An Odd ODD COUPLE

Article first published as THE ODD COUPLE Review on Seat42F.

Matthew Perry and Thomas Lennon | THE ODD COUPLE

 

 

Many have said that CBS’s new remake of THE ODD COUPLE, premiering this week, is unnecessary. Those people are absolutely correct. THE ODD COUPLE is a classic play, a classic movie, a classic television show, and is still performed on stages across the country (I, myself, was Felix in high school), so why does it need yet another on-screen version? Well, the key here would be were the series to be updated to reflect modern sensibilities. But it hasn’t been long enough since it was written to need even that.

CBS’s THE ODD COUPLE stars Matthew Perry (Friends, Go On) as Oscar Madison, a sloppy sportscaster who isn’t dealing with the emotional heft of his divorce. When Oscar’s friend, neat freak Felix (Thomas Lennon, Reno 911!, Night at the Museum), is similarly dumped, Felix comes to stay with Oscar. They quickly get on each other’s nerves.

Now, this will sound familiar because the basic story has not been changed in any way. Some of the lines of dialogue in the pilot come straight out of the original source, and the leading characters are essentially the exact same as their earlier counterparts. There is nothing distinguishing about this version, except perhaps that Felix makes vegetarian cuisine.

Everything else about this ODD COUPLE is sanitized and dated. Oscar’s mess is purely surface-level, a clearly staged disaster that is easily cleaned. The dialogue is hokey for 2015, and the story is not edgy enough. This feels like a sitcom from another era, which it is.

The first major mistake The Odd Couple makes is condensing the entire plot of the play into twenty minutes. From the poker night spoiled, to the awkward double date, the pilot of this show rockets right on through everything fans of the play or movie remember, condensed incredibly. This is really bad because the emotional arc between Oscar and Felix is similarly compacted, meaning Felix gets on Oscar’s nerves before he really has time to, and they come to an understanding way too early. I wasn’t a viewer of the old series, which aired long before my time, so I don’t know if they made the same error, but it feels very strange here, as if they should have taken a minimum of two half-hours, or preferably more, to cover this.

Interestingly, it’s actually emotional depth that makes THE ODD COUPLE work, though. Yes, the initial arc is too quick, but I like that Felix is determined to make Oscar face his feelings and Oscar realizes he needs that help. Felix also understands he needs Oscar to help him loosen up. Now that the pilot is out of the way, I’m interested to see where they build their relationship over time, and if they can make it evolve, rather than staying stagnant.

The supporting cast may help with that. Oscar’s assistant, Dani (Yvette Nicole Brown, Community), is only in the early bit of the first episode, so we don’t know what her reaction will be to Felix’s interference, but by her disgusted looks, she should approve. Oscar’s friend, Teddy (Wendell Pierce, Treme), must have his loyalties divided, not enjoying having the poker night ruined, but certainly glad for the assistance in getting Oscar back on track. Felix’s love interest, Emily (Lindsay Sloane, Horrible Bosses), is very much like Felix, so could hinder his growth. Guest star Casey (Leslie Bibb, About a Boy) could do the same for Oscar.

But in order for this to work, a lot must be overcome. Lennon and Perry are hilarious, to be sure, but THE ODD COUPLE makes me wish they’d created original characters instead of trying to use Felix and Oscar, as I’d be curious to see what they could do together without being boxed in by history. As it is, their considerable talents seem wasted, at least for now.

THE ODD COUPLE premieres Thursday at 8:30 p.m. ET on CBS.

"F-" NEWSREADERS

Article first published as NEWSREADERS Review Season 2 on Seat42F.

NEWSREADERS is back on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim this week for a second run! For those unfamiliar with the series, a semi-spin-off of Childrens Hospital, the name tells you pretty much exactly what it is. It’s a parody of a 60 Minutes-style news magazine, but delivered with tongue-in-cheek humor, sort of like The Onion. Basically, it’s very funny, so you should check it out.

The first episode back is called “F- Dancing, Are You Decent?” and is divided into several segments, despite its roughly ten-minute running time. In the first part, Amir LaRussa (Kumail Nanjiana, Portlandia, Franklin & Bash) examines a new trend sweeping teen pop culture of people actually having sex while dancing. In the second, a correspondent (Lost’s Harold Perrineau) proves people are racist, and when those walking by don’t reveal that ugly side of themselves right away, goes to extremes until they have a reaction that he can pervert into classifying as racism. There’s also a commentary from popular ‘old man’ Skip Reming (Ray Wise).

These segments are much the same as fans of the first season have come to expect. They go after a topic like a normal news reporter would, but then skew it far to the extreme, often with a weird twist few would think of, and milk it for it’s worth. All of the participants are in on the game; this isn’t just a ‘gotcha’ hidden camera show or a Daily Show-esque interview that some people could mistake as real. Instead, it’s completely scripted for maximum effect, and it lands.

The most obvious change in season two is that host Louis La Fonda (Mather Zikel) is sadly gone, though his replacement, Reagan Biscayne (Alan Tudyk, Suburgatory, Firefly), is a worthy successor. Reagan may not share Louis’ Kate Walsh obsession, but he does a fine job keeping the train on the tracks, introducing the various parts of the episode.

A level of social commentary pervades NEWSREADERS. When looking at “F- Dancing,” the trend is not all that far off from the way teenagers actually act. This lends an authenticity that allows the audience to relate to the joke, even if the particular way things are presented would never happen. They then take it a step further, showing what happens when the older generation joins in, and extending the commentary.

Now, the racism stuff is more poking fun at the way CNN and other news networks treat their reporting on racism, not actually pushing forth a political viewpoint as to whether racism is over or not. NEWSREADERS is clearly meant to make people laugh, not to effect change in our culture. It avoids judging anyone or anything real, setting itself in a crazy, fictional world.

The quality of the writing is apparent, and the talent attracted to this project further lends it gravity. Besides those listed above, Reno 911’s Tom Lennon and others appear in the first episode, with a rotating cast over the weeks, allowing many familiar faces to pop in for a spell. The way NEWSREADERS is shot allows a flexibility to include people who might not otherwise be available, given busy work schedules.

It’s difficult to evaluate a single episode of NEWSREADERS on its own. Perhaps if a bad one were ever aired, it would stick out, but instead, the program is consistent and full of small bits, not delivering a cohesive story, but not needing one. “F- Dancing, Are You Decent?” is as good as other installments I have seen.

The premiere episode of NEWSREADERS is available now on Adult Swim’s website, and fresh installments will be airing Thursday nights / Friday mornings at midnight on Cartoon Network.

SEAN Doesn't Quite SAVE THE WORLD

Review first published as SEAN SAVES THE WORLD Review on Seat42F.

In a slew of very familiar-seeming new sitcoms this year, lacking that fresh, creative approach that really set them apart from the herd, NBC’s SEAN SAVES THE WORLD is definitely one of them. What I mean is, while a gay dad balancing being a newly-single parent and the pressures of a demanding boss is not completely done-to-death, it also doesn’t feel that far apart from a dozen others shows. The good news is, this one is a fine example of such a program.

Sean (Sean Hayes, Will & Grace) is out of the closet and divorced. When his ex-wife decides to move far away, their teenage daughter, Ellie (Samantha Isler), demands to stay in the city, and so her father, whom she usually only sees on weekends, takes her in, suddenly having to learn how to provide discipline and structure. Unfortunately, it’s at this same time that the business Sean manages gets a new owner, Max (Thomas Lennon, Reno 911!), who is not at all sympathetic to his staff having a personal life. Thus, the conflict is born.

This is a very relatable concept. There are lots of single moms and dads in the world, and most of them have at least one job. Thus, it’s a good idea for a show if the only goal is to appeal to the masses.

I really like the relationship Hayes and Isler have right off the bat. Neither Sean nor Ellie knows what they are doing in this situation, something Sean is open about, but Ellie isn’t so much, tight-lipped as girls of a certain age often are. They do have a heartwarming conversation in the “Pilot” about their living arrangement, and that makes the episode. It will be fun to watch them together.

Max is a less likeable character. He is revealed to not be completely horrible at the end of the first episode, but he is unrealistically tough. Lennon is a great comedian, and is used to broad humor, which he uses here, but the show needs something more from him like Sean and Ellie have. Until Lennon can build some layers into Max and give him a dynamic personality, something Lennon is certainly capable of, he won’t quite fit in.

Sean’s other co-workers are pretty much just as goofy. Megan Hilty, whom Hayes had great chemistry with on Smash last season, is on board as Liz, and Echo Kellum has been rescued from Ben and Kate’s cancellation to play Hunter. Combined with Vik Sahay (Chuck) as Howard, a hopefully recurring part, these guys give the office scenes their laughs as Sean tries very hard to be the peacekeeper in a tough scenario. I think it works OK that Sean is still funny, even as he plays the put-upon straight man between the owner and the peons. The actors all have something amusing to offer, and SEAN SAVES THE WORLD lets them do so. It’s a nice ensemble.

The only character that I’m not sure about is Lorna (Linda Lavin, Alice), Sean’s mother. She is too heartless to have birthed such a compassionate, determined man, and while Ellie thinks she’s fun, I’m not sure viewers will. The mean old woman has become a sitcom staple (think Arrested Development), but Sean doesn’t act like he’s been raised by such a person, so it feels a little flat in this instance.

I don’t have too many particular complaints about SEAN SAVES THE WORLD. I enjoyed it, laughing several times while watching the “Pilot.” I really like the actors involved. I think the setup is a world that stories can be told in. I just wish that it didn’t seem Hayes played it safe with the express purpose of getting a show on the air. He has been thoroughly entertaining in more outlandish roles, and while he may be proving he can also do the more “normal” parts, it’s an unnecessary demonstration. Yes, he’s a good actor. So let’s stretch him more, taking full advantage of his skill set.

He’s not the only one not reaching far enough. Creator Victor Fresco’s credits boast he has produced some great stuff such as Go On, Man Up, and Better Off Ted. All three of those were short-lived, so perhaps he has been scared off from taking the big risks. But all three are also really good shows, so I hope he brings the best parts of those over to SEAN SAVES THE WORLD eventually, even if those elements aren’t obviously present in the “Pilot.” Maybe if viewers have patience, he’ll play the network’s game for awhile, attracting ratings to a comfortable series, and then he can then spin it into something better. This show as is is currently good, not great.

SEAN SAVES THE WORLD premieres Thursday, October 3^rd at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.

Farhampton not far off for How I Met Your Mother

How I Met Your Mother began its eighth season premiere on CBS last night with "Farhampton." Much of the action was set in Farhampton, the place where Ted (Josh Radnor) will finally meet the titular mother. In fact, "Farhampton" brings viewers right up to the point where Ted is about to encounter her, and then stops just short of that fateful moment.

The creators have said before that meeting the mother may not be the end of the show. But the last few seasons have started to tease this moment, the day of Robin (Cobie Smulders) and Barney's (Neil Patrick Harris) wedding. It certainly feels like the end, now that so much time has been spent building towards it. The creators are keeping the show's biggest reveal so secret, they won't even admit whether the legs we saw belong to an already-cast actress or a stand-in. It's simultaneously nice to know that we're getting closer to the big day, but frustrating that a timeline has not been firmly established.

When will this day actually happen? November sweeps? February sweeps? May sweeps (if the series is renewed for a ninth year)? All I can say is, it will almost surely be during one of those sweeps periods. And it will probably happen very quickly, with little build up in the prior episodes, so as to surprise the fans as much as can be, given the flash forwards.

Before Barney and Robin get married, though, they first have to lose their current significant others. The tipping point for Barney's beau comes in "Farhampton" when Quinn (Becki Newton) learns that he has neglected to mention that he used to date Robin. This is a betrayal of her trust, and while Barney manages to prevent her from leaving him on the spot, it definitely seems like their nearly perfect bond has been broken. It's unfortunate, considering the awesome chemistry Newton and Harris have, but this probably is a big part of what will lead to their impending dissolution.

Robin, like Barney, is very happy with someone else. In her case, he's little more than arm candy (Michael Trucco, Battlestar Galactica, Fairly Legal), which could be why it won't work in the long-term. But before she can even get tired of the new guy, Barney drops a bombshell when he gives Robin the key to a storage space where he has stored all of their memories. It hits Robin hard, and while she thought that she was over Barney, it's clear that she really isn't. The fact that Barney has this space at all proves he feels the same way. Thus, the seeds are planted for a sweet reconciliation.

Meanwhile, Ted and Victoria's (Ashley Williams) plan to run away together hits a snag when they find it difficult to leave a note for Klaus (Thomas Lennon, Night at the Museum, Reno 911!). If it's this much trouble, is it even worth it to leave a note? And what is it with people sneaking off and just leaving a piece of paper? I know this is a sitcom, but it's gotten to be a ridiculous pattern. Please tell me that real people don't really do this? Surely, most weddings actually happen, and even those that don't usually get more than a quick scribble, right? A face to face conversation is the minimum owed to the jilted party.

To make matters even more unbelievable, Klaus, too, writes a note and flees. He tells Ted that it is because Victoria is almost perfect for him, but not quite, and that everyone meets that person that they are meant to be with eventually. This makes for a great story, but it's simply not true. There will be issues in every relationship, and plenty of people never do find the exact right person. I hate to bring a dose of cynical reality into the mix, but this just isn't how it works.

That's the problem with How I Met Your Mother. At times, it ventures too far into cartoon territory, leaving the real world behind. This is acceptable for some series, but in a show that seems to be set in the actual world, it makes some elements ring a bit hollow. That was fine when the series was still very funny, but it's not anymore. I like the growth into deeper, dramatic territory, as it has more fully fleshed out the characters, but the world around them didn't shift in tandem, which is why this is only a good show nowadays, not a great one as it once was.

And then there's Lily (Alyson Hannigan) and Marshall (Jason Segel), who are barely necessary in this particular episode, but hang around the entire time anyway. The water haze special effect is kind of lame, and I'd rather see them sit out most of a week than be wasted in this manner.


Recent episodes of How I Met Your Mother have gotten so much better than the middle period of the series. In a perfect world, it will nail the elusive perfectly balanced dramedy tone before the end. Even in an imperfect reality, though, it has a shot at doing so. Watch How I Met Your Mother Mondays at 8 p.m. ET.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Check out my website, JeromeWetzel.com! First posted on TheTVKing

Childrens Hospital The Complete Third Season checks in to DVD

Cartoon Network's Adult Swim isn't just for animated shows anymore. One of their best live action shows is Childrens Hospital. Originally a webseries doctored to deliver episodes running around 10 minutes each, The Complete Third Season, includes 14 installments from the first season created just for television.

Childrens Hospital is a unique, odd comedy. Although all the doctors and patients are white and speak English without an accent, the setting is Brazil. The story revolves around a staff of health care professionals who heal sick people and sleep with each other. But despite being as good looking as the more serious shows of the same description, these performers double as comedians. One doctor only heals through the power of laughter. Another is the owner of the facility in disguise.

Sometimes episodes build upon previous installments, and sometimes they are stand alone artistic pieces. The only constant in the Childrens Hospital universe is that viewers never know what to expect when tuning in, and no matter what it is, it will be funny.

The show's strength comes from its extremely strong ensemble. From creator Rob Corddry (The Daily Show), to Henry Winkler (Happy Days, Royal Pains), to Megan Mullally (Will & Grace), to Malin Akerman (Watchmen), each star has serious acting chops and plenty of screen experience. Also in the cast are Lake Bell (How to Make It in America), Erinn Hayes (Worst Week), Rob Huebel (Human Giant), and Ken Marino (Party Down). These people know what they're doing, and how to really sell their parts, rolling with whatever twists each new script throws at them.


Of course, when the playground looks as fun as Childrens Hospital, everyone else wants in on the action. Which means that the show has an unusually high number of familiar faces popping in for recurring roles and guest spots. Among those featured on this DVD are Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Tom Lennon (Reno 911!), Nick Offerman (Parks & Recreation), Sarah Silverman (The Sarah Silverman Program), Kate Walsh (Private Practice), Paul Scheer (The League), Jordan Peele (Key & Peele), as well as many other veterans of Ken Marino's previous shows, The State and Party Down. Plus, Michael Cera (Juno, Superbad) gives voice to the hospital PA.

Honestly, the list above of people involved in Childrens Hospital is far from comprehensive. That alone should tell you what kind of quality you're getting. But if famously talented people aren't enough to entice, the show has great, sharp writing covered, too. Medical cases range from a boy stuck in a box of quicksand, whom only Lola (Hayes), who is not at the hospital, can save, to Blake (Corddry) needing to transplant an executed killer's heart into a boy before he turns 18 at midnight.

Watching the characters be doctors is cool, but it's the special episodes that really kick Childrens Hospital up a notch. Season three has several that qualify. "The 70's Episode" is a "lost" episode from the 1970's, still featuring the same cast "way back when." "Childrens Hospital: A Play in Three Acts" is a piece in the style of Thornton Wilder. "Party Down" has the cast of canceled series Party Down catering a bar mitzvah. And "Newsreaders" is a "what if?" that gives almost all of the characters their own spin-offs.


I understand that a lot of this review sounds like gushing. There is a good reason for that. This show deserves great things said about it and a much bigger audience than it currently has. However, it's also hard to break down in detail what makes it so good because each episode is so different, and the writers seem to reinvent the characters constantly. It's an ever-shifting universe that defies pinning down. However, the overall tone and extremely high quality serve the show well.

As awesome as the episodes are, the special features on this single disc DVD set are lacking. The special features include more than 30 minutes of deleted scenes, bloopers, and gags, but they are very oddly organized. And without the context of the episode they belong in, they just aren't as funny. The extras also include six minisode promos in which Dr. Owen Maestro (Huebel) shrinks and goes inside of a body to teach kids about medicine, but these, too, lack much of the show's magic, likely because only one actor from the series appears.

Overall, this DVD set is definitely worth the buy, despite the lack of satisfying extras. Whether you're a loyal fan or a newbie, this is a great batch of episodes to purchase and watch over and over again. It is clever, creative, and fresh in a way few comedies ever achieve. Childrens Hospital The Complete Third Season is available now.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Please click here to buy the first two seasons of Childrens' Hospital on DVD.  Check out my new website, JeromeWetzel.com! Article first published as DVD Review: Childrens Hospital The Complete Third Season on Blogcritics.

"See Ya" next fall New Girl!

The season finale of FOX's New Girl, entitled "See Ya," finds Nick (Jake M. Johnson) moving out of the apartment and in with rekindled love Caroline (Mary Elizabeth Ellis). But Nick gets cold feet, and drives himself, all of his stuff, Schmidt (Max Greenfield), and Winston (Lamorne Morris) out into the desert, where he tosses his keys into the wilderness. Jess (Zooey Deschanel), with Cece (Hannah Simone) in tow, comes to their rescue, but she pretends to toss her own keys when Nick seems set on returning to Caroline. Thus, the five friends are forced to spend the night in the wilderness.

Or are they? The entire time the gang moans about dying out in the desert, there is a busy highway clearly within sight in the distance. It would be a trek to reach it, but they could do so, and surely someone would stop and rescue them! This may be nit picky, but seeing civilization so close by kind of takes the drama out of the whole stranded concept.

That aside, "See Ya" is a wonderful episode. Being stuck in the desert is New Girl's clever bend on the old elevator episode trope or "box" episode, where the major characters are stuck together until they work something out. In this case, Jess must understand that she's being selfish by trying to keep Nick from leaving, and Nick needs to see that moving in with Caroline is a bad choice, even if she seems to have changed somewhat. After all, Caroline has broken Nick's heart multiple times.

Nick and Jess will be a couple at some point. It's inevitable, watching the two of them together. They have crazy chemistry, and are very much alike. The fact that neither of their characters has realized this yet is fine. Unlike other series, which stretch such pairings out just for the sake of building tension, New Girl doesn't seem to be fighting itself to keep them apart. Neither Nick nor Jess are in a place to accept their feelings for each other, or make a go of a healthy relationship. Thus, their slow journey towards one another feels natural, rather than forced. This may not always be the case, but it is throughout the first season.

"See Ya" also sees Schmidt and Cece struggle. Schmidt's jealousy when actually witnessing what Cece does is a natural reaction, if overblown a bit, as his character often is. However, their break up need not be permanent. Cece has good reason to be upset at Schmidt. But, on the other hand, she also knows what she has gotten herself into, and likes Schmidt in spite of himself. Schmidt is a good man at heart, who requires a lot of patience from any girl that is going to be with him. Cece is the girl who has that patience, and can look past the douchey exterior.

Hopefully, New Girl won't go the typical sitcom route and make Schmidt and Cece be on again-off again forever. They are mature and ready for this. A proposal should come no later than the season two finale, with a wedding by season three. It might be a bit boring to remove two major characters from play in terms of romantic entanglements, but this has got to happen for these two people. They are too perfect for each other!

"See Ya" also finds time to be pretty darn funny. From Jess making roadrunner noises at a coyote, a gag spoiled in incessant commercials, to the much-too-old new roommate (Reno 911!'s Thomas Lennon), who is soon evicted to the living room, the humorous notes are still hit, despite the personal drama. This is why New Girl soars when other sitcoms flop. And would it be too much to ask for Lennon's character to return again next year, possibly on a recurring basis, or at least as a squatter that they must get rid of in the season premiere?

New Girl will return to FOX next fall.

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Memphis Beat is "At the River"

     TNT's Memphis Beat returns for a second season with "At the River." A cop is killed, and Lt. Rice (Alfre Woodard) decides to split up her top detectives to solve it. She helps Det. Whitehead (Sam Hennings) work the actual case. She also lets him know he isn't really welcome in her department, and wishes he would leave. Dwight (Jason Lee) is ordered to assist Claire Ryan (Beau Garrett, Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior), an Internal Affairs investigator, figure out if the dead cop is dirty or not. Dwight takes the case personally after meeting the deceased's son, recalling his own father's death in the line of duty. Not only does Dwight clear the cop's name, but he catches the killer, too.

     By and large, Memphis Beat is a procedural. The main focus is on the cases, not the characters. The season premiere, "At the River," is no different. Even when bringing up Dwight's past, it's more of a footnote to explain motivation than an actual plot point. Only Whitehead gets any real exploration this week, as he takes Rice's promise to help promote him to get him off her team very personally. His reaction is certainly the most interesting thing about the episode.

     The case itself isn't badly done, with some unexpected twists and turns, and a bit of flirting between Dwight and the Guest Star of the Week, Claire. They have palpable chemistry, and a show that concentrates a bit more on the main characters might bring her back for at least an arc so the two can get to know each other a bit better. Memphis Beat may eventually do that, but disappoingtingly, there is no sign or mention of her in next week's second episode of the season.

     The setting (Memphis, though filmed in Louisiana) and type of crimes do differ Memphis Beat slightly from the other series of the same genre on the air, but not enough to make the show a must-see. In fact, only watch if it's convenient and you don't have anything else better to do. It won't be a waste of an hour, but there is little to gain from it, either. Lee recently said in an interview that the series would be retooled dramatically for season two, but the first two episodes do not make this obvious, if it is being done at all.

     Next week's entry is a bit better, though it's hard to pinpoint why. Perhaps the additional interplay between Dwight and Whitehead make it a bit more entertaining. Or it could be the appearance of Tom Lennon (Reno 911!, Night at the Museum) as a consultant obsessed with a series of old break-ins who is smitten with Rice. There certainly isn't anything plot-wise that furthers any development.

     If you're into procedurals, I would recommend Memphis Beat over many of its peers. But if you are looking for intelligent, gripping, deep series, skip this one. Memphis Beat airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on TNT.

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     Click here to buy streaming episodes of Memphis Beat.

Article first published as TV Review: Memphis Beat - "At the River" on Blogcritics.