Tuesday, April 02, 2013

ABC Midseason Pilot Review: How to Live with Your Parents - Premieres April 3; Episodic Reviews: The New Normal - "Finding Name-O" and "The Big Day" Airing Tonight on NBC

How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life)

How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life) - Wednesdays at 9:30PM ET/PT on ABC
Premieres Wednesday, April 3, 2013 at 9:30PM ET/PT


by skees53

Polly (Sarah Chalke) is a single mom who has recently divorced. The transition hasn't been easy for her, especially in this economy. So, like a lot of young people living in this new reality, she and her daughter, Natalie (Rachel Eggleston), have moved back home with her eccentric parents, Elaine (two time Golden Globe® and Emmy® nominee Elizabeth Perkins) and Max (three time Emmy® winner Brad Garrett). But Polly and her parents look at life through different generational lenses. Polly (in contrast to how she was raised) aspires to be organized and together, while Max and Elaine live a more free-flowing, improvisational life-style. Polly wants to take it slow with new relationships, while her parents encourage her to be more sexually adventurous. Polly's co-worker and close friend, Jenn (Stephanie Hunt), also encourages her to jump right back into the dating world. Polly and her parents' views on parenting itself also conflict: Polly wants to be an involved modern parent, but Max and Elaine are laid back, hands-off parents from the 1970s. Polly believes children need to be sheltered and have structure and guidance, while Max and Elaine feel that children need the freedom to fall and pick themselves back up. After all, Polly turned out okay, so what's the big deal?

They say it takes a village to raise a child, but in Polly's case, this village is on fire, and although her ex-husband Julian's (Jon Dore) intentions are good, he doesn't exactly help extinguish the flames. But through figuring out how to live with her dysfunctional family, Polly realizes she might even be able to learn a few helpful things about herself.

Cast Details:
Sarah Chalke as Polly
Elizabeth Perkins as Elaine
Jon Dore as Julian
Rachel Eggleston as Natalie
Stephanie Hunt as Jenn
Brad Garrett as Max

Sarah Chalke (Polly) is best known for her role as Dr. Elliot Reid on the Emmy Award-winning ABC series Scrubs. The single-camera series was hailed as ground-breaking, as it deftly combined black humor and surreal interludes without diminishing the seriousness of life in a hospital. A native of Ottawa, Canada, she was raised in Vancouver and began appearing in local musical theatre productions when she was eight. A few years later she became an environmental reporter for the Canadian series Kid Zone. Her big break came in 1993 when she was cast as daughter Becky Conner on the ABC series Roseanne. Chalke recently starred on the CBS comedy Mad Love, opposite Jason Biggs and Judy Greer. She had a recurring role as Stella Zinmann on the Emmy Award-winning comedy series How I Met Your Mother and a guest arc on ABC's Cougar Town, teaming up again with her former Scrubs creator/writer, Bill Lawrence.

Elizabeth Perkins (Elaine) has been lucky enough to have a rather "eclectic" career, but perhaps her best known role was that of Celia Hodes on Weeds, which earned her 2006 and 2007 Golden Globe® nominations and 2006 and 2007 Emmy® nominations for Best Supporting Actress. She made her film debut in Ed Zwick's About Last Night..., but her breakthrough performance came in the Tom Hanks movie Big. Additionally, Perkins was (on the big screen, at least) married to Fred Flintstone as she played the role of Wilma Flintstone in the movie adaptation of The Flintstones.

Jon Dore (Julian) is known as the star of his own award-winning mockumentary series, The Jon Dore Television Show, documenting his hilarious and outrageous debates on life's challenges and changes, from weight loss to gender. The series ran for a successful two seasons on IFC and The Comedy Network in Canada. Dore also served as co-creator, co-producer and writer on the series, proving he is just as comfortable behind the camera. Renowned for his offbeat humor and unique bait-and-switch comedic style, Dore is a favorite on the comedy club and festival circuit. He has had sold-out runs at the Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal and Toronto, at the Washington (DC), Portland, Vancouver and Halifax festivals, and more recently at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee.

Rachel Eggleston (Natalie) is relatively new to TV, as she began her professional career in the fall of 2010. Off to a great start, she booked her second audition for a national commercial and has been working consistently ever since. She has appeared in many national commercials and had roles in a number of television sitcoms and dramas, including House M.D., The Mentalist, and Austin & Ally.

Stephanie Hunt (Jenn) is an actress and musician from Austin, Texas. After only a week of time off from the University of Texas, Hunt was cast as Devin Boland in the television hit series Friday Night Lights. In 2009 she starred in and co-wrote a film about Valentine's Day entitled Love & Tambourines, which premiered at the Austin Film Festival. Hunt also sings with the band Cowboy and Indian, which in 2011 played at the Austin City Limits Festival. In addition, she writes and performs songs on her own.

Brad Garrett (Max) was only 23 years old when he first appeared on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, making him one of the youngest comedians ever featured, but that certainly isn't what he is best known for. He is best known for his role as Robert Barone on the Emmy-winning series Everybody Loves Raymond, for which he won three individual Emmys. He starred as Jackie Gleason in the telefilm Gleason, which earned him both Emmy and Screen Actors Guild nominations. Additionally he starred on Broadway opposite Matthew Broderick in Neil Simon's The Odd Couple. Additionally, Garrett appeared in the starring role of Eddie Stark during the entire four season run of Fox's 'Til Death.

Pilot Plot:

"Pilot" (airs Wednesday, April 3 at 9:30PM ET/PT)

In the pilot episode for the series, recently divorced (and now single mother) Polly shows up on the doorstep of the last place in the world she'd ever hoped to be: the home of her mother, Elaine, and her stepfather, Max. It isn't that she'd hoped for things to turn out this way, but since she is raising a child while maintaining employment at a coffee shop, her options are pretty limited.

All would be fine with this arrangement if Elaine and Max were June and Ward Cleaver, but unfortunately for Polly (and even more so for Polly's daughter Natalie), they aren't. In fact, as we get to know them (particularly her grossly inappropriate mother Elaine, who has even had relations with a Chicago Bull... but can't remember which one), it seems amazing that she turned out as normal as she did. Compounding matters is Polly's ex-husband Julian, who just can't seem to go away, and seems to be around often enough to be part of the family.

After we're formally introduced to everybody, Polly is set to go on a date with a new boyfriend. But with a lack of other options, she is forced to leave her daughter with the people who could possibly be the worst babysitters ever, leading to a night full of chaos for everybody.

Analysis:

First and foremost, it is important to say that this wasn't a bad pilot. I really like the premise of the series, and it goes without saying that they've really put together an all-star cast that we all know from top-rated series in the past. But I do feel that there is something missing in the pilot.

I really do love all of the three main cast members. But as I was watching this pilot, I felt like I was watching the characters replay their roles from their most recent series. Watching Perkins felt too much like Celia from Weeds, watching Garrett felt like Eddie from 'Til Death, and watching Chalke even (oddly enough) felt like Elliot Reed from Scrubs (without J.D., of course). I liked those characters in those series, and I certainly feel that they all played those characters very well. But I was still hoping to see something a little new from them in this series. Not anything too dramatically different, but slightly different. This seems to be a big problem with a lot of sitcoms this season, that everybody wants to try to bring back the exact same characters from now canceled series (and we've seen a lot of our favorites end in recent years) in a new environment.

I also felt that the pilot episode itself was a bit too drawn out in introducing everybody and everything all at once. For example, I'm wondering if it was really necessary to bring in Julian (Polly's ex-husband) into the series for the first episode. I can understand making him an integral part of the series, but his role really didn't seem to be all that relevant to the pilot episode, and I can't understand why it was necessary to put him in so soon. It felt like he was really just there to prove to us that he existed, and nothing more.

Of course, it may seem like I'm just focusing on the negatives. But to reiterate, this wasn't a bad pilot, and there were some good moments in there. One of the things that I loved in the pilot was seeing the interactions between Polly's parents and Natalie. I'm so used to seeing sitcoms where the grandparents and the kids have such positive interactions, but the way that Natalie interacts with her own grandparents is mostly with a lot of terror and fear. In fact, Polly even anticipates these problems and tries to prepare Natalie as much as possible. Unfortunately for Natalie, the preparation isn't quite good enough.

Conclusion:

Even though I didn't come out all too impressed with the pilot, I still feel that the series is more than capable of improving as it progresses. Pilot episodes tend to be a bit misleading at times, as they're forced to bend over backwards to introduce us to the cast, characters, and plot, and since there was so much going on in this one, that took a bit longer than usual.

It is hard to really predict how successful this series will be. It will be airing in the time slot following the popular series Modern Family, but in the modern era of DVR and online streaming, that doesn't provide as much of a guarantee of success as it used to (and other shows airing in this slot have struggled). Still, I'm optimistically hopeful about this series, and I think that anybody watching this (myself included) should give it a few weeks before making a final decision on how good (or bad) it is.

Final Numbers (out of 5 stars):

Watchability: 4/5
Funniness: 3/5
Overall: 3.5/5

Discuss the show after you watch it on Wednesday, April 3, 2013 at 9:30PM ET/PT on our message board.

Related Links:
  • ABC.com Official Site
  • TV.com
  • epguides.com
  • Internet Movie Database
  • Wikipedia
  • How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life) Photo Gallery

    Preview:








  • On the next...The New Normal:
    By: Vincent NBC's Tuesday freshman comedy produced by Ryan Murphy airs Tuesday nights at 9:30pm and we have just watched the two-episode season finale that airs tonight (April 2). In the first episode airing tonight, "Finding Name-O," Bryan (Andrew Rannells) and David (Justin Bartha) are facing the hardest decision of their relationship, what to name their baby. The conflict prompts Goldie (Georgia King) to reveal the origin of Shania's (Bebe Wood) name leading to brief identity crises for both of them. Later, While breezing through their wedding planning, David suggests that Bryan invite his mother Colleen (guest star Mary Kay Place), but her added opinion leads to more conflict and an unusual resolution. Meanwhile, Clay (Jayson Blair) decides it's time to let Goldie know how he feels, after receiving some unsolicited advice from Brice (guest star John Stamos). In the season finale, "The Big Day," the wedding is finally here and despite all of the challenges that pop up throughout the day, Bryan (Andrew Rannells) and David (Justin Bartha) are dead set on getting married before the arrival of their baby, but their son has other plans.

    The New Normal's 2-episode finale deals with the long-awaited wedding of Bryan and David. The first airing, "Finding Name-O," centers around David convincing Bryan to invite his mother to the wedding, and the show nicely hits a lot of dramatic beats about the troubled relationship between the two. The broken bond between Bryan and his mother is believable and well-played by Andrew Rannells and guest star Mary Kay Place. The episode also does an interesting job of exploring the conflict between Bryan and David's relationship as they continuously argue over what to name their soon-to-be-born son. The episode's biggest problem is that it's light on laughs - the show hasn't quite found its comic rhythm and just isn't much of a laugh-out-loud comedy, which is a bit disappointing since the cast is very funny and talented. However, some good character work and solid acting makes this an enjoyable enough episode and a good set-up for the big wedding finale.



    Unfortunately, the big wedding itself (in "The Big Day") is a bit of a disappointment. For a show that claims to be all about breaking tradition, the wedding episode sticks to just about every "sitcom wedding" cliche in the book, making the finale far too predictable. The wedding also feels very rushed - the show crams an awful lot of plot into just a half-hour, so much that I have to wonder why they didn't make the actual wedding a two-part episode. The show's ratings have dropped considerably this spring, so the episode works very hard to tie up every loose end in case the show doesn't get a second season. While that's understandable, it makes the ending to the season's various storylines feel abrupt and unsatisfying, making for a disappointing season (and possibly series) finale. First episode: B-, Second episode: C


    Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

    Wednesday, January 22

    Shifting Gears - "Job" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
    Riley, desperate for work, reluctantly takes a job at Matt’s shop. Meanwhile, Gabriel and Stitch secretly stray from Matt’s vision on a high-stakes restomod project.

    Abbott Elementary - "Strike" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
    City buses have stopped running due to a strike, resulting in many students being absent from school. The teachers at Abbott try to find creative solutions and adapt to hybrid learning. Meanwhile, Gregory and O’Shon strike up a friendship.

    Complete TV Listings


    Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of January 20)

    Wednesday, January 22

    • Lucy Liu (Joey/Pearl) - Watch Lucy on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC. She also chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
    • Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
    • Utkarsh Ambudkar (Ghosts/White Famous), Betsy Sodaro (Ghosts/Duncanville/Disjointed/Animal Practice) and Punam Patel (Ghosts/Return of the Mac/Kevin from Work) - Utkarsh, Betsy and Punam are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
    • Morris Chestnut (Out All Night) - Morris talks about Watson on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am, on CBS Mornings Plus in the 9am hour, and on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
    • Andrew Rannells (Girls/The New Normal) and Nick Kroll (Big Mouth/The League/Cavemen) - Andrew, Nick and Lin-Manuel Miranda are chatting with Drew about their Broadway show All In: Comedy About Love on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings. They're also talking to Drew about parenting advice, how they were raised and how comedy brings people together.


    New on DVD and Blu-ray

    Veep - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series

    10/08 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Twelfth Season / The Complete Series
    10/22 - Veep - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
    11/05 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
    11/12 - The King of Queens - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (2024 Release)
    11/19 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fourteenth Season
    11/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 4 (Blu-ray)
    12/03 - Angel (1960-1961) - The Complete Series, Volume 1
    12/17 - Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (4K UHD)
    01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
    02/04 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
    02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series

    More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


    Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

    01/21 - Fox Renews Murder in a Small Town; O.J. Simpson Netflix Docuseries
    01/20 - Rewind TV February 2025 Schedule; Shifting Gears and Abbott Elementary Score Big for Premieres
    01/19 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of January 20, 2025)
    01/18 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Frasier Reboot Canceled at Paramount+; Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Coming to MeTV Toons
    01/17 - Remembering Bob Uecker of Mr. Belvedere, Punky Brewster Creator David W. Duclon, and Others We Recently Lost
    01/16 - Apple TV+ Prime Target Trailer; Apple Cider Vinegar Premieres in February on Netflix
    01/15 - My Three Sons to Join FETV Lineup Starting February 3; St. Denis Medical Renewed for Season 2
    01/14 - Game Show Network Acquires The Wall; NBC's The Hunting Party to Premiere After NFL Divisional Playoff Game
    01/13 - Antenna TV February 2025 Schedule; SNL First Two 2025 Episodes Before 50th Anniversary Event
    01/12 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of January 13, 2025)
    01/11 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Saturday Night Live Hosts Announced; The West Wing Returns to Max After Brief Disappearance
    01/10 - The Jeffersons 50th Anniversary Marathon on Antenna TV; FETV to Air Uncut Episodes of Most Series
    01/09 - Trailer for Apple TV+ Comedy Mythic Quest; Upcoming Season of Harlem Is Final Season
    01/08 - Roy Wood Jr. Comedy Special on Hulu; The Late Show Gets Post AFC Championship Game Airing
    01/07 - HGTV's Celebrity IOU New Season; Joey King and Cooper Koch to Announce 31st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards Nominations
    01/06 - 82nd Golden Globe Winners; Shoresy Returns in February on Hulu
    01/05 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of January 6, 2025)
    01/04 - SitcomsOnline Digest: HBO Cancels The Franchise; Alice Actress Linda Lavin Dies
    01/03 - Antenna TV Pays Tribute to Linda Lavin with Alice Marathon; Catchy Comedy Recreates Classic CBS Saturday Night Lineup from the 1970s
    01/02 - Abbott Elementary and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Crossover Event; The Night Agent Returns January 23 on Netflix
    01/01 - Happy New Year; Antenna TV's New Year's Day Fresh Start Marathon; ABC's Shifting Gears Official Trailer
    12/31 - In Memoriam: Remembering the Sitcom Stars We Lost in 2024
    12/30 - Remembering Linda Lavin of Alice; Hulu Releases Chad Powers Teaser
    12/29 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of December 30, 2024)
    12/28 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Cable Networks No Longer a Priority for Paramount; Paramount+ Removes Vintage Nickelodeon Series
    12/27 - Max Renews Creature Commandos for Season 2; Fox's Denis Leary Comedy Gets First Look
    12/26 - Cobra Kai Final Episodes in February on Netflix; HBO Slates 13th Bill Maher Comedy Special
    12/25 - Merry Christmas from Sitcoms Online; The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Coming to DVD in February
    12/24 - 2024 Christmas Eve and Christmas Day TV Marathons
    12/23 - Christmas Con Celebrates 5 Year Anniversary; Deli Boys Premieres in March on Hulu
    12/22 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of December 23, 2024)
    12/21 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Creative Team Put in Place for Big Bang Theory Spinoff; Girls5eva Canceled at Netflix