It's a CASUAL Affair

Article originally published as CASUAL Review on Seat42F.

It’s nice to see the quality of Hulu’s programming going up recently. Their newest original series, CASUAL, is a lot better than most of their previous exclusives, and has the roster to match. If Hulu continues to make more efforts like this, they may soon begin to compete with Netflix and Amazon in the streaming content market.

CASUAL’s set up is simple enough. A man named Alex (Tommy Dewey, The Mindy Project) is unhappy. After some negative reactions to the bad feelings, he moves in with his sister, Valerie (Michaela Watkins, Trophy Wife), and her teenage daughter, Laura (Tara Lynne Barr, Aquarius).

Much of the humor from the pilot is mined from the love lives of these three characters. Valerie is still in pain from a failed marriage and looking for a replacement husband, someone she can connect with and who can be a true companion. Alex created a dating website whose algorithm he likely manipulates so he can go out with hot girls and sleep with them, no matter how incompatible they are. Laura is in the middle, being in what seems like a steady relationship, but also seems to really just want sex, no matter how inappropriate the situation.

The adult-themed content of CASUAL probably wouldn’t be welcome on the broadcast networks, but isn’t graphic like premium cable is, either. Instead, it takes the indie movie approach, with slow enough pacing and sex used as a story and character device, not just eye candy. This is a nice approach not usually found on the small screen, and it allows one to invest in the characters without the actors needing to decide whether or not to strip.

The series is produced and (at least the pilot) directed by Jason Reitman, whom movie fans will recognize as the director of such celebrated works as Juno and Up in the Air. That same sensibility comes through in CASUAL, with the same types of people and situations at the center of this piece. It likely won’t go for the foul language that Juno has, but it still has characters whom would fit in those worlds.

CASUAL also connects a bit to Hulu’s other programming in that it feels a bit like a high-quality version of Difficult People. I like Difficult People, but the leads of that program are over-the-top abrasive (which is admittedly in vogue right now). Alex and Valerie can be judgmental when talking amongst themselves, but they aren’t as outright rude to others’ faces, which I guess makes them slightly better human beings, if only slightly.

If I have one complaint about the pilot it’s that it drops us into a story in progress. For a show like this, I expect the first episode to show us why Alex and Valerie live together, beginning with the events that led to their decision to do so. Instead, CASUAL starts with them already under the same roof. I do feel like we understand them enough by the end of the initial half hour to figure out their motivations, but it makes the pilot seem like a second episode rather than a first, missing the origin story. My complaint is not a strong one, because it seems a pretty fresh move to make, but I think most shows give set up for a reason, and that feels just a bit lacking here.

Overall, though, I’m happy with CASUAL. It has artistic direction, solid performances by its great lead cast, and a developed, authentic story. It has the potential to run for awhile, with plenty of drama readily available in these characters’ lives. It’s not slapstick funny, for the most part, going with a quiet humor, but it isn’t too heavy, either.

CASUAL premiered Wednesday, October 7^th on Hulu.

USA Not Likely to Be BENCHED For New Sitcom

Article first published as TV Review: 'Benched' - 'Pilot' on Blogcritics.

USA’s newest comedy, premiering this week, is called Benched. A smart lawyer named Nina (Eliza Coupe, Happy Endings, Scrubs) suffers a breakdown after being dumped by her fiance, Trent (Carter MacIntyre, Undercovers, Drop Dead Diva), and being passed over for promotion at her company. Her explosion is spectacular, and leaves her lucky to find employment in the crummy public defender’s office. Here, though, she might just find a sense of purpose amid the downtrodden misfits.

Benched doesn’t have much that one could call fresh and original. The Jerry Maguire-opening and tale of a person who finds deeper meaning than money is nothing new. There are quite a few other shows like it on television, both dramas and comedies, and so it seems like USA is just repeating a common structure. But there’s something charming and breezy about Benched that makes for good entertainment, even if it’s not exactly high quality.

One thing Benched has going for it is the quirky supportive cast. Like Brooklyn Nine-Nine, our lead is surrounded by a number of cartoonish players who give the proceedings a hyper reality. Sheryl (Maria Bamford, Adventure Time) looks to be very near the edge, even as she’s flighty enough to not let much in her day bother her. Oscar Nuñez plays Carlos, a role that, at first glance, seems quite similar to his part in The Office, non-showy, but still funny. Micah (Jolene Purdy, Under the Dome) keeps Nina going, the intern who tells the hard truths. Phil (Jay Harrington, Better Off Ted), a compulsive gambler, serves as a love interest and cautionary tale for Nina. And Trent is still around, often facing Nina in court. Because of these various personalities, I like the show.

Coupe is a great leading lady. She has proven her worth as part of an ensemble, and as much as I enjoy seeing her do that, she can also carry a program as the protagonist on her own. The second fiddle here is Harrington, who has been desperately missed on television, a few years having passed since his last starring role, and together the pair have terrific chemistry. It’s a no-brainer match, one audiences are sure to eat up. I did.

In the first episode, a lot of time is spent establishing the premise. We have to see Nina get to where she’s going to be. Still, it seems like there is time for her to start to find her footing, giving viewers an idea of what Benched will be on a regular basis. Nina spends time in the court room, sparring with Trent, Judge Nelson (Fred Melamed, Silk Stalkings), and a grumpy bailiff (Cedric Yarbrough, Reno 911!). While the case isn’t all that important, just watching the cast interact is good enough, and will probably be the best part of any installment.

Benched is genuinely humorous, well-crafted by creators Michaela Watkins (last see on-screen in Trophy Wife) and Damon Jones (Tammy). Even if they didn’t come up with many ideas of their own (maybe they were instructed not to by the network?), they show great talent in putting the various pieces together to make them work. Not every effort in this vein is nearly as good as Benched is. It takes some people who know what they’re doing to pull it off, and given the small writing resumes of the creators, this is a fine first big effort to be proud off.

Benched is far from perfect, and it has a lot of work to do if it wants to become anyone’s favorite show. Yet, there are some excellent ingredients here, well stirred, so it’s worth checking out. Given how funny those involved can be, it is likely there will be payoff if you start watching and stick with it.

Benched premieres Tuesday at 10:30 p.m. ET on USA.

Take Home a TROPHY WIFE

Article first published as TROPHY WIFE Review on Seat42F.

One of ABC’s new sitcoms is called TROPHY WIFE. Young-acting party girl Kate (Malin Akerman, Watchmen, Childrens Hospital) meets the guy of her dreams after falling off the stage while singing karaoke. But she soon learns that marrying him means taking on three children and two ex-wives, giving her an instant family.

The name of the show may be TROPHY WIFE, but Kate is anything but that negative label. She is a warm-hearted individual who puts her all into everything she does, including being a wife and stepmother. Kate wants to be the best parent she can be for the kids, plays nice with the exes, and truly seems to love Pete (Bradley Whitford, The West Wing, The Cabin in the Woods), her new man.

We see this when Kate eagerly takes a parent-teacher conference with stepson Warren’s teacher (Phyllis Smith, The Office), and as she covers for Warren’s twin sister, Hillary (listed as Once Upon a Time’s Bailee Madison on the show’s official website, though played by someone else in the “Pilot”). Even when Kate is mad at Hillary for bringing vodka to school or uncomfortable about Warren’s (Ryan Scott Lee, Super 8) seeming lust for her, Kate tries to make the situation right without judgment or anger.

Not that Kate’s best is good enough for Warren and Hillary’s mother, stuffy Doctor Diane (Marcia Gay Harden, The Newsroom, Mystic River). Diane is icy from the start, definitely not approving of Pete’s latest relationship skewing younger, or having her children around such an influence.

Still, Diane is preferable to Pete’s second wife, Jackie (Michaela Watkins, Enlightened, Wanderlust), a flighty, sneaky, liar who has no trouble hiding the death of her son, Bert’s (Albert Tsai), hamster from him, or hiding a key to get into Pete’s house. Jackie is trouble, especially when she considers herself still part of the family, clearly having nothing else of significance going on in her life.

Now, as I recently complained about in another review, there are a lot of family sitcoms out there, so we don’t necessarily need any more. Yet, TROPHY WIFE doesn’t feel like most others. It’s sort of a mix between Modern Family and The New Normal in tone, showing a more blended clan much more common today in the world, though underrepresented on television, than in years past. As such, it’s another type of family series, not the same old thing over again.

It also helps that Akerman is a capable leading lady, playing both the emotionally charged scenes and the over-the-top physical comedy with great acumen. In the presence of Whitford, Watkins, and Harden, all very talented in their own right, this group delivers a very funny premiere episode.

Kate is a very likeable character who seems authentic, even if she isn’t relatable. She is still in touch with the things that make up her personality, maintaining a great relationship with drinking buddy and bartender Meg (another wonderful performer, White Collar’s Natalie Morales). Yet, as Meg takes Kate’s developments in stride, it helps the viewers understand that Kate hasn’t changed and isn’t trying to, just moving into the next phase of a full life.

One does begin to wonder what kind of man Pete is. We see him as the calming influence when everyone is together, but there are definitely some different facets to him to marry three so very different women. He seems to be totally committed to Kate, and one assumes he was equally so to Jackie and Diane during their tenures, though I’m curious to see why those pairings feel apart. He’s a loving father, but one with flaws, such as having trouble being honest with a child about a dead pet. I look forward to learning more about him.

Now, this being a pilot, there are a few things the show can improve on. For one, it would be nice if it was a little more consistent with its tone. I’d also like to see more cohesive, focused stories, as this episode meanders around a lot among the various characters. But I dig the energy and the cast quite a bit, so I think it will be something worth keeping an eye on. As long as it allows Akerman the opportunity to continue on Childrens Hospital.

TROPHY WIFE premieres Tuesday, September 24^th at 9:30 p.m. ET on ABC, and the “Pilot” is available on Hulu now.

Hung - "Don't Give Up on Detroit or Hung Like a Horse"

     HBO's Hung returned for a third season last night with "Don't Give Up on Detroit or Hung Like a Horse." Ray (Thomas Jane) and Tanya (Jane Adams) now have a successful Happiness Consultants store. In flashback, viewers get to see how the pair convince a couple of bank employees to give them the loan. With the new income, Ray is able to fix up the house, though he doesn't admit to Jessica (Anne Heche) just how he is doing so well. Jessica resists moving in with Ray, citing that she signed a lease, which is not yet up.

     If Jessica really wants to be with Ray, a lease will not stop her. After all, with the amount of income that Ray is bringing in, she can afford to pay off any broken lease penalties. More likely, she is just not ready to commit to him. Which is a pattern for her, considering how she leaves Ray for Ronnie (Eddie Jemison), and then goes back to Ray. Jessica needs some major reflection before she fully dives into another relationship, considering how the last couple end.

     Another consideration, although Ray doesn't mention it, is that if Jessica moves in with Ray and forges a real romantic reunion with him, Ray will have to give up his major income. Sure, he can still work with Tanya, but take away his biggest "asset" (his penis) from the mix, and his contribution will be much smaller. Plus, another guy will have to be hired to take his place, and it will spread out the money coming in between three people instead of two. This means he could very quickly end up poor again, especially since he is only substitute teaching about two days per week, a very small addition to his bank account.

     It is really, truly nice to see Ray and Tanya making it. They struggle for so long, and have their ups and downs with their business. But now they have got it together. Ray has everything fixed, and he's buying expensive cars and furniture. Tanya seems satisfied and fulfilled with her career, something more important to her than wealth. How long this will last is anyone's guess, but surely not long.
     That's because Lenore (Rebecca Creskoff), permanent pain in their side, is not pleased with their success. Only moments after Lenora sees an ad for their business, she beds a waiter named Jason (Stephen Arnell, Heartland) and begins the process of recruiting him for a rival venture. Tanya and Ray are not ripping Lenore off, but she has contributed to their business before, and feels like they have. She has been cut out, but only because of her own actions. She has no one but herself to blame. Unfortunately, she usually bests the pair, at least temporarily, so they are likely in for a rocky road.

     Finally, the scene where Ray gets the bank employees, Judy (Michaela Watkins, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Saturday Night Live) and Joanie (Arden Myrin, MADtv, Working), into a consultation, where they show more interest in each other than him, is hilarious! It's an interesting and bold choice to use two comedic women, rather than hot models. They are definitely more than attractive enough to pull this off, but it's not often you see comedians willing to take off their shirts and make out. Kudos to Hung for such a great score, Without the talent of the actresses, if their only contribution were looks, it would not work half as well as it does. The way it is executed manages to be well acted and hot!

     Don't miss Hung, Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on HBO.

     For Hung streaming episodes and DVDs, please click here.

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