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 / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Wednesday, February 25

Scrubs - "My Return" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
John “J.D.” Dorian unexpectedly finds himself back at Sacred Heart, reuniting him with new and old faces.

Scrubs - "My 2nd First Day" (ABC, 8:32PM ET/PT)
J.D. navigates a new normal, while Elliot and Turk clash over the budget.

Scrubs - "My Return" (ABC, 9:58PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
John “J.D.” Dorian unexpectedly finds himself back at Sacred Heart, reuniting him with new and old faces.

Scrubs - "My 2nd First Day" (ABC, 10:31PM ET/PT)
J.D. navigates a new normal, while Elliot and Turk clash over the budget.

Tyler Perry's House of Payne - "Don't Grow Weary" (BET, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Calvin is pulled from each direction as he struggles to balance work and family. Ella must face a puzzling conclusion.

Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "Mighty in Battle" (BET, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Vinny has the entire assisted living facility reeking of his special batch of baked goods.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of February 23)

Wednesday, February 25

Jason Bateman (Arrested Development/The Hogan Family/It's Your Move/Silver Spoons) - Watch Jason on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Jackson White (Mrs. Fletcher) - Jackson is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Bradley Whitford (Perfect Harmony/Trophy Wife) - Bradley appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Ahmed Ahmed (Sullivan & Son) and Rondell Sheridan (Raven's Home/Cory in the House/That's So Raven/Cousin Skeeter/Minor Adjustments) - Ahmed and Rondell are guests on Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen at 12:37am on CBS.
Piper Curda (I Didn't Do It) and Bobby Moynihan (Mr. Mayor/Me, Myself & I) - Piper and Bobby talk about Hoppers on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
Ted McGinley (Shrinking/Hope & Faith/Married with Children/Happy Days) - Ted talks about Shrinking on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
Michael Urie (Shrinking/Krapopolis/Partners) - Michael talks about Shrinking on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Wanda Sykes (The Upshaws/The New Adventures of Old Christine/Wanda at Large) - Wanda tells Sherri about her new film Undercard on Sherri, so check your local listings.
Michael Douglas (The Kominsky Method) - The Drew Barrymore Show has a little extra with father-son duo Michael and Cameron Douglas, so check your local listings.
Halle Berry (Living Dolls) - The Drew Barrymore Show A Little Bit Extra with Drew, Halle Berry and Kristina Zias who are celebrating aging helping a viewer over 50 achieve a glow up look, so check your local listings.
Melissa Peterman (Happy's Place/Young Sheldon/Baby Daddy/Working Class/Reba) - Melissa talksa about Happy's Place on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Brenda Song (Running Point/Dollface/Dads/The Suite Life on Deck/The Suite Life of Zack & Cody) - Brenda talks about her film Operation Taco Gary on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.