Punch in the Family Tools

Article first published as Punch in the Family Tools on TheTVKing.

I absolutely love Kyle Bornheimer and hope that some day he is a big sitcom star. But I've become pessimistic about the chances of that happening. His first big series, Worst Week, was funny, but didn't last. His second chance, Perfect Couples, was near perfect, especially given his chemistry opposite Christine Woods (Go On), but again, died before its time. Now, we get Family Tools on ABC which is, going by last night's series premiere, by far the least of the efforts.

Bornheimer stars as Jack, the son of fix-it man Tony (J.K. Simmons, Spider-Man, The Closer), who returns home to take over the family business when Tony suffers a heart attack. The business comes with a slacker assistant, Darren (Edi Gathegi, House, X-Men: First Class), and a van. Jack's digs are in the basement of his Aunt Terry's (Leah Remini, King of Queens) house, which he is forced to share with his weird younger cousin, Mason (Johnny Pemberton, 21 Jump Street). Needless to say, it is not a smooth transition.

The biggest issue is that the cast is not used well. Bornheimer is best at playing an earnest, loving man who devotes himself to pleasing others, which is what Jack is and works his hardest to earn their approval. However, Jack is also a directionless loser who was washed out of lots of careers. This takes what Bornheimer does to the goofy, unrealistic extreme, stripping away the layers that make him sympathetic.

Darren is little more than a stereotype, and one wonders how he possibly has worked well with Tony all these years. Tony is just as poorly written and developed, constantly ignoring orders to rest as he spies on Jack, with no consequences. And Mason is just completely unfunny.

The exception to this mess is the relationship between Tony and Jack, which actually does come across as authentic. Not every father can talk to his son, and I really liked the scene in the ambulance where Tony admits he doesn't know why he's harder on Jack than Darren. There could be something here, but the rest of the half hour squanders it.

I wish Family Tools was a solid comedy series. The cast is good, and deserves a win, but the writing doesn't gel. The heart that should sneak into emotional scenes is ruined when, for instance, Terry won't let the paramedics in to help Tony during his heart attack until he promises to take it easy. What kind of sister is that cruel? Are we really supposed to like her after that? And how do we root for Jack when we see just how big a screw-up he is? Or believe that Stitch (Danielle Nicolet, The Starter Wife), who seems like she has her life together, could be interested in him?

I found few entry points to access this material at all. I really want Bornheimer to get a great vehicle a lot of people watch. I firmly believe this is not the ticket.

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

Happy Endings may not have one of its own

     ABC's Happy Endings is reminiscent of many short-lives series that have come before it. It revolves around a group of friends who are involved in each other's lives. They hang out in various combinations and get into funny situations. It's a little Friends with a bit of How I Met Your Mother and a dash of Perfect Couples. Thus, it is not completely original. It's late premiere date also gives it a much smaller chance of sticking around than most shows. That does not mean it is not funny.

     The cast includes some comedy veterans, such as Eliza Coupe (Scrubs), Damon Wayans Jr. (My Wife and Kids), and Casey Wilson (Satuday Night Live), as well as some actors known more for drama, like Elisha Cuthbert (24) and Zachary Knighton (Flash Forward). The final star, Adam Pally, has few credits to his name, so he is an unknown equation. Each of the six main characters conducts themselves well. Coupe is always a delight, and Wilson is far less annoying than she often was on SNL. While not reaching Christine Woods in Perfect Couples awesomeness, Cutherbest and Knighton do just fine alongside their more humorous peers.

     The plot itself is a simple set up. Alex (Cuthbert) leaves Dave (Knighton) at the altar. The other friends, all members of the wedding party, try to comfort and hang out with both. For much of the pilot, it appears that they may have to choose which side to land on in this massive breakup. Then Alex and Dave have a long talk, off screen, and everything seems to work out. By episode two, which aired immediately following the first, it's nearly forgotten. Rather than making this a show about how hard it is for a close knit group post breakup, it's just another comedy about a bunch of buddies. There's nothing wrong with that, per se, but by abandoning the characteristic that made the series different, Happy Endings may have shot itself in the foot.

     The jokes are funny. The pilot is bogged down a bit with Dave's depression, but the four friends of Alex and Dave get laughs right out of the gate. Jane (Coupe) is uptight, 'helping' Alex find the 'perfect' roommate. Alex doesn't listen to her, and ends up on a sexy girls web site. Brad (Wayans) fumbles to explain just how he discovered Alex on the website. Jane also delights when asking a waitress to bring her a vodka, but call it water, and keep 'em coming. Penny (Wilson) isn't satisfied with Max's (Pally) level of flamboyance, so she seeks out a gayer best friend, only to find out that she is, in fact, her own gay man best friend. They all try to break it to Dave gently that his sex life with Alex was bad.

     But then, the characters also fall into familiar feeling traps, like trying to help Dave escape from a woman he just starting dating and has fallen into the quicksand of a relationship. Brad tries to dub it 'chicksand', which apparently the writers hope will be a thing outside of the series, but it doesn't resonate as well as when HIMYM does it. The real shame here is that the series just doesn't set itself apart enough. While those elements may not have been the best part of the pilot, that's not really an excuse to abandon them. Otherwise, with the capable cast, it could be the next hit.

     Happy Endings airs Wednesday nights at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.

Perfect Couples goes out with a "Perfect Wedding"

     Once more, an extremely funny sitcom has failed to find an audience. Definitely one of the best in recent years, NBC has pulled Perfect Couples from its schedule beginning next week. That means that this week's episode, "Perfect Wedding", will likely serve as a series finale. It's not fair, when Outsourced got an entire season and Perfect Couples only aired ten episodes. In a perfect world, quality would be the most important factor in choosing which TV shows live and die, but that is sadly not the case. I just wish there was some way to better highlight quality where it is found, other than relying on networks to promote it.

     Several episodes have dealt with Vance (David Walton) and Amy (Mary Elizabeth Ellis) getting ready for their wedding, so perhaps it is appropriate to end the series on the day of their nuptials. That way, a major arc is not left hanging. This being Vance and Amy, who can both be downright insane, things do not go smoothly. Amy worries that Vance will split, and Dave (Kyle Bornheimer) and Rex (Hayes MacArthur) spend their time trying to keep Vance calm and not let him over think things, as he has a tendency to do. This culminates in Amy seeing Vance fret, and both end up running out on the wedding. Finding each other at the airport, they agree they are not ready to get married.
     I applaud the series for this level of thinking. Many shows in their ilk would marry off the characters, and then deal with things as they come, either changing them to make it work, or allowing divorce later. Vance and Amy are smart enough to realize their weaknesses, and work on them. It makes very much sense in the story for them to call off the wedding, even after everyone has gathered at the church. That is not to say they would not revisit matrimony down the line, should the series get picked up, which doesn't look likely. But they aren't ready now.

     As much fun as Amy and Vance are, my favorite couple is Dave and Julia (Christine Woods). They are the best man and maid of honor, and both want to tell the same story during their speech. That simply will not do, and Julia gloats when she finds out that she will be talking first. Dave won't give up loosing the story to Julia, and goes around telling everyone ahead of time. She doesn't get angry. They both know all is fair in love and war, and they love each other despite their competitive contests. It's a very healthy relationship, without grudges.

     Woods's evil laugh is so good in this episode, it bears rewinding for instant replay. And no one can ugly cry like she does. Woods, while a decent dramatic actress, has shown unexpected comedy chops on this series that easily belong in any future clip reels she sends out. Bornheimer has already proven his worth in other failed sitcoms, and he continues to be magic. Woods and Bornheimer are the rare genuine geniuses in the comedy world, that praise cannot be heaped too highly on them. Both will find new work soon enough. But I want to see them together! They are fantastic!

     Rex and Leigh (Olivia Munn) are no slouches either, of course, though they are less complex than Dave and Julia, the 'real', 'normal' couple. Leigh, the wedding planner, actually hires a professional calmer for the wedding to soothe the nerves of anyone who freaks out. She herself got to make use of his services. Rex, on the other hand, is the only one who doesn't have a job. He feels so left out, he gladly volunteers to be 'flower man' when the flower girl gets sick. You'd think the concept would be too goofy, but watching Rex practice dropping petals in the hallway is priceless! 

     Perfect Couples has some of the best writing and acting in current sitcom land. Though it got off to a rocky start, recent episodes have been an absolute joy from beginning to end. I beg of you NBC! Renew this show!

Article first published as TV Review: Perfect Couples - "Perfect Wedding" on Blogcritics.

For an alphabetical list of all of Jerome Wetzel's Current Season Reviews, please click here.

For frequent mini-reviews and occasional TV news, follow Jerome on Twitter.

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.

For frequent mini-reviews and occasional TV news, follow Jerome on Twitter.

Perfect Couples - "Pilot"

     NBC's newest addition the their Thursday night sitcom lineup is Perfect Couples. I'm not sure how I feel about the show. It has a talented cast, many of whom I already liked before the series went to air. It's fairly funny. I just don't know if its original and clever enough to really stand out as something that needs to be watched.

     Like ABC's Better With You often does, the episode began with highlighting similar situations and how three different couples handle them. Unlike BWY, where the couples are alike, and the differences are determined by length of time together, these couples just have different types of chemistry and styles of communication. Rex (Hayes MacArthur, Worst Week) and Leigh (Olivia Munn, The Daily Show With Jon Stewart, Attack of the Show) are in counseling and read relationship books, so they use therapy jargon and discuss feelings. It works about as well as you think it will. Vance (David Walton, 100 Questions) and Amy (Mary Elizabeth Ellis, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) fight with lots of passion, and then make up sexually with the same level of energy. The 'normal' couple in the center is Dave (Kyle Bornheimer, Worst Week) and Julia (Christine Woods, FlashForward).

     I love Bornheimer, and I know he just needs the right sitcom to really take off as a star. He is great in understated humor and broad physical comedy. Playing the mostly even, straight man to the zaniness around him works just as well as his goofy turn in WW. For him alone, I want this show to succeed. Munn is also pretty funny, as she has proven playing varied versions of herself in news-like entertainment. Ellis has always been wickedly funny in Sunny, and she basically kicks up that same character a notch. Woods was lucky that FF ended after only one season, because even if this series gets canceled, she will be better for it, broadening her range and cast-ability. Walton and MacArthur I don't know as well, but they round out the ensemble just fine. All six actors commit completely to the characters they play, and do it with talent. As such, I don't think any issues I have with the show relate to casting.

     In the pilot, Dave and Julia agree to a game night with the others so that they can have their anniversary free to themselves. As you might expect, things go badly, and soon their four friends are in their bedroom. Vance and Amy's plot makes sense, and their entanglement with the evening. However, Rex and Leigh just constantly show up, presumably so they get as much screen time as the rest. It's not that the couple is less funny, but they just weren't as involved in the story this week. Rather than allow the other characters room to breathe and work, it seemed like they were forced into scenes they needn't have been.

     This is just a pilot, so I won't delve too deeply or read too much into things. Every new show has bugs, and how good the series is depends on how quickly and well they work out the kinks. I will try Perfect Couples again next week and I hope you do the same, because despite some missteps, there is potential here.

     Perfect Couples airs Thursday nights at 8:30 p.m. on NBC.

Article first published as TV Review: Perfect Couples - "Pilot" on Blogcritics.

For frequent mini-reviews and occasional TV news, follow Jerome on Twitter.