistance for requesting even the smallest of raises.

This hospital highlights the ridiculousness of bureaucracy and the flawed nature of human beings. It does so without judgment, reflecting familiar traits in slightly exaggerated ways. There are very few moments you’ll laugh out loud at, but you will be amused as much as depressed by the proceedings. Though a scene where the characters finally get to air some grievances will come close to getting a chuckle.

In considering quality television, GETTING ON excels. It’s an authentic piece with nuanced characters. The cast is across-the-board excellent, both the stars and the supporting players. The world is well-developed, and if anything has changed in season two, it’s that the writers know their parameters better, making for a more fully realized premise. I highly recommend checking it out.

GETTING ON airs Sundays at 10:30 p.m. ET on HBO.

No Need to Meet THE MCCARTHYS

Article first published as THE MCCARTHYS Review on Seat42F.

I usually complain about CBS being the home of the very tired crime procedural, done to death and copied over and over again by the network. In today’s review of their new comedy, THE MCCARTHYS, I get to complain about CBS redoing the very tired family comedy. Does that count as a change-up?

THE MCCARTHYS centers around Ronny McCarthy (Tyler Ritter, John’s other son), a gay man living in Boston. Dwelling very, very nearby are his parents, Marjorie (Laurie Metcalf, Roseanne, The Big Bang Theory) and Arthur (Jack McGee, Rescue Me, The Fighter), as well as his brothers, Sean (newcomer Jimmy Dunn) and Gerard (Joey McIntryre, from the band New Kids on the Block), and his sister, Jackie (Kelen Coleman, The Newsroom). Most of the together-all-the-time, overbearing clan is obsessed with sports, but Ronny and his mother still enjoy The Good Wife together, the family finding a happy balance.

That is, until Ronny decides to upset the balance by accepting a job in New Hampshire. Much of the pilot involves his family trying to make him feel valued so he will stay. I believe viewers will be able to guess the outcome of this, but THE MCCARTHYS does a decent job with the emotional arc that gets Ronny realistically to his decision.

The dynamic of family is both complicated and familiar. Every group has its own chemistry, with each member relating to every other person in a variety of ways. But the overall picture of love and acceptance, even when there is a lack of understanding, is the most traditional, recognized version of this. It’s not always realistic, but it’s what we all wish for and have become very comfortable seeing on our television screens.

THE MCCARTHYS is not a bad example of this. McIntryre and Dunn seem a little weak for now, but are good for a punchline now and again, and may improve in time when they get used to the format. Ritter channels his father, which earns him nostalgia that can only help most of the audience’s impression of him. Coleman has popped up on quite a few shows recently for good reason, as she’s terrific, and McGee is a reliable man. Metcalf, easily the best of the group and certainly the most recognizable, gives the kind of performance we expect from her, making for a decently strong ensemble.

But the writing just feels dated. In a time where Modern Family, About a Boy, and even, to a lesser extent, The Millers, have illustrated that the traditional family unit is no longer the only answer, seeing six individuals biologically linked together might almost be a novelty, if it hadn’t been down six thousand times in the decade prior. Plus, last year already saw the revival with The Goldbergs and others. The gay son is their nod to the present era, but it’s just that, a nod, not a primary focus, which is nice to see, but makes the show more mundane. THE MCCARTHYS doesn’t have anything new to say. Television has moved on from this stock image because it’s been worn out, so resurrecting it now is without benefit to the viewing community.

THE MCCARTHYS is funny; I’ll give it that. I didn’t get bored watching it, and some of the over-the-top stuff that the characters do actually seems genuine to these eccentric personalities. Perhaps there really isn’t a family like them out there, but if there was, this is how they’d be. The characters are consistent and the jokes, while often unoriginal, have good delivery. There are a handful of relatively compelling hooks involving Arthur’s basketball team and Jackie’s secret that ask watchers to tune back in. Which means that THE MCCARTHYS has a chance at finding an audience and sticking around.

I just mourn the loss of opportunity. Why not try something different that we haven’t seen before? Or at least put some kind of new twist on it. It’s good, not great, and when the TV landscape is as crowded as it is currently, full of high-quality, ground-breaking stuff, good is just not good enough.

THE MCCARTHYS airs Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. ET on CBS.

Got to be GETTING ON

Article first published as GETTING ON Review on Seat42F.


HBO’s GETTING ON, premiering this week, is a very dark comedy. So dark you might not realize you’re supposed to be laughing until late in the episode. Based on the British series of the same name, and running only six episodes (at least for now), it follows the doctors and nurses in the elderly care wing of a hospital that’s having hard times. Their jobs suck, they are forced to do things they don’t like, and they are neither the brightest nor the most compassionate people in the industry, jaded and exhausted.

This actually gives it a feel of realism. We’re used to our doctors being beautiful and energetic and our nurses being sexy and sassy on the small screen. GETTING ON actually downplays the looks of its cast. Not that anyone on the series is ugly at all, but they come across as regular people, concerned with real things. This label applies to both the hospital’s staff and its patients, though the former get much more of the focus.

As the pilot, “Born On the Fourth of July,” begins, it’s Independence Day and Doctor Jenna James (Laurie Metcalf, The Big Bang Theory, Roseanne) is stuck running the wing again. She doesn’t consider this duty part of her “real” job, but it’s been three months since the department lost its overseer, and she’s frequently been forced to pull shifts here.

Also working the floor are Nurse Dawn (Alex Borstein, Family Guy), a by-the-book suck-up and coward, new staff member Nurse DiDi (Niecy Nash, Reno 911!), who is caring and has sense, and Beverly (Telma Hopkins, Family Matters), who does not get along well with Jenna at all. By the end of the day, this beleaguered crew of four will be down to three, though that is just as depressing as everything else going on.

Yet, as sad as the lives presented are, there is something humorous behind the events of “Born On the Fourth of July.” It may be misunderstandings, or debates over meaningless things, or the way you just know things are going to get worse before they get better, but there’s a constant flow of energy that will amuse.

I credit this to the performers. Sure, the writing has to be excellent to make this all come together right, but if the actresses were dropping the ball even a little, or not so darned talented at punching up small things in sly ways, it also wouldn’t flow. A look or a mannerism has as much to do with the humor of GETTING ON as a line of dialogue does.

Not that GETTING ON is terribly complex. One might read much into it and come up with an in-depth explanation, but the surface is enough because it’s a layered, nuanced surface. The characters are weird, but familiar. It’s very accessible, and while not everyone will laugh out loud while watching it, most people should find something to connect to.

There are some poop jokes at the very beginning, if you’re into that sort of thing, which I’m not. But thankfully, the rest of the comedy tends to skew a bit smarter, including the continuing use of the fecal situation for comic effect, which goes on for quite some time, but develops in more interesting ways than first expected.

Honestly, I find it hard to pinpoint exactly what the best elements of “Born On the Fourth of July” are. But I know I liked it, and I know I want to watch more. And I also smell some Emmy bait in a short-season dramedy sure to set itself apart from the competition and showcase the amazing skills of some wonderful ladies.

GETTING ON premieres Sunday at 10 p.m. ET on HBO.

Game Over For THE GOODWIN GAMES

Article first published as Game Over For THE GOODWIN GAMES on TheTVKing.

FOX's The Goodwin Games brings their brief, seven episode run to a close this week with "The Box." Although very funny and sweet, the series by How I Met Your Mother creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas was basically given a vote of no confidence by FOX, placed on the summer schedule to be burnt off. Thus, before it even began airing, the show was doomed.

The Goodwin Games boasts an awesome cast. Ugly Betty's Becki Newton, Scandal's Scott Foley, and Cloverfield's T.J. Miller play three siblings named Chloe, Henry, and Jimmy Goodwin, respectively. When their father (Beau Bridges) passes away, he leaves them a series of challenges to complete in order to get his sizable (and previously secret) inheritance. The "Goodwin Games" are designed to let the adult brothers and sister reconnected with each other and themselves, righting the wrong paths they are all on.

From the beginning, I was a little skeptical of Miller alongside the other two, who were already beloved and respected. But as the weeks went by, he proved he could hang at their level, too, eliciting some of the biggest laughs of the show. Each have their own foibles and idiosyncrasies, but when they combine, they are strong, able to better help fix each other than themselves. Not to mention, hilarious.

In the series finale, which doesn't feel a lot like a series finale, all end up some degree above where they begin. Henry is forced to take time off work by his boss (Laurie Metcalf), meaning he will finally spend some time with the other two, as previously his mind is frequently elsewhere, and he is commuting two hours each way to his job as a surgeon. This also lets him relax enough to reconnect with his ex, Lucinda (Kat Foster), and discover that they didn't need to break up after all.

Henry is uptight and fancies himself better than others and his hometown. Even though we don't get to see his continued growth, "The Box" shows us the turning point, when he shifts his energies and begins to open his eyes. We know he will continue on this journey, and while there may be twists along the way, he is going to get back with Lucinda, the right woman for him, unlike his current and unseen fiance, and he'll come to see there is more to life than being the best surgeon he can be.

Chloe, meanwhile, gives up her dreams of being an actress, returns to college, and falls for a childhood pal named Ivan (Adam Rodriguez, CSI: Miami). Her plot is about bursting her bubble, too, like Henry's, although she isn't any good at what she is doing, unlike him and his career. Instead, she has been wasting her talents, namely her brilliance in mathematics, and now she can begin to put them to good use.

There is clearly opportunity here for a swap between Chloe and Henry down the road, with Chloe becoming driven in her field, and Henry growing too complacent and directionless after a break. It's a crying shame we won't get to see that develop.

Jimmy has to prove himself responsible for his daughter, Piper (Kaitlyn Maher). "The Box" doesn't really address this, but shortly before the last episode, Jimmy gets a rude awakening when he realizes that Piper's mother (Janina Gavankar, True Blood, The League) is right, he isn't a good influence on Piper. So he sets off to find a job and become stable so that he can be in Piper's life.

I like that Jimmy and Piper aren't able to reconnect so easily, with an acknowledgement about what a bad father Jimmy is. I also like that Jimmy isn't able to turn things around so quickly, becoming a bartender and sleeping with his father's lawyer, April Cho (Melissa Tang), not exactly getting to a good environment right away. It leaves him some room to expand and improve, as it should be.

It's these detailed characters, each with so much to offer, wonderfully performed by three amazing actors, that make The Goodwin Games so alluring. They all go from goofy to sincere, from crazy to wise, in moments with utter authenticity. The premise is clever, with lots of appearances by Bridges' deceased father in ways that make sense, and one can see not only some movement in these seven episodes, but also oh so many possibilities as to where they could go. This could easily have run for seven seasons and been entertaining the entire time.

Sadly, this is not to be, and The Goodwin Games has crossed the finish line.

Looking on the bright side, at least the cancellation leaves Scott Foley open to return to Scandal, where he has been upgraded to series regular. Newton should bounce back, as she did after her previously failed and charming Love Bites, making her a hot property for next year's pilot season. And Miller, perhaps not considered a popular casting choice previously, has some cred he can lobby into another role.