Wednesday, October 29, 2014

CBS Fall Pilot Review: The McCarthys - Premieres Thursday, Oct. 30; TBS Orders Comedy Pilot from Daily Show Producers

The McCarthys

The McCarthys - Thursdays at 9:30PM ET/PT on CBS
Premieres Thursday, October 30, 2014 at 9:30PM ET/PT


by Pavan

The McCarthys is a multi-camera comedy about a close-knit, sports-crazed Boston family whose somewhat athletically challenged son, Ronny, is chosen by his father to be his assistant high school basketball coach, much to the surprise of his more qualified siblings. Ronny wants nothing more than to move away, join the singles scene and find a partner. His distraught mother, Marjorie is not upset that her favorite son is gay, but that he wants to leave Boston and his family. Ronny's plans change, however, when his politically incorrect and outspoken father, Arthur stuns everyone with his choice for an assistant. Touched by his father's offer, Ronny embarks on a completely different future – and he can be sure that his loving family, including his twin brothers Sean and Gerard and his sister Jackie, are going to have a very vocal opinion about it.

Cast Details:

Tyler Ritter as Ronny McCarthy
Joey McIntyre as Gerard McCarthy
Jimmy Dunn as Sean McCarthy
Kelen Coleman as Jackie McCarthy
Jack McGee as Arthur McCarthy
Laurie Metcalf as Marjorie McCarthy

Tyler Ritter (Ronny) is the son of comedy legend John Ritter and is a Los Angeles native who made his acting debut in 1994 on the PBS show Storytime. After performing in various student films and plays throughout high school and college, he left Hollywood to become a teacher in Argentina. Three years later, he married Argentinian director Lelia Parma and moved back home to California to continue his career as an actor. Ritter's television credits include guest-starring roles in Modern Family and Grey's Anatomy. He appeared in the feature films Good Dick and the upcoming Christmas in Balsam Falls, due out in Dec. 2014.

Joey McIntyre (Gerard) is best known for his work as a member of New Kids on the Block. Together for more than 20 years, the band continues to perform in venues around the world. McIntyre he has released six CDs as a solo artist. McIntyre has made a name for himself in TV and film, as well, starting out with a 17-episode arc in Boston Public. Additional television credits include CSI: NY and Psych. On the big screen he appeared opposite Josh Duhamel in Garry Marshall's New Year's Eve and The Heat.

Jimmy Dunn (Sean) is one of America's hottest stand-up comedians, performing at top venues across the U.S., including New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Atlantic City and his hometown, Boston. He was a featured performer at last summer's Montreal "Just For Laughs" Comedy Festival. Dunn's television credits include Jimmy Kimmel Live! as the Boston Correspondent for the historic Red Sox-Yankees series. He has also appeared on Comedy Central, CMT and New England Sports Network (NESN), where he hosted the shows Fan Attic and Sox Appeal. His feature film credits include Stuck on You and Mint Condition.

Kelen Coleman (Jackie) is most recognizable for her recurring roles in The Newsroom, The Office and The Mindy Project. Additional television credits include guest-starring roles in Men at Work and Hart of Dixie. She recently finished shooting two independent films, Flock Of Dudes and The Night is Young, and is working on a film with Kal Penn and Abby Elliott in New York City in summer 2014.

Jack McGee (Arthur) made his acting debut in the 1985 feature film, Turk 182. On television, he starred as Chief Jerry Reilly in the firefighter drama, Rescue Me. Additional television credits include Hawaii Five-0, CSI: NY, CSI: Miami, Criminal Minds, all for CBS, Common Law, Up All Night, Players, Drop Dead Diva, Rizzoli & Isles and Castle. McGee's additional feature film credits include the critically acclaimed The Fighter, opposite Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale and Melissa Leo, Moneyball, Gangster Squad, New Year's Eve, The International, Drive Angry and 21, among many others.

Laurie Metcalf (Marjorie) is a versatile actress who has appeared on television, in film and on Broadway. Currently, she recurs as Sheldon Cooper's mother, Mary Cooper, on the hit comedy The Big Bang Theory and stars in the series Getting On. Metcalf won three Emmy Awards for her role as Jackie Harris on Roseanne, which aired for nine seasons. Additional television credits include guest-starring appearances in Norm, Frasier, Monk, Desperate Housewives, and many others. Her feature film credits include Leaving Las Vegas, JFK, Internal Affairs, Uncle Buck, Desperately Seeking Susan, Making Mr. Right, Scream 2, Toy Story and Bulworth.

Pilot Plot:

"Pilot" (airs Thursday, October 30 at 9:30PM ET/PT)

When Ronny considers moving away from his close-knit, sports-crazed family, his father surprises everyone when he offers him a job as his assistant basketball coach. Written by Brian Gallivan. Directed by Andy Ackerman. Guest starring Ken Howard, Miguel Najera, Jeff Hiller, Gregory Smith, Rayna Tharani, Bill Parks, Jon Barinholtz and Noelle Messier.

Analysis:

This is a new family sitcom about grown-up children and it's funny. The McCarthy family is Irish and live in Boston and they are really close...the children live in different houses but they're on the same street. They are your typical Boston family and love sports, Dunkin Donuts and beer. The youngest son, Ronny (played by Tyler Ritter), is the most different one of the bunch. He is gay and doesn't know a thing about sports. He relates more to his mother and loves The Good Wife and Kyra Sedgwick from The Closer. Ritter is the youngest son of the legendary John Ritter and his mannerisms and style are spot on to John's. He looks exactly how John did on Three's Company as Jack Tripper, except on this show Ronny is actually gay and Jack was pretending to be gay.

The basic premise of the pilot is that Ronny is thinking about moving to Providence to find himself and to start his life. The family doesn't want that to happen and is persuading him to stay. That causes a lot of fun. The mother, played by Laurie Metcalf, is very funny. She has one-liners that will make you hoot. The rest of the family it will take an episode or two after the pilot to get used to. Right now the draws of the show are Ritter and Meltcalf. However, once this show is a few episodes in, this will be a great family to watch. The twins, who look nothing alike, will bounce off each other well. The father is your typical Irish father, but he has a lot of heart it seems. And Ronny's brother Gerard and sister Jackie have a bit more o play with in the pilot than the twins, especially Jackie, who reveals a secret at the end of the pilot. And the reveal is revealed hysterically.

Conclusion:

This is a good show and has a lot of potential. Ritter will be a breakout star. He is funny and this is his vehicle even though it may be a family ensemble. He's following in the footsteps of his dad and older brother Jason, who has excelled in TV as well, especially in drama (Parenthood, Joan of Arcadia, etc). Laurie Metcalf who is always hilarious once again shines here and has great chemistry with Ritter. The rest of the family's chemistry will come as we see more episodes, but the Ronny/Marjorie (son/daughter) chemistry is clearly seen in the pilot.

The series will follow the last season of Two and a Half Men. I'm not sure if this is the best timeslot for the show, as perhaps it would have been better suited after Big Bang. In any case, the series will definitely be sampled, but let's hope it doesn't disappoint as The Millers, which is bouncing around the CBS schedule. This is perhaps one of the best comedy pilots of the fall. I think black-ish might be a tad better, but that show has gone on another level after its pilot, so perhaps this show will as well. The McCarthys are funny and familiar...and that's what viewers will want to see. Tyler Ritter is a breakout star and you're going to laugh with this family each week.

Final Numbers (out of 5 stars):

Watchability: 3.5/5
Funniness: 3.5/5
Overall: 3.5/5

Discuss the show after you watch it on Thursday, October 30, 2014 at 9:30PM ET/PT on our message board.

Related Links:

  • CBS.com Official Site
  • TV.com
  • epguides.com
  • Internet Movie Database
  • Wikipedia
  • The McCarthys Photo Gallery

    Preview:






  • TBS

    TBS has ordered a new scripted comedy pilot from The Daily Show's Jason Jones & Samantha Bee. Jason Jones is set to star in the pilot, which is inspired by his and Samantha Bee's own experiences with family getaways. The pilot is being produced by TBS, with a script by Jones and Bee. The comedy series will follow a family as they take a road trip to Key West. Jason Jones is set to play hopeful dad Nate, who hops in the car with his wife and two young kids for a 24-hour adventure to the Keys. This comedy will prove that no matter how much close proximity can lead a family to get on each other's nerves, precarious situations and interactions with strangers can bring them together again. Should this project get a series greenlight, plans call for each season of the show to chronicle a different trip.


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