I think I liked it - tho Kelsey Grammar’s character just seems like Frasier with a career change. I want to give it another episode or two before I firmly decide. I do like that the BIG secret that his character is the father of Patricia Heaton’s character’s daughter was revealed right away, instead of eluded to for half or all the season, with the audience already knowing the answer but the character is still in the dark - that kind of thing makes the character out to be a nincompoop
I watched and found a lot of it to ring true. I especially liked the bitter reporter (who didn’t get the anchor position) grumbling about being sent to a meaningless live shot at the dark, empty courthouse.
However, I hate, hate, hate the sitcom cliche where a character says something and a character, walking by at that exact moment, who likely couldn’t have overheard the comment, says some drive-by insult and keeps walking. Ugh.
It’s not much of a cliche. I do it at work all the time. You’d be surprised at what you can hear from a distance when you are approaching.
I thought it was an ok pilot. Not ground-breaking by any stretch, but more like a pair of comfortable shoes. I was surprised that I actually liked Heaton, since I loathed her before. I guess it was the writers, actors, producers and originator of her previous show I hate, not her. Who knew?
which clip?
as for the cliche, it happens in real life, in the right settings. For example, in the hospitality suite at an annual convention I attend - people milling about, conversing in slightly louder than normal tones (because the room gets niosy), and someone walking through will here a phrase or a sentence that s/he feels requires a driveby snark. I’ve done it myself. It doens’t matter that the context is ignored, it’s done for laughs.
I watched it. My wife was eager to. She was a fan of Frazier.
It reminded me how much I really don’t care for Kelsey Grammer.
I found Frazier tolerable because much of it was well written. This, not so much.
The funniest bit was probably the fat guy’s sweat stains.
I believe the clip to which AT refers is KG’s on-air screw-up that lost him his LA gig.
I liked it pretty well. Nothing to write home about, but an enjoyable bit of fluff with a few laughs. I thought Ty Burrell (Mr. Unpronounceable wannabe anchor) was really a hoot - didn’t mind the drive-by style at all.
The clip of how Darling got fired, and then his monologue on the local show, were both hilarious. Did he actually say something like, “riding bareback, without protection”? :eek:
I liked it. I’m willing to watch it and see if Chuck and Kelly develop a close relationship, and if Kelly’s daughter is made aware of the truth. It was a good solid pilot, aided by director James Burrows, a masterful veteran comedy director. And since Burrows is also an executive producer, it’s good to see his name attached to this show long-term.
I saw it, and enjoyed it – as someone above said, it felt comfortable, rather than ground-breaking. But I’ve always like Kelsey Grammer (or at least, the character of Frasier Crane – they’re indistinguishable in my mind).
The drive-by snarks were my least-favorite moments, even if they could happen in real-life.
I was pleased that they picked up on two local news idiosyncracies that have always struck me: the overly pronunciated Hispanic names (Herrrrrrrrerrrrrra), and the stupidity of putting a reporter in front of an empty building where something happened 8 hours earlier.
He was part of the C-B-C group. You’re probably confusing him with John Charles Walters, the fictional producer of Taxi. (“Good night, Mr. Walters!” “Eeeh…”) On a related note, the Christopher Lloyd who co-created this series is not the same one who starred in Taxi (although, coincidentially, that other Christopher Lloyd did appear in Stacked, co-creator Stephen Levitan’s previous sitcom.)
I enjoyed this show. The first episode was a little “eeh,” but that’s because they had to set up the plot. Now that it’s out of the way, they’ll probably go more for humor. Kelsey Grammar was good in his role, as were Fred Willard, whoever played the producer, and Laura Morano. Her character, the daughter, seems to take more after Grammar, which may be a good source of humor. (The producers picked Morano after seeing her on an episode of The Sarah Silverman Program., not realizing at the time she was already on a Fox series, Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?). I liked the scene where Chuck (Grammar’s character) gave his welcome-back speech which was filled with double entendres to the big secret that he just learned about.
I liked it - pretty much what I expected, but with the dearth of sitcoms, better than most out there.
The one character I hate is that actor who plays the wannabe anchor - he was on a recently failed sitcom with the family of doctors and I think he is one of the worst actors on television today. (Actually, he is in third place, following that idiot who stars on The 4400 and the other no-talent star of Law & Order: CI)
But I will continue to watch - I like the other actors in the show, and Fred Willard is always great.
He’s most commonly associated with The Bob Newhart Show, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Taxi, Cheers (which he co-created), Frazier, Wings, and NewsRadio (which gives me high hopes for this show ). He also directed all 194 episodes of Will and Grace, which is a record for most episodes by a director in one series. The man has an amazing track record.
The daughter angle, I hope, will play out in the next episode. Keeping that a secret for too long would be cruel to both father and child and the audience will not sympathize.
I like that Heaton is not a shrew this time around. But since she is quite tart in person, and sarcastic about her real marriage, I think that side of her will reemerge as the writers have to deal with her.
[hijack]did you see her in the remake of the Goodbye Girl (or was that Patricia Richardson - I get them confused) Which ever, she was awful in that[/hijack]
I agree, the shrewishness of her last sitcom character was grating to say the least. I often wondered if a) the character actually loved her husband and b) WTF the husband saw in her.
(In some of the James Burrows sitcoms, there’s a character that’s often mentioned but never seen…Lars in MTM, Carlton in Rhoda, Vera in Cheers, and Maris in Frazier(and I’m probably missing some)).
). He also directed all 194 episodes of Will and Grace, which is a record for most episodes by a director in one series. The man has an amazing track record.