BATTLE CREEK, Michigan

Article first published as BATTLE CREEK Review on Seat42F.

Detective Russ Agnew (Dean Winters, Law & Order: SVU) is a frustrated cop in Battlecreek, Michigan, a city of 50,000 whose force is underfunded and underappreciated. When the FBI decides to open up a field office in the same building the police inhabit, Agnew thinks he will show them “The Battle Creek Way,” which is also the name of the pilot episode. Boy, is he in for a surprise in CBS’s new drama, BATTLE CREEK.

BATTLE CREEK is most likely going to be a case-of-the-week, buddy cop series, which is nothing new at all. While both of the main protagonists are men, an idea that almost feels fresh again after the male-female pairings of Castle, Bones, Law & Order: SVU, and so many others in recent memory, it really is a tired old concept done to death in the 90s and earlier before being fairly recently retired.

Yet, the pilot doesn’t feel tired. Maybe it’s because Battle Creek is set in a small town in the Midwest, rather than New York or LA, as most television shows are. As an Ohioan myself, I greatly appreciate this. Maybe it’s the excellent cast, which is better staffed than any procedural has the right to be. Maybe it’s just the snarky dialogue and the impeccable chemistry between the series’ leads. Maybe it’s the fact that House’s David Shore and Breaking Bad’s Vince Gilligan created this series, lending it a high pedigree. Whatever it is, I really enjoyed the pilot.

Now, that doesn’t mean I’m giving this series a great review. While it is my job to judge a show based on its premiere episode and I do it often, I personally usually give a series more than one episode in order to figure out if they make the list I’m going to continue to watch. I have seen a number of great programs spring from poor pilots. It’s rarer that a series would go the opposite direction, but given the network BATTLE CREEK airs on and its inherent premise, that could certainly be the case in this instance.

Let’s get back to this show specifically, though. Agnew’s partner is Special Agent Milton Chamberlain (Josh Duhamel, Transformers), a golden boy “promoted” to run his own office in the podunk town. Milt knows this isn’t exactly a plum position, but he’s determined to make the best of it, and brings a calming counterpoint to Agnew’s hot-headedness.

If BATTLE CREEK stays focused on just the two of them, it is doomed to grow stale quickly. I hope this won’t end up being the case, as the ensemble is quite capable of more, and it is stacked with a comedy bend that could keep the tone from being bogged down in the cases. There’s Detective Fontanelle (Kal Penn, House), Agnew’s former partner, office manager Holly (Aubrey Dollar, Women’s Murder Club), Commander Guziewicz (Janet McTeer, Damages), Agnew’s boss, and Detective Funkhauser (Edward Fordham, Cuts), as well as recurring roles Detective Jacocks (Liza Lapira, Super Fun Night) and Detective Niblet (Damon Herriman, Justified). Almost all of these are most welcome.

The first hour spends a lot of time on character introductions, and there’s a case tossed in for good measure. At least half the running time is on the former, which is a good sign, but it’s possible that is only done because this is a pilot. The ratio between character development and finite story is what will determine if the show is any good or not. Most CBS series rely very heavily on the latter, to their detriment.

If BATTLE CREEK shall succeed, it should remember to keep the focus on the players, toss in larger arcs and many recurring characters (including some who work for or with Milt, since so far everyone is on Agnew’s team), and make sure it is accurate in its depiction of the setting, something I’m not familiar enough with the real Battle Creek to judge. However, whether the last is handled with authenticity is likely to become more obvious in the coming weeks, and I hope it respects the local flavor that could set it apart.

BATTLE CREEK premieres this Sunday at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.

It Almost Was a SUPER FUN NIGHT, Now Off to Bed

Article first published as It Almost Was a SUPER FUN NIGHT, Now Off to Bed on TheTVKing.

ABC's Super Fun Night was perhaps the most derided sitcom pilot produced in years. The criticisms before the show even launched were so bad that ABC held onto the first episode and aired the second instead. But over time, the show proved it could be amusing and touching, even if it never reached levels that would lead one to recommend it to a friend. This week, after seventeen episodes, "...Till the Fat Lady Sings" aired as the season, most likely series, finale.

"...Till the Fat Lady Sings" finds Kimmie (Rebel Wilson) torn between two men. Long-time crush Richard (Kevin Bishop) kisses her, and when she tells her boyfriend, James (Nate Torrence), about it, James dumps her. Should Kimmie try to repair things with the man she's spent so much time with, and whom she cares about deeply? Or should she take a chance on her dream guy, asking Richard not to take a promotion in Germany to stay for her?

Kimmie has come a long way from the woman who had never had a real relationship (or sex) to being someone two men want. This makes sense, though, because we've seen her growth and her personality. There are things that aren't attractive about her; she's over the top, awkward, clumsy, screws up a lot, and can be self-involved. But she's also sweet, earnest, funny, and compassionate. These are the sides of her Richard picks up on, and because they've already had such a close, established friendship, it does feel believable that Richard might want to be with Kimmie.

I can't say I ever came around to care about Kimmie as Richard does. There are still too many negatives. However, she tries hard, and for that, she deserves happiness. She's a good person.

Super Fun Night surprised me when Kimmie chooses James. It makes sense. Richard may just be acting out because he's going through something with his father (The Nanny's Charles Shaughnessy), and so their thing might not last. Kimmie also doesn't want to hurt James, who took awhile to agree to date Kimmie because he noticed her feelings for Richard, so it would be cruel to make the other choice now. Plus, James and Kimmie have a really good time together and have developed an attachment. But because Richard is a main character and is originally established as the guy Kimmie wants, it still came as a shock that she doesn't pick him.

Should the series somehow be renewed, I do think Kimmie and Richard will eventually end up together. That's basic TV formula. Though it would be way better if Kimmie stayed with James and had a happy ever after because it bucks the trend. If this is how the series stops, the ending is perfect for where the characters are. If it returns, it will take some real bravery to not do what people expect.

Super Fun Night hasn't always done what's expected, though. The musical numbers, my favorite part of the show, even when just done as a tag, are fantastic. The characters are more than one thing. Some of the basic plots are predictable, but others are not.

Take for instance the friendship between Kimmie and Kendall (Kate Jenkinson). One would never expect it to blossom so well, so fast. They still get at one another's throats from time to time, mostly on Kendall's end, but I like that they also get along a lot. Their closeness feels earned, Kimmie being there when Kendall has no one, and I really love the way Super Fun Night develops Kendall into more than jut a stereotypical character.

The one thing that feels rushed in "...Till the Fat Lady Sings" is Marika (Lauren Ash) coming out of the closet. Yes, the signs are there from the beginning, but Marika meets Frankie (Hana Mae Lee, Pitch Perfect) and, two weeks later, can admit she's a lesbian? I think Super Fun Night does this because they worry they won't get the chance, but a more drawn-out arc would have been more appropriate here.

Helen-Alice (Liza Lapira) and Benji (Paul Rust) are left in a bad place, having had sex, but he's still highly allergic to her. Again, this needs more time, and in the finale, there just couldn't realistically be a resolution to their story. Only so much fits in a half hour installment.

I don't know how much I will miss Super Fun Night, but I did enjoy it. Hopefully Wilson bounces back with an even-more musically influenced series in the near future. Not Pitch Perfect: The Series, mind you, but something that fits with her goofy sense of humor. And she should feel free to bring along her co-stars and recurring players, who really do form a nice ensemble over these few months of run time.

SUPER FUN NIGHT Still Not Fun, But Less Painful

Article first published as SUPER FUN NIGHT Still Not Fun, But Less Painful on TheTVKing.

ABC's Super Fun Night got a lot of flack initially for being a terrible show. I'm not saying the criticisms were not deserved; they absolutely were. But as each installment plays out and the series finds its legs a little better, it continues to improve. It still has quite a ways to go before I would label it "good," but since it's moving on the right track, I thought it worth highlighting this week.

The Halloween episode of Super Fun Night actually aired a couple of weeks ago, and wasn't that impressive, other than a fantastic musical number in the end tag, which was even better than the pretty decent theme song (the show could definitely benefit from more of these). It's notable, though, because in it, Kendall (Kate Jenkinson) slept with Richard (Kevin Bishop), much to the disappointment of Kimmie (Rebel Wilson). This seems pretty predictable, while at the same time not really making sense for the characters the way they have been laid out.

The show has course corrected since, though, by deepening the personalities. Last week, we see that Richard actually does have feelings for Kendall and is trying to make it work. While Kendall can be mean, it's understandable Richard would go for her when she expresses interest as we learn more of his neurosis, which make him less desirable to most women. I don't think they will end up together, but at least their pairing has started to feel more authentic.

In the latest episode, "Go with Glorg," it's Kimmie's turn to see there's more to Kendall than what's on the surface. Kimmie goes into the story hating Kendall, but unable to turn away from an upset person, Kimmie offers an olive branch and Kendall gratefully accepts. They end up drinking the night away in a development that seems like it will last past the end of the half hour.

Kendall is still the jerk on the show, and that's OK. She isn't going to suddenly turn sweet, and if she did, it would feel like a big cop out. But it's nice to see some of her vulnerabilities shine through, and we actually come to understand her a bit. Kimmie remains the good person at the core of the series, and it also informs on who Kimmie is when we see how she treats Kendall, even when Kimmie has no good reason to be nice to her enemy.

Reforming a villain is not a new concept, but it's one that often works if done correctly. It can't happen too fast, and it needs to start naturally. The latter is satisfied in "Go with Glorg," and we'll wait and see if the former can be, too.

What will make Super Fun Night come together is when it figures out how to handle the ensemble. The Kimmie-Kendall-Richard stuff is finally working nicely, but Kimmie's personal life doesn't mesh up very well. In "Go with Glorg," Helen-Alice (Liza Lapira) and Marika (Lauren Ash) go to a TV show convention with Dan (John Gemberling), Ruby (Dan Ahdoot), and Benji (Paul Rust). Now, the five of these characters together blend, but they seem apart from Kimmie, almost like there are two different shows going on.

How can this be resolved? Well, Richard has already been shown to be awkward and geeky and likes Kimmie's friends, so it doesn't seem like it would be too hard to fold him into the gang. And Kendall is desperate for company, so she could be present, as long as she protests the entire time. When this merger is complete, Super Fun Night could still do work-based stories, but Kimmie's co-workers also need to be integrated with the social subplots in order to make the series feel cohesive.

This plot with Kimmie's friends isn't great in "Go with Glorg." Marika approaches the star of the show she's a big fan of, which is a take-off of Xena, Alison (Brooke Shields, Suddenly Susan), who is rude to her. At this point, we haven't been given much reason to care about Marika, and with the Kimmie / Kendall thing so much more interesting, it is even worse. Plus, the ending is so boring and done before. Had this happened down the line, it could have made for an effective, though middling, story, but until the show spends time building up Marika, getting the viewers to love her, it should stay away from plots like this.

So, basically, there are some things Super Fun Night is starting to do right, and some elements that remain quite messy. Will it fix itself, or get canceled first?

Super Fun Night airs Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. ET on ABC.

Not So SUPER FUN NIGHT

Article first published as SUPER FUN NIGHT Review on Seat42.

Contrary to what you may have heard, ABC’s SUPER FUN NIGHT is not the worst new sitcom this fall. That dubious honor belongs to Back In the Game. I would rate SUPER FUN NIGHT as third worst, after Back in the Game and Dads. Unfortunately, given its already tarnished reputation, that does not bode well for it.

The reason SUPER FUN NIGHT is entering the fall premiere season with one hand tied behind its back is that critics panned the “Pilot” when it was released to them earlier this summer. ABC decided to combat that by airing the second episode, “Anything for Love,” as the premiere this week. In preparing for this review, I watched only “Anything for Love,” not the “Pilot.”

When starting with episode two, there is clearly a piece missing. We are dropped into the story without being introduced to the characters, save the lead, Kimmie Boubier (Rebel Wilson, Bridesmaids), whom is pretty easy to get a read on. This hurts most in Kimmie’s relationships with her co-workers, especially Richard (Kevin Bishop, Irina Palm), the boss’s son, whom she likes, because it takes a few scenes with Richard to start to get a read on what their relationship is.  We also aren’t shown the origin of the premise, why Kimmie wants to go out for a SUPER FUN NIGHT in the first place, though it does seem kind of obvious.

Given that it seems the plot would have made more sense if the first episode had been watching before “Anything for Love,” the switch smacks of desperation. Now, if the second episode were a lot funnier than the first, knowing that lots of people already proclaimed the first as terrible, and not wanting to risk losing those first-week viewers because of it, then the move would be a good one. After all, with the bad buzz already building, it is time to get desperate. Sadly, “Anything for Love” is not funny.

Kimmie is surrounded by a bunch of caricatures. Kendall (Kate Jenkinson, The Wedge) is the stereotype villain co-worker, jealous of Kimmie for the things Kimmie doesn’t even notice about herself. Even though Kendall appears to have everything going for her, she tries to steal Kimmie’s spotlight, too. And Kimmie’s friends, Helen-Alice (Liza Lapira, Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23) and Marika (Lauren Ash, Lars and the Real Girl), and virtually indistinguishable from one another in this episode, just stock pals who try to cheer Kimie up.

This means that SUPER FUN NIGHT rests completely on Kimmie’s shoulders, and it’s not funny because she’s not funny. The character has been created to be as pathetic as possible, and it’s not fun to watch her be embarrassed. One feels bad for her and wants to help her, not giggle when her dress is pulled off by an elevator and she tries in vain to laugh it off. It’s easy enough to tell she doesn’t find the moment amusing in the slightest, which makes us uncomfortable.

I think the failure is Wilson’s fault, and here’s why. Kimmie is the one character who connects emotionally to the viewers, which makes it impossible to laugh at her misfortune, knowing the pain it causes her, which we can read on Wilson’s expressive face. Were she to play the part of more silly, the show might stand a chance. Not that I’m really advocating for less character development, so the complaint is that Wilson is too good for this material, and doesn’t lower herself to the goofiness of the story, even as she fully commits to the broad, physical comedy.

A scene in “Anything for Love” has Kimmie battling with Kendall to sing at a piano bar, and you will genuinely be frustrated for Kimmie. When she goes big during the song, gaining her confidence, she seems desperate, as she is, and it robs the moment from being entertaining. Were Kimmie only being funny or moving, it might be OK, but by attempting to combine both, neither work. If these bits, the ones in which Kimmie makes us feel, don’t succeed because they try to be funny and fail, the show is doomed just because of its makeup.

Wilson has been stripped of her British accent, which doesn’t seem necessary, given that Richard gets to keep his, and Wilson’s friend from England, Matt Lucas (Little Britain), makes a guest appearance. She does a fine American voice, but it’s still a little weird. I guess the network or someone along the totem pole thought the lead wouldn’t be as relatable to American audiences if they knew she was from another country. It’s a little depressing those that control the show think this, and even more depressing if there’s any truth to the assumption.

With a flawed premise and flat characters, SUPER FUN NIGHT just doesn’t stand a chance. Too bad, as I know Wilson can be funny, and look forward to her next, hopefully successful, vehicle.

SUPER FUN NIGHT premieres Wednesday, October 2^nd at 9:30 p.m. ET on ABC.

The Traffic Light is Green

      I don't know why I liked FOX's new sitcom Traffic Light so much. It wasn't particularly groundbreaking or original, the cast isn't packed with actors I already love, and it's a sitcom on FOX, a network not particularly known for their half hour situation comedy, all of which are strikes against it. Yet, first with Raising Hope, and now with Traffic Light, FOX is venturing successfully into sitcom territory. I guess the biggest draws of TL are that the characters are authentic and relatable, and the jokes are still funny. Which is really all you can ask for in a sitcom.

     The premise is three couples (well, two couples, and one perpetually single guy) are at different stages of their lives, a theme this year, as we've so recently seen on ABC's Better With You and NBC's Perfect Couples. CBS: your turn, but do it with older people. Then CW can do one with teens! Just kidding. Please don't. For some reason, though, all three series have staked their own territory, and can comfortably coexist. That's quite a feat.

     Traffic Light's central cast are represented by the three colors on a traffic light, as shown explicitly near the end of "Pilot", in case you didn't get the subtle reference. Red light Mike (David Denman, The Office) and Lisa (Liza Lapira, Dollhouse, NCIS) have been married for six years, but Mike would rather hide down the block in his car watching a movie then go home and help his wife with their child. Yellow light Adam (Nelson Franklin, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) has just moved in with Callie (Aya Cash), and both are sneaking around for time away from each other. Green light Ethan (Kris Marshall, My Family, Love Actually) is happy to womanize, though a misunderstanding with Callie in the pilot sends his recent ex, Sherry (Mercedes Masöhn) back into his arms. Masöhn is not listed among the main cast, so we'll see how long she lasts. My guess? One more week, tops.

     That character description did reveal the weakness of the show, that makes it seem dated and not so well written, when examined too closely. Mike, Adam, and Callie all are willing to lie and trick their partners in order to get alone time. This is not the basis of a healthy relationship! Callie's lie was mostly done off screen, so what is shown is three male friends who think it's a total drag to be around controlling, nagging women. As a happily married man, I'm against this image, though I didn't even notice it until my wife pointed it out. Which is why the series has gotten away with it thus far. However, should it continue a couple of seasons, it's an element that needs to be toned down or abandoned. 

     Women-hating aside, I was amused for most of the half hour, though I can't remember many specific jokes. It's the heart that allows Traffic Light to be enjoyable. Lisa overlooks Mike's flaws, as she genuinely loves him. Mike puts Adam above Lisa as he dresses in a clown getup to help save Adam's job, so there is real affection between friends, too. Mostly, it's these personal connections that make the show. Which led to the unexpectedly sad twist in the final moments, which I won't spoil, that elevated the show from pretty good to a much higher, solid good.

     Based on the mostly positive reviews I've been seeing, I'm guessing that the decent pilot won't even be as good as coming weeks. Traffic Light airs Tuesday nights at 9:30 p.m. on FOX.

Article first published as TV Review: The Traffic Light is Green on Blogcritics.

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