BACKSTROM Has a "Dragon" On Its Back

Article first published as BACKSTROM Review on Seat42F.

FOX’s new series BACKSTROM is from the mind of Hart Hanson, creator of Bones and The Finder. Even if you did not know this going into the pilot, “Dragon Slayer,” it would be easy to see the similarities to those other shows because of a near-copy of tone and format. As a fan of Hanson, I’m interested to watch BACKSTROM. But as someone completely burned out with the formulaic police procedural, I’m sad he didn’t expand his premise a bit more from the beaten path.

Rainn Wilson (The Office) stars as Everett Backstrom, a colorful man in the vein of The Finder’s Walter Sherman. Rather than withdraw from society, though, Backstrom lives right in the middle of things, unfeeling towards those he offends. His attitude gets him demoted to traffic duty for five years, but as BACKSTROM begins, he is back in a position he likes, serving in Portland’s newly created Special Crimes Unit.

Backstrom is surrounded by a team of very capable professionals. There’s veteran detective John Almond (Dennis Haysbert, 24, The United), fresh-faced and eager Nicole Gravely (Genevieve Angelson, House of Lies), button-pushing consultant Peter Niedermayer (Kristoffer Polaha, Life Unexpected, Ringer), and muscle Frank Moto (Page Kennedy, Blue Mountain State, Weeds). Along with the attractive French civilian support officer, Nadia Paquet (Beatrice Rosen, Cuts, The Dark Knight), whom Backstrom “befriends” under his doctor’s (Rizwan Manji, Outsourced, The Wolf of Wall Street) orders, they make up his Bones-esque ensemble of colorful supporting players.

The reason I still watch Bones (though I’m quite behind on it) is because, despite how predictable and repetitive it is, there’s a very entertaining group who get excellent lines and entertaining subplots on a regular basis. BACKSTROM has a similar cast, many familiar faces oozing with talent and humor. The question is, how much of each hour will be spent on the boring old plot-of-the-week and how much will be fun? The balance is incredibly important to make the series worth watching, though it would certainly behoove Hanson to ditch the weekly-solve format as soon as possible, unlikely as it may seem that he would do so.

Because every modern cop drama must include the lead’s family, and Backstrom is not the type to have family and friends around (though we do get a forced-in story about his abusive father in “Dragon Slayer” to further shape the character), Backstrom regularly interacts with Valentine (Thomas Dekker, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles). Valentine operates in the illegal underworld, son of a stripper, a transvestite in his own right. It takes a very strong personality to compete with Backstrom, and Valentine fits the bill. Plus, going by looks alone, I suspect he may secretly be Backstrom’s son, though one or both might not know it yet.

I probably don’t need to tell you about the main plot of “Dragon Slayer,” though doing so won’t spoil it for you. A body is discovered in an apparent suicide case, which is quickly ruled a homicide. The person you first suspect isn’t guilty, and through a serious of brilliant leaps by our above-average investigators, Backstrom is able to personally collar the culprit. This will likely be repeated in most episodes.

Overall, I like BACKSTROM; I really do. It has a terrific cast and is written by the man I believe is the current master of the genre. No one makes this type of show better than Hanson. But after a decade of watching his material, and seeing much of the same on the broadcast networks (most of which I don’t watch), I may finally be reaching my fill of it, as I noticed my attention drifting several times in the first episode alone. I’m hopeful the era of this type of show is near the end, ratings to the contrary, and the program can spin itself off into something better. Otherwise, BACKSTROM is yet another entry in an over- crowded field that feels wholly unoriginal.

BACKSTROM premieres Thursday at 9 p.m. ET on FOX.

LUCKY 7, or 6?

Article first published as LUCKY 7 Review on Seat42F.

ABC’s LUCKY 7 is a show, with eight main characters mind you, about seven people who work at a gas station / car repair shop / convenience store called Gold Star, six of whom band together to buy a lottery ticket and win the jackpot. Well, actually, five of them put money in, with one floating a loan to the sixth person, which becomes an issue when it’s time for the payout. But despite all the numbers, which seems appropriate for a lottery premise, you get the idea.

The “Pilot” is mostly set up, which it sort of has to be. We get to meet everyone, and find out a little bit about them. A few arcs begin, but a lot is left to speculation, and it will be weeks before the direction of the series is really set.

The manager of the station is Bob Harris (Isiah Whitlock Jr., The Wire), whom is hit in the head with a bottle during a robbery the night the numbers are drawn. Unbeknownst to him, the attacker is one of his employees, Nicky Korzak (Stephen Louis Grush, Lac du Flambeau), a “reformed” con who owes some money to very bad people. Nicky’s brother, Matt (Matt Long, Private Practice), is in on the scheme even though he looks up to Bob as a mentor because Matt’s girlfriend, Mary Lavecchia (Christine Evangelista, The Joneses), who gives birth to his baby in the “Pilot,” is ready to leave Matt if he can’t get them out of his mother’s house. To make matters worse, Bob is the one who has to break the tie vote to decide if Matt, the guy who didn’t physically chip into the lottery pool this week, gets to share the fortune.

In this one-paragraph description alone, LUCKY 7 sets a lot up. We have an ongoing police investigation which will threaten Matt and Nicky’s freedom. We have serious guilt wracking Matt for what happened to Bob. We have Matt’s suspicion that his brother is one of those who voted to cut him out of the money. This drama will be going on for quite awhile!

Other winners have their own issues, too. Leanne Maxwell (Anastasia Phillips, Stoked) is a single mother who may not be who she says she is. Samira Lashari (Summer Bishil, Towelhead) is being pressured by her father, Ahsan (Rizwan Manji, Outsourced), to date a doctor (Gabe Grey). And my favorite, Denise Dibinsky (Lorraine Bruce, The Syndicate), strongly suspects her husband is cheating on her, unhappy the Denise has let herself go. Since, besides the Gold Star employees, only Matt’s girlfriend is a main character, not Denise’s husband nor Samira’s doctor, one can start to assume what will happen.

The seventh member of the staff is Antonio Clemente (Luis Antonio Ramos, The Ruins). Antonio decides to save his money, sitting out for many lottery pools now, to spend on his wife, Bianca (Alexandra Castillo, 2012). Bianca is understandable upset, but professes that Antonio is a good husband anyway. I suspect this will cause tension as Bianca sees what being rich does for the winners. It also remains to be seen if Antonio can stay friends with his co-workers, which he is attempting to do, but also seems unlikely in the long-term.

I am intrigued by each and every one of these seven Gold Star employees. They all have something going on, and each actor fits nicely into the ensemble. Aside from Matt, LUCKY 7 doesn’t begin with its characters all looking young and hot, which will set it apart from many other TV dramas. They are on the poor end of the economic spectrum, so their lives will change more than most would. And the story seems fresh and different, giving us a serial drama that isn’t already mapped out.

The problem is, there have been others shows that seem similar to this one in nature in the past ten years, and none have lasted a full season. Whether it was 2006’s Windfall, which also concerned lottery winners, 2005’s Reunion, about former classmates coming together, or 2006’s The Nine, which saw nine hostages from a bank heist bond from the experience, none really connected with viewers. It’s been awhile since the formula was tried, so maybe this time will be different, but history is not on LUCKY 7’s side. That’s too bad; I liked all three of those shows, and I like LUCKY 7. We’ll see if anyone else does, too. Dare we wish it luck?

LUCKY 7 premieres this Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.

Glee gets a case of "Laryngitis"

     This summer, I'll be going back to review the season one episodes of FOX's Glee. These are fresh reviews, not reposts, and I hope you will enjoy reliving the first season with me.

     The first season Glee episode "Laryngitis" actually reaches a little far with the title. Rachel (Lea Michele) does, indeed, have laryngitis, that is, when she's not calling it tonsillitis. And for some reason, she can talk fine; her singing is just out of tune. So somehow that thin excuse justifies titling the episode "Laryngitis," but don't ask me to explain how.

     Now, of course, Rachel goes into full fledged panic. Why wouldn't she? Singing is the talent she prides herself on the most. It's her life, and the key to her planned future. Which is why Finn (Cory Monteith), in an effort to calm her down, introduces Rachel to his friend, Sean (Zack Weinstein), who used to be a football player, but is now paralyzed. Sean now enjoys singing instead, though he is justifiably angry about his condition. Somehow Sean's massive life change is supposed to help Rachel realize she still has value as a person even if she loses the thing she is best at, and all her dreams go down in flames.

     Considering the severity of difference between Rachel and Sean's problems, this should be incredibly insulting to him. Yet, his character takes it very well, and tries to offer Rachel emotional support. Rachel, in turn, has the gall to go back and offer singing lessons to him when her voice returns. Rub it in that you're all better, why don'tcha?

     Also, if Finn is such a good friend of Sean's, and Rachel is now visiting him every week, why is he never seen or mentioned again in Glee? Because the whole titular concept this week is incredibly weak, that's why.

     The one good thing that does come out of this plot is that viewers do not have to listen to very much of Rachel singing Miley Cyrus's "The Climb." Plus, we're distracted by the horrific vocals from the New Directions' star singer, so even part of what is heard, is ignored. To Michele's credit, it must be incredibly hard to sing that badly with a talent as awesome as hers.

     This plot also gives us "One," the big closer in "Laryngitis." It's not particularly memorable, even though it stops to end on Rachel with a teary face, and is supposed to be impacting. But it serves the purpose of ending the episode, so that's something, I guess.

     Now that I'm done picking on the titular theme, let's get down to the good parts of "Laryngitis." Oh, yes. The whole episode is not as horrible as the initial paragraphs of this review lead you to believe. Kurt (Chris Colfer) gets a great story, and Puck (Mark Salling) and Mercedes (Amber Riley) share a decent amount of screen time, too. That's why "Laryngitis" isn't a wasted episode.

     Kurt is growing ever more jealous of his father, Burt's (Mike O'Malley), relationship with Finn after the two attend a Cincinnati Reds game together. Before we can examine Kurt's plot, it must be said that Cincinnati is quite far from Lima or McKinley High, wherever the story takes place, as they are separate locations, and both those places are north, albeit hours apart. Cincinnati is in the southwestern corner of the state. Yet, Burt plans on taking Finn back for some hoagies they win just a few days later.

     It's also unacceptable that Burt bashes the Reds. They may have had a few bad years lately, but they have five World Series titles and a storied history. Burt's snide comment may be chalked up to the fact that Northern Ohioans roots for the Cleveland Indians, a rival of the Reds. But then, why doesn't Burt take Finn to an Indians' game? It would be vastly more convenient, distance wise.

     But I digress. Kurt feels left out, and wants to change to get his father's acceptance. His path to doing so involves wearing flannel, dating a girl, Brittany (Heather Morris), and singing John Mellencamp. Kurt actually does "Pink Houses" fairly well, but everyone is confused by Kurt's strange behavior, so it's hard to notice that. Then, in a fit of frustration, old Kurt re-emerges and slays "Rose's Turn" in a powerful, emotional performance. Certainly one of Kurt's best songs in the series.

     Through it all, Burt makes no judgment, and lets Kurt do his thing. He seems to understand that Kurt needs to act out a bit, and this is part of finding his identity. Burt makes sure he gives Kurt time and attention, and tells his son that he is loved for whomever he is. Combined with the wonderful climatic song, this comes across as a solid, fantastic Glee plot. Definitely the best part of "Laryngitis."

     Besides Burt, Sue (Jane Lynch) also offers some encouragement to Kurt. She tells him not to allow himself to be pigeonholed. "So you like show tunes? Doesn't mean you're gay. Just means you're awful," are just some of the semi-comforting words Sue offers before tuning out and walking away. Still, the fact that she stops and speaks with him, and encourages him to be comfortable with his flamboyant self, is a nice touch for a character who has been pretty uneven these past few of episodes.

     Then there is Puck's pursuit of Mercedes. It's a little like how he eventually goes after Lauren Zizes (Ashley Fink). Both are girls with curves who reject him, and then he sings an insulting song to win their hearts. Mercedes joins in, as "The Lady Is a Tramp" isn't all that offensive, and it's a good tune. And she's OK with being used by him, because she's sort of using Puck, too. Until she dumps him and quits the Cheerios because popularity is overrated. As such, their relationship is never as real as the one Puck has with Zizes later. Perhaps the writers like this idea, and decide to revisit it with different results next year?

     What is really strange is that Puck claims, in a voice over, to not know Mercedes' name. They've been in a glee club together all year; a small group. No matter how lazy he is, he would pick it up before now.

     But that aside, it's nice to see Puck interested in a girl of substance, even if he has ulterior motives. He puts his heart into the effort, becoming obsessed with all things he feels might be part of "black" culture. Maybe it's because his Mohawk is gone, but Puck seems sweeter and softer in "Laryngitis" than in other Glee episodes, and it's a nice change to see this side of him. Salling can play friendly as well as bad ass.

     The other weird part of this plot comes when Santana (Naya Rivera) gets jealous of Mercedes and Puck, even though she never has been, at least not overtly, of Quinn (Dianna Agron). Or, maybe she is too afraid to confront Quinn, who is carrying Puck's child, because of Quinn's previous reputation. But fear doesn't seem like something that would stop Santana. And when did Puck and Santana ever establish themselves as a couple anyway? They both play the field.

     Even Santana's singing shown down with Mercedes, "The Boy is Mine," feels forced because of both the hokey beginning with the phones, and because the two end up singing it together for glee club, even though they are furious at each other. Who sings with their enemy? Performing requires practice. Did they maintain that anger through rehearsals and their presentation?

     Lastly, Finn's performance of "Jessie's Girl" is quite fun. It's a wonderful number that gets everyone excited. But should it? The lyrics are a little on the nose, other than Jesse (Jonathan Groff) not being a good friend of Finn's. Shouldn't the glee club be staring at him awkwardly? No matter how awesome the song is, and it is great, the reactions do not match what should be happening in reality should such a blatant, rude declaration happen. Not to mention, Jesse isn't even there to defend himself. Bad form!


Random Bits:

• Catching his son making out with a girl, Burt shrugs and leaves Kurt alone with Brittany, just telling them to use protection. In season two, when Blaine (Darren Criss) sleeps over, Burt has a much more severe reaction, but says it would be the same whether it was a guy or girl whom Kurt is into. Does this mean Burt knows Kurt isn't actually going to do anything with Brittany, and is just waiting for his son to open up to him? Or does the normally fair Burt have a double standard?

• When Burt instructs Kurt and Brittany to use protection, Brittany doesn't seem to know what that is. Considering her reputation for sleeping around, how is she not badly diseased and pregnant? This is scary, not funny. There's dumb, and then there's dumb.
   
• Speaking of dumb, great line from Burt: "I'm dumb, but I'm not stupid." And what exactly does that mean?
   
• As awesome as Kurt's "Rose's Turn" is, it doesn't make sense that he name drops Rachel in this particular episode. All of his anger is towards Burt, and Rachel is not involved at all.
   
• Rachel has Zizes bug the choir room to find out who isn't really singing in glee club. Finn has an excuse, and Puck I get, but why are the Cheerios slacking? Glee is all that Quinn has left, and Santana and Brittany would have quit already if they didn't love it, as they say they do. Also, since Mike (Harry Shum Jr.) is established in season two to not be a good singer, shouldn't he be on the list?

• Rachel's doctor, or the one of six that is actually shown, anyway, is played by Rizwan Manji, who last year starred in NBC's Outsourced. He also appears in the films Transformers and Charlie Wilson's War, among others.
   
• Why did Jesse get to go on spring break when McKinley is still in session? Oh, wait; I remember! Groff wasn't available / asked to be in this episode.
   
• When did Quinn move in with Puck? Are we to assume that happened when Finn dumped her? Because it is not established before "Laryngitis."
   
• So Mercedes is now one of the most popular girls in school? I'm sorry, but this doesn't make sense. Kurt isn't popular for being on the Cheerios. The other Cheerios and football players' reputations suffer when they join glee. So why does her status go up so much? I could see a slight improvement, but not to the level that is implied in "Laryngitis."

     Check back for another season one Glee episode soon! Only four left, and all will be posted before the season three premiere next Tuesday on FOX!

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Click here for all of my Glee reviews.

 

     To purchase Glee DVDs, streaming episodes, music, and more, please click here.

 

 

Article first published as TV Review: Glee - "Laryngitis" on Blogcritics.

Outsourced shows how "Rajiv Ties the Baraat"

     NBC's Outsourced ends its freshman year with a bang. Literally, lots of bangs, because there are fireworks at the end of the one-hour wedding episode. Rajiv (Rizwan Manji) finally walks down the aisle with his love, Vimi (Noureen DeWulf). All of Rajiv's co-workers are there to witness, as well as alternatingly hinder and help the ceremony happen. Happen, it does, and while the series may not return for a second season, at least it doesn't end quietly.

     Outsourced struggled to find its groove right off the bat. A sitcom about an American call center manager transferred to India, it has been accused of being offensive, but mostly by those who don't watch it. Instead, what has emerged is a heartfelt workplace comedy that has plenty of fun in a unique environment. There is a cultural education to be had, too, as the Indian employees celebrate their varies holidays, and teach the boss, Todd (Ben Rappaport) the rules and customs of their country. Although Todd's fellow manager friend Charlie (Diedrich Bader) often disrespects the Indian way of life, it is he who comes off as a fool, not the locals.

     In "Rajiv Ties the Baraat," assistant manager Rajiv gets married to the woman he has spent all season wooing. He invites many of his co-workers, and even asks Todd to be in the wedding party, a touching moment considering the derision Rajiv usually holds for Todd. Todd, on the other hand, has been supportive of Rajiv, so it is with a sense of satisfaction the two find some mutual respect on Rajiv's wedding day.

     The only main character not invited initially is Gupta (Parvesh Cheena), but as much as Gupta is sure to be an embarrassment at the wedding, Todd realizes it would be worse for the company to leave him at the office without supervision. Poor Gupta is good natured, but bumbling. He doesn't really try hard, but he sure wishes he did, and is so darn persistent.

     Big disaster strikes when Vimi catches Rajiv at a bachelor party. More accurately, Charlie, Todd, and the others tie Rajiv up and surround him with dirty novelties from the company they all work for. Vimi admits to indiscretions of her own when she forgives Rajiv, but his over thinking what she may have done nearly destroys the wedding, too, until Todd convinces Rajiv he's still a lucky man.
 
     This may seems like a familiar story or complication in a love story, and that's because it is. The stories on Outsourced are not alien or strange. They are highly relatable. If nothing else, this series gives faces to the other end of those frustrating tech support phone calls, and helps Americans see the people with the heavy accents are just like us. OK, not just like. But their emotions are the same as anyone's, and that's something people can understand.

     The other side of the coin, of course, are the differences, which is the reason to watch the show. Outsourced presents a rich Indian culture, at no time on better display than the wedding featured in "Rajiv Ties the Baraat." There is dancing, colorful clothing, beautiful decorations, and fireworks set off over the ocean. The groom rides to the ceremony on a decked out elephant! All of the elements combined to make an exciting, unusual wedding not usually glimpsed in American sitcoms.

     While Outsourced's attempts to put India in the best light, and still make the show funny, have been mixed, those elements gelled very well in the finale. For the first time, an episode made a case for renewal, and gave something to be missed should it be canceled, as will likely happen. Too bad Outsourced didn't capture that magical spirit sooner, or it could have joined the strong lineup of NBC sitcoms in a more permanent way. At least it got a full year. Many shows have not.

     For fans, there is a last minute love story tossed in for Madhuri (Anisha Nagarajan) and the previously silent Ajeet (Guru Singh), some wild comedic moments for Pinky (Thushari Jayasekera), love found, lost, and found again by Manmeet (Sacha Dhawan), and a shared hand holding moment for Todd and Asha (Rebecca Hazlewood), so every character went out satisfied. Except Tonya (Pippa Black), who didn't appear in either part, but doesn't usually fit in all that well anyways. Should the show get renewed, it would not be surprising if Tonya is dropped.

      NBC should give Outsourced a second season to see where it might go from here. It is still on the bubble, and a final decision is expected any day now. If not, at least it did its best, and could not have gone out any better than with "Rajiv Ties the Baraat," the best episode of the season.

UPDATE: Outsourced has been canceled.

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Click here for all of my Current Season Reviews.

     To watch streaming episodes of Outsourced online, please click here.

Article first published as TV Review: Outsourced - "Rajiv Ties the Baraat, Parts 1 & 2" on Blogcritics.

"Guess Who's Coming to Delhi" on Outsourced?

     Many critics weren't instant fans of NBC's Outsourced when it premiered last fall, and that may be putting it mildly. However, I found it slightly amusing, and worthy of some time to grow. Months later, while it remains the weak point in a very strong night of sitcoms, Outsourced has become pretty darn enjoyable, and I don't think the racial humor is excessive, as some have accused. Or at least, the offensive stuff isn't all there is to the show.

     Take last night's "Guess Who's Coming to Delhi," for instance. Sure, the cultural insensitivity was still there. Charlie (Diedrich Bader) even got a complaint about it from one of his staff. Jerry (Matt Walsh) arrived in India for the first time to check out the operation, and he completely disrespected customs by kissing women's hands, taking a bunch of his employees to a bar and buying them shots, and tipping a cow, which landed himself and others in jail. But the characters who did those bad things were looked upon by the others as fools. Jerry spent time behind bars! What better payback is that? It's not like the show is condoning that sort of behavior.

     The nice thing is, now that the series has had time to flesh things out, the characters are getting better defined. Rajiv (Rizwan Manji) is still a tool who hates Todd (Ben Rappaport), but he also shows signs of compassion now and then, and really wants to marry the woman he loves. Todd himself has begun to embrace the culture around him, respecting traditions and boundaries, once he is aware of them, anyway. Gupta (Parvesh Cheena) is still the workplace idiot, but his efforts to help Charlie for no benefit to himself demonstrates what a big heart he has. I have really started liking these people.

     Plus, the humor can be pretty funny. Yes, it was wrong for Charlie to rip arms off a statue of a god after using it as a back scratcher, but it was also fairly humorous. Watching Pinky (Thushari Jayasekera) dance or Ajeet (Guru Singh) barely tolerate Jerry were both pleasures. Gupta realizing that a picture of tourists in front of the Eiffel Tower was taken in Vegas instead of Paris because of the drinks in their hands was also pretty good. These are just a few examples.

     If you gave up on Outsourced last fall, give it another try. You might like what you see. Outsourced airs Thursday nights at 10:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

Article first published as TV Review: Outsourced - "Guess Who's Coming to Delhi?" on Blogcritics.


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Outsourced a bit better than expected

     I was quite perturbed to learn that NBC was holding Parks and Recreation until mid-season.  I admit that, because it shows that I was already biased against the network's newest sitcom, Outsourced, for pushing a great show off of the fall schedule.  The cheesy commercials for Outsourced didn't help, either, so when I sat down to watch it, I wasn't expecting much.  It wasn't terrible.  I'm not saying it's great.  But this cast of pretty much all newcomers delivered a few funny gags, but also, unexpectedly, some real heart.

     Ben Rappaport stars as Todd Dempsy.  Fresh out of manager training, he learns that the call center that he worked at has been outsourced to India, with all of the American employees being let go, save for him.  That is, as long as he is willing to move halfway around the globe to run the center where it is not based.  Reluctantly, because he is saddled with college debt and needs the job (highly relatable to today's audience), Todd takes the promotion and is off.

     The first worked Todd meets is Rajiv (Rizwan Manji, Privileged), the assistant manager who wants Todd's job.  Whether he gets it because Todd is promoted back to the states, or fails miserably and is fired, he doesn't care.  Because of that, he has hired a staff that isn't exactly the best in the business.  And yet, they don't seem that bad.  Perhaps it's Todd's inspired leadership, but whatever the reason, by the end of episode one, most of them were doing quite well.  That's where the heart comes in.  Todd refuses to give up on any of the misfits, believing that they can all succeed.  He may still be on a high from his management training, but it works.  Even Madhuri (Anisha Nagarajan), whom Rajiv hired just to fire in front of the other employees to scare them, manages to sell an add-on.

     The cast is populated with a few interesting characters.  One is a man in a turban who had no lines, but always left the room when Todd showed up.  I am curious what that is about.  I also liked Manmeet (Sacha Dhawan), despite his terrible name.  He just seems so enthusiastic about life, the job, and women, it's hard not to catch a little of his good spirits.  I'm sure many of the other minor characters will begin to stand out over time.  It's sort of like The Office with a competent boss.

     Of course, there is romantic tension already set up in the pilot.  Todd's two love interests are clearly going to be beautiful native Asha (Rebecca Hazlewood), who seems like the smartest person on his staff, and the Australian manager of another call center in the building, Tonya (Pippa Black, Neighbours).  Todd's foil will be the far less tolerant Charlie (Diedrich Bader, The Drew Carey Show), another call center manager.  His part seemed unnecessary, and unless they improve his dialogue, I'm hoping that his tenure on Outsourced is short lived.

     I am still wishing that Parks and Recreation gets back on the air soon.  It is far superior to Outsourced.  However, the latter delivers more than just stereotypes (more jokes were had at the expense of Americans than Indians), and it will be worth watching at least a couple more episodes.

     Outsourced airs Thursday nights at 9:30 on NBC.