"Me Gusta" SUBURGATORY

Article first written for Seat42F.

ABC’s SUBURGATORY, a charming little comedy about a father and daughter who move from the Big Apple to the suburbs, returns for a third season this week with “No Me Gusta, Mami.” Season two ended on quite the cliffhanger, with Dallas (Cheryl Hines) dumping George (Jeremy Sisto), her daughter, Dalia (Carly Chaikin), moving in with George, and George’s daughter, Tessa (Jane Levy), running off to stay with her mother in the city. Now we finally get to see how that all turns out.

Well, it’s a bit of a letdown because order is restored before the opening credits roll. Dalia is still mad at Dallas, but she’s back in her mansion. It takes no time at all for Tessa’s mom, Alex (Malin Akerman), to abandon her, leaving Tessa back with George. George and Dallas don’t get back together, but other than that, everything seems to be back to normal in Chatwin. That’s not the end of their story, but it is a quick reset, too quick in my opinion.

This isn’t a complete disappointment; the chemistry of the principal cast, especially these four, is great the way it is. Shaking it up too much could have hurt the series, and the efforts of three of the four players to make up with their relations are sweet and touching. Thus, it’s an emotionally satisfying story, even if one might wish for a bolder plot twist, such as waiting a few episodes before sending the girls home.

SUBURGATORY is, by and large, a comedy, but it’s also pretty good at portraying the interactions between parents and children. George and Tessa have a unique relationship, as do Dalia and Dallas, and these are a major draw for the show. Their chemistries do shift and grow over time, but love always underlies them.

This may not completely carry over to the Shay household. With Ryan (Parker Young, now starring in Enlisted on FOX) off to college, Fred (Chris Parnell) and Sheila (Ana Gasteyer) are in full empty nest mode. That means Fred is on the couch reading magazines, but not an unhealthy amount of them, and Sheila is patrolling the neighborhood in camouflage, fervently hunting down an escaped dog. This might be a natural reaction for a couple to have, except their nest isn’t really empty, as daughter Lisa (Allie Grant) still resides at home.

Now, fans of SUBURGATORY will accept this as quite expected, but it’s a little sad. As loving as George and Dallas might be towards their offspring, the Shays have always treated their natural-born daughter far worse than their adopted son. It’s a shame, and explains many of Lisa’s neurosis, including her talent for emotional manipulation of her friends. Unfortunately for Lisa, her lot isn’t likely to improve anytime soon.

By and large, “No Me Gusta, Mami” is a funny episode. There are bits with a big pooch, a creepy baby, a tranquilizer gun, take-home accountants (Parenthood’s Phil Abrams, Better Off Ted’s Gary Rubenstein, and Arrested Development’s Bob Glouberman), a ditzy dog groomer (Natasha Leggero, Burning Love), a smoldering jersey, a tweaked theme song, and other vague references I won’t explain to avoid spoilers. Mostly, it’s quite good, and as amusing as ever.

There is a tense bit of “No Me Gusta, Mami” in which a couple of characters contemplate leaving the suburbs behind. But given the premise of the series, any such musings are purely hypothetical. The show may lose supporting characters like Noah (Alan Tudyk) and Mr. Wolfe (Rex Lee), who have been dropped from the main cast this year and will be missed, but the setting itself will remain, as will the core cast.

What would be the real shame, though, is if this series were canceled. It’s not highly rated, and the late start this year does not bode well for its long-term viability. Yet, the slightly hyper-realized world and charming, zany people that populate it would definitely leave a whole in the television landscape if it disappeared. So tune in and encourage your friends to do the same.

SUBURGATORY airs Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC.

Community Delves Into Their "Heroic Origins"

Article first published as Community Delves Into Their "Heroic Origins" on TheTVKing.

I understand what NBC's Community is trying to do this week with "Heroic Origins." By using the comic book-style transitions and frequent references to superheroes, like Spider-Man and the film Unbreakable, they're trying to present a weird episode in yet another genre-busting format. But like most of this fourth season, it fails to find the perfect pitch, and while it's somewhat entertaining, the story falls far short of the emotional impact that it should have.

Abed (Danny Pudi) decides that, instead of working on his history assignment, he'll track the history of how the study group is destined to be together. This leads to a series of flashbacks to 2008, and various members of the cast influence one another's lives without knowing it. Mysti (Natasha Leggero, Burning Love), the prostitute that Jeff (Joel McHale) successfully defends in court, ends up being the same one that Andrea (Malcolm-Jamal Warner, not appearing in this episode) cheats on Shirley (Yvette Nicole Brown) with, after Shirley ditches on Andrei on their anniversary because Abed scares her kids. Annie's (Alison Brie) drug-fueled rant makes Troy (Donald Glover) rethink his future and inspires the creation of Magnitude's (Luke Youngblood) catchphrase.

There are plenty of other connections, some obvious, such as Britta's (Gillian Jacobs) rescue of Annie's Boobs (Crystal the Monkey), while some are more subtle, such as the pictures of Annie as Citizen of the Month in the courthouse where Jeff's case goes down. There are a variety  of allusions, both big and small, which come together to form a complete story.

And yet, it feels hollow. It isn't believable that these characters have so much influence on one another prior to meeting. When Jeff and Shirley's childhood history is explored in a previous episode, that's one thing, and so an acceptable coincidence. "Heroic Origins" just takes the concept way too far. Not to mention, the guest stars, Leggero, Glee's Iqbal Theba as Abed's father, and Joe Lo Truglio as Jeff's boss, detract, as Community has never been big on lots of stunt casting, and using several in this one episode doesn't work for them.

Some of the contrivances, such as the Dean (Jim Rash) discovering his love of cross-dressing because Shirley tosses her lingerie near him, are ridiculous. Surely, based on the Dean's extensive wardrobe, he is aware of this part of himself prior to the incident. Why try to explain it away here?

The Chang (Ken Jeong) story is even more confusing. Supposedly, Chang is the one that influences each of the six main group members to attend Greendale in the first place, so Abed invites him to join them for frozen yogurt, which somehow makes Chang feel warm and accepted, fulfilling a yearning he's expressed since at least season two to be a part of their gang. But that cures his crazy money fever that Annie's Boobs has given him to make him evil? And he's a jerk before he's bitten, so I really don't understand how this is supposed to work out.

On this topic, there are a couple of very odd edit points, one occurring when Chang sticks the Dean's envelope in his pocket, and the other where Chang, while leaving the library, tells Abed that he needs to mail the envelope. Neither feel in place with the scene they occur during, and seem to have been poorly added in after the fact.

I think the biggest problem, though, is that this episode relies so heavily on Abed and his eccentricities. Abed has been so badly handled this season, the current writers not seeming to get his character, and that continues this week. Many of the problems can be explained away just because this is an Abed-heavy episode.

"Heroic Origins" again tries to make Pierce (Chevy Chase) a presence without including him, going so far as to even have someone who sort of resembles him from the back slip on ice-cream in a 2008 scene. I don't understand why he's in here at all, especially when he's completely absent from the various plot threads that come together, thus making him seem less a valid member of the study group than Chang is. It's a shame what this character has become.

We still get a bit of the Jeff-has-changed plot in this episode, which has been the highlight of the fourth season. However, it's not central enough to this installment to matter much.

The end of this episode sets up the season finale, where Abed will try to be the villain of the story, and the alternate universe evil versions of the characters will intercede. Presumably, this will be tied into the scheme City College has been trying to use Chang for, an arc awkwardly abandoned on a whim in this episode, which could have been a late-production decision, based on the aforementioned weird edits. I can't say I'm looking forward to it, especially if it turns out to be the series' end. But at least it will put this lackluster year out of its misery.

Community's fourth season concludes next Thursday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

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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Ugly Americans enjoys a "Wet Hot Demonic Summer"

     This week finds the return of Comedy Central's Ugly Americans with "Wet Hot Demonic Summer." Presumably, the title is a parody of the film Wet Hot American Summer, but without having seen the film, it's hard to know how much of the episode is, too. The demons want to wipe out the wizards, who are heaving a convention. Knowing Mark's (Matt Oberg) connection to Leonard (Randy Pearlstein), a wizard he shares an office with, Twayne (Michael-Leon Wooley) tricks Mark into thinking he is running a summer camp near the wizard meet. When Mark goes to get a signature from Leonard for a census form, Twayne and the demons invade the conference. But so does Grimes (Larry Murphy) with his new bear clan. Chaos ensues. Meanwhile, Mark's roommate, Randall (Kurt Metzger), leads the other camp counselors to dig below the grounds in an abandoned silver mine.


     This animated series about a social worker helping supernatural beings and ugly monsters integrate into New York City is hilarious, and taking the action into the country doesn't hurt it at all. The voice actors are talented, and the jokes are funny. For instance, when Mark's demon girlfriend, Callie (Natasha Leggero) takes off her bikini, another, smaller one, is revealed underneath. And when Randall and the others get trapped underground, they vow to eat weepy koala Doug, a plan they decide to continue even after Doug digs them out. Using a zombie as main character lets the writers go for such dark humor.

     At the wizard convention, Leonard is supposed to be handing over his reigns to an apprentice, who is a very clear knock off of Harry Potter. But true to character, Leonard is too lazy to spend fifty years actually training his replacement, so he picks him up at the Chinese restaurant when Leonard dumped him with only days before the transition. The joke is on Leonard, though, as failing to have a suitable apprentice means another five hundred years of work for him. If only Leonard had thought about the consequences.

     Mark is a great straight man to the bunch of misfits, though the fact that he is dating a demon gives him a little depth, and keeps him from being boring. His upbeat attitude is what drives the show, when everyone around him would rather be apathetic. Mark comes off as a bit annoying as he urges others to get into the spirit of camp, but it shows his loyalty that he would bring some of the beings he helps in his job and his roommate out to join the fun. He is a nice, naive guy, something needed in such a zany, offbeat comedy.
     Be sure to watch Ugly Americans Thursdays at 10:30 p.m. ET on Comedy Central.

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     Buy Ugly Americans Volume One on DVD.

Ugly Americans returns tonight

    Last spring, Comedy Central aired a seven episode first season of Ugly Americans.  It's an animated series set in New York City, except that humans share the place with monsters and demons of all sorts.  I thought it was a pretty funny show, though I never wrote a full review.  I just watched tonight's season premiere, "Better Off Undead", and I have to say, it went a little too gross for me.

     The show revolves around Mark Lilly (Matt Oberg), a social worker for the Department of Immigration, or something like that.  He counsels creatures to help them get their lives on track.  This week, Mark tried to help a two-headed worm guy and his roommate, a Zombie named Randall (Kurt Metzger).  The left side of the worm guy was being abused by the right side, and there were parallels made between worm guys and slavery, as well as spousal abuse.  There is already a worm guy who is a regular in Mark's group, but that guy's two halves live in harmony.  Anyway, about the new worm guy.  Mark convinced the weaker half to get separate from the stronger half.  The weak half moved into Mark's apartment, and began acting like a servant.  Eventually, Mark grew tired of his company, and had him get reattached with his tormentor.

     Meanwhile, Randall was stalking his ex-girlfriend, trying unusccessfully to win her back.  She has a restraining order against him, so that complicated things.  Randall checked himself into a zombi rehabilition place, to learn to be a better zombie, and to better stalk people.  I twas a bit goofy, but eventually, Randall realized that he had to be who he was.

     Then Mark got cursed by his co-worker, a failed wizard named Leonard (Randy Pearlstein).  Mark was turned into an exact replica of Randall's ex-girlfriend.  You see, Leonard was drunk, and didn't know what he was doing.  He actually put a curse on Mark, who aged rapidly, and could not return to himself unless he had sex, as a woman, with a male, to completion.  Mark's demon girlfriend, Callie (Natasha Leggero, a judge on the recent season of Last Comic Standing), was very understanding, and helped him find a man to do the deed with online.  Sadly, the only man who responded to the female Mark's ad was Mark's gross, gruff co-worker, Lt. Grimes (Larry Murphy).  Mark hooked up with Grimes, and then very grossly, pulled himself out of the dead old lady skin in the morning.  Grimes found out just who he slept with, but he was weirdly ok with it.

     For me, the dead skin, and Randall accidentally eating his own fingers was more sick than I care to see.  However, generally the show is fairly entertaining.   Ugly Americans premieres tonight on Comedy Central at 10:30pm.

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