ABC Mid-Season Pilot Review: Notes from the Underbelly - Premieres April 12; More 'Fresh' This Weekend on Nick at Nite

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

ABC Mid-Season Pilot Review: Notes from the Underbelly - Premieres April 12; More 'Fresh' This Weekend on Nick at Nite

Notes from the Underbelly - Regular Airings Wednesdays at 8:30PM ET/PT on ABC
Premieres Thursday, April 12th at 10 and 10:30PM ET/PT

Director/producer Barry Sonnenfeld and producers Kim and Eric Tannenbaum ("Two and a Half Men") bring a comic take on life's greatest adventure -- parenthood. This ensemble comedy proves that surviving the politics of pregnancy and maintaining your relationships with family and friends can be just as demanding as raising a child.

Andrew (Peter Cambor) and Lauren (Jennifer Westfeldt, "Kissing Jessica Stein") have just found out they're going to have a baby, and they're having a difficult time following rule number one -- keeping it a secret. Suddenly switching to decaf, becoming a teetotaler at cocktail parties, and going to the OBGYN are all difficult to keep from family and close friends.

Surrounding Andrew and Lauren as they embark on their journey is a close-knit circle of friends -- all of whom have varying opinions, experience and advice on starting a family. Julie (Melanie Paxson) and Eric (Sunkrish Bala), also in the family way for the first time, are the overly excited, slightly obnoxious expectant parents that Andrew and Lauren never want to become. Lauren's best friend, Cooper (Rachael Harris), is a divorce attorney and career woman who is skeptical of marriage altogether, and will do her best to keep Lauren from becoming another member of the "mommy cult." Andrew's buddy, Danny (Michael Weaver), is an immature child in his own right, whose chief concern is meeting hot women. Can Andrew and Lauren juggle the freedom and spontaneity of their old lives and the responsibility of their new ones? Will they be able to straddle the worlds of their carefree single friends and the ever-changing world of their married ones?

Andrew will narrate each episode, giving his wry and often sarcastic interpretation of the events that are going on around him. Lauren may be getting the stretch marks, but Andrew has to pretend that he doesn't notice them. Through it all, Andrew and Lauren come to learn that what's best for the child could be the easiest part... maintaining your relationships with family and friends might be the real challenge.

Based on Risa Green's novel of the same name, "Notes from the Underbelly" was created by Stacy Traub ("Kitchen Confidential.") Traub, Barry Sonnenfeld, Kim Tannenbaum and Eric Tannenbaum serve as executive producers. The series is from The Tannenbaum Company, Hill Three Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television.

Cast: Jennifer Westfeldt as Lauren, Peter Cambor as Andrew, Michael Weaver as
Danny, Rachael Harris as Cooper, Melanie Paxson as Julie, and Sunkrish Bala as Eric

Read our review of the pilot and two other episodes here.

Discuss the show after you watch it on Thursday on our message board.

Related Links:

ABC.com Official Site

TV.com

epguides.com

Internet Movie Database

Wikipedia

Notes from the Underbelly Photo Gallery

Turning to the news, yes, it is that time of the week again where Nick at Nite announces that they have changed their regular weekend line-up for the coming weekend. This time it will be three days of Fresh Prince with very early morning airings of Cosby Show, Growing Pains, Full House and Murphy Brown. to see the schedule for these three days click HERE. Hope you all enjoy all this Fresh Prince they keep airing. No Roseanne at least this weekend.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Tuesday, March 21

Night Court - "Dan v. Dating" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
With Abby's encouragement, Dan attempts to venture back into the dating world, but reigniting his love life proves more complicated than anticipated; Gurgs and Olivia search for a new office and find something they weren't expecting.

American Auto - "Celebrity" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Payne loses their spokesperson, Katherine and the team go to great lengths to woo a new celebrity -- Andy Richter -- only to have second thoughts.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 20)

Tuesday, March 21

Julie Bowen (Modern Family/Ed) - Catch Julie on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Jamie Demetriou (The Afterparty/Miracle Workers) - Jamie is a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Jennifer Aniston (Friends/Muddling Through/Ferris Bueller/Molloy) - Jennifer appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Jane Fonda (Grace and Frankie) and Lily Tomlin (Grace and Frankie/Malibu Country) - Jane and Lily are guests on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Judd Hirsch (Taxi/Dear John/Superior Donuts) - Judd appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Brendan Hunt (Ted Lasso) - Brendan will be on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Nicole Byer (Grand Crew/Loosely Exactly Nicole) - Nicole is a guest on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Al Franken (LateLine) - Al guest hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
Alan Ruck (Spin City/Muscle/Going Places) - Alan is a guest on Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
Bryton James (Family Matters) - Bryton appears on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
Zach Braff (Scrubs/Alex, Inc.) - Zach is a guest on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
Miranda Cosgrove (iCarly/Crowded/Drake & Josh) - Miranda appears on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Rob Riggle (Rob Riggle's Ski Master Academy/Golan the Insatiable/Gary Unmarried) - Rob will be on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Toheeb Jimoh (Ted Lasso) - Toheeb talks about Ted Lasso on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
Yvette Nicole Brown (Act Your Age/The Odd Couple/Community/The Big House) - Yvette guest co-hosts Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Jameela Jamil (The Good Place) - NBC's Today catches up with Jameela in the 9am hour.