Thursday, February 06, 2020

NBC Mid-Season Pilot Review: Indebted - Premieres Tonight (Feb. 6); HBO Runs with New Comedy

Indebted


Indebted - Thursdays at 9:30PM ET/PT on NBC
Premieres Thursday, February 6, 2020 at 9:30PM ET/PT


by Todd

Young parents Dave and Rebecca are ready to reclaim their life after years of diapers and sleepless nights. However, things take an unexpected turn when Dave’s parents show up unannounced and broke, leaving Dave with no choice but to open the door to the two people who gave him everything. But these boomerang parents aren't great with boundaries and the question of who's parenting who quickly becomes blurred.

Cast Details:

Fran Drescher as Debbie
Abby Elliott as Rebecca
Adam Pally as Dave
Jessy Hodges as Joanna
Steven Weber as Stew

Fran Drescher (Debbie) is best known for her role as Fran Fine in The Nanny. She received two Emmy and two Golden Globe Award nominations for the role. She created, executive produced and starred on the TV Land sitcom Happily Divorced, which was inspired by her real-life relationship with her gay ex-husband, Peter Marc Jacobson. Her other sitcom starring roles include Living with Fran and Princesses.

Abby Elliott (Rebecca) is best known for being a cast member on Saturday Night Live for four seasons from 2008 to 2012. She starred as Brooke Von-Weber in the Bravo sitcom Odd Mom Out. She appeared as Jeanette Peterson in five episodes of How I Met Your Mother.

Adam Pally (Dave) is known for his roles as Max Blum in Happy Endings and as Dr. Peter Prentice in The Mindy Project. His other sitcom roles include Champaign ILL and Making History.

Jessy Hodges (Joanna) is best known as the role of Sophie Parker in the web series Anyone But Me. Some of her sitcom credits include Enlisted, Mike & Molly and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

Steven Weber (Stew) is best known for his long-running role as Brian Hackett in NBC's Wings. He starred as Jack Nagle in Cursed (aka The Weber Show). Some of his sitcom guest appearances include Mom, Ballers, 2 Broke Girls and Will & Grace.

Pilot Plot:

"Everybody's Talking About the Pilot" (Airs Thursday, February 6 at 9:30PM ET)

Young parents Dave and Rebecca end up having to take care of Dave's parents who have mishandled their finances and need help to pay down a sizable debt.
Guest Stars: Asif Ali as Ravi, Anders Garrett as Asher, Margaux Heck as Hazel, Amanda Summer

Analysis:

Indebted is a multi-camera sitcom. It's a co-production between by Sony Pictures Television and Universal Television in association with Doug Robinson Productions. Dan Levy, who created the show, will write and executive produce. Doug Robinson and David Guarascio will executive produce. Adam Pally will co-executive produce.

This is an entertaining and enjoyable pilot episode. There's a lot of rapid fire type humor and funny situations. The premise is a bit of a twist on a typical sitcom formula. It's usually the younger couple moving in with their parents. This time it's the broke parents moving in with their son and his family. Fran Drescher has one of the funniest and most memorable quotes when she says: "We're here. We're broke. Get used to it." Another memorable scene is when Debbie and Stew make a fundraising video for Facebook. They unknowingly record a video with Rebecca undressing in the background. The video later becomes a viral hit. Adam Pally and Abby Elliott are a funny couple as well. She has some funny bleeped out profanity lines in the first few episodes. She is the daughter of the always funny Chris Elliott, so she has some good comedy genes. She reminds me of Kaley Cuoco (Penny) from The Big Bang Theory. The trailer and promos have done a good job and highlighting some of the funniest moments.

They have put together a nice cast with sitcom veterans. The cast has some developed some good chemistry in the first few episodes. Fran Drescher and Steven Weber play the parents, Debbie and Stew. Their son, Dave (Adam Pally), is married to Rebecca (Abby Elliott). They have a son, Asher (Anders Garrett) and a daughter named Hazel (Margaux Heck). They have pretty minor roles in the Pilot, but the Asher character has a more prominent role in an upcoming episode that involves him being in a gifted program. Dave's sister is Joanna. She works at a pet grooming business and is looking for a relationship with another woman. Another character stopping by bringing some good laughs is Ravi (Asif Ali), a friend and co-worker of Dave. They work in the home renovation business.

Conclusion:

Fran Drescher makes a welcome return to primetime broadcast network television. It doesn't seem like it's been over 20 years since The Nanny ended. The studio audience gives her a warm welcome when she first appears on screen. She has aged gracefully and still has her recognizable nasal voice and laugh, but her accent is somewhat different. It's also nice to see Steven Weber back on NBC. He's been a steady presence on television in recent years, but this is his first sitcom starring role in a while. He looks a lot like Billy Crystal with his beard. The rest of the cast is solid with some comedy veterans and relative newcomers. The series has all of the ingredients to become a success. They have assembled a talented, funny and likable cast. The writing is funny and fresh with many topical, pop culture, movie and TV references. It will be interesting to see how the characters are developed in upcoming episodes.

NBC will have some holes to fill on their schedule in the fall with the The Good Place and Will & Grace ending. It's always nice to see another traditional multi-camera sitcom on the air. They seem to have made a comeback in recent seasons. Indebted is more of an adult oriented comedy with some of the bleeped out profanity and other adult situations, so I think they made a good decision to put it in a later timeslot. There's some good potential for it to become a dependable hit. Meet NBC's newest family on Thursday nights at 9:30pm ET/8:30pm CT.



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, February 6, 2020 at 9:30PM ET/PT on our message board.

Related Links:

  • NBC.com Official Site
  • epguides.com
  • Internet Movie Database
  • Wikipedia
  • Indebted Photo Gallery

    Preview:

  • Run

    Written and produced by Vicky Jones, HBO's new half-hour comedy series Run, debuting Sunday, April 12 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT, follows a woman whose humdrum life is thrown upside down when she receives a text from her college sweetheart inviting her to drop everything and meet him in New York to fulfill the pact they made 17 years earlier. The series will also be available on HBO NOW, HBO GO, HBO On Demand and partners' streaming platforms.

    Starring Emmy(R) winner Merritt Wever (Godless, Nurse Jackie) and Domhnall Gleeson (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Ex Machina), Run is a romantic comedic thriller about a woman, Ruby Richardson (Wever) who walks away from her ordinary life in the suburbs to revisit her past with her college boyfriend, Billy Johnson (Gleeson), with whom she made a pact 17 years prior that if either one of them texted the word "RUN" and the other replied with the same, they would drop everything and meet in Grand Central Station and travel across America together.

    Recurring guest stars for season one include Emmy(R), Golden Globe and SAG winner, Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag, Solo: A Star Wars Story) as Laurel, a woman who Ruby and Billy meet on their journey; Rich Sommer (Mad Men) as Laurence, Ruby's husband; Tamara Podemski (Coroner) as police detective Babe Cloud and Archie Panjabi (HBO's upcoming I Know This Much Is True, The Good Wife) as Fiona, Billy's former PA.


    Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

    Tuesday, February 25

    St. Denis Medical - "Some Famous Internet Guy" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
    When a famous musician's performance at the hospital is delayed, Joyce throws an impromptu talent show with the St. Denis staff; Alex attempts to connect with her daughter, Ella.

    Night Court - "Abracadabra Alaka-Dan" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
    Harry's old magician's assistant appears in the courthouse and puts Dan and Abby in a tough position; Gurgs, Flobert and Julianne are determined to fire up Wyatt's lukewarm life.

    Complete TV Listings


    Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of February 24)

    Tuesday, February 25

    • Kate Hudson (Running Point) - Catch Kate on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC. She also talks about Running Point on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am. Kate, Drew Tarver and Scott MacArthur will be on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
    • Jennifer Coolidge (2 Broke Girls/Joey) - Jennifer appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
    • Nick Kroll (Big Mouth/The League/Cavemen) - Nick is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
    • Britt Lower (Ghosted/Man Seeking Woman/Big Lake) - Britt appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
    • Kumail Nanjiani (Bless the Harts/Silicon Valley) - Kumail is a guest on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
    • Wendi McLendon-Covey (St. Denis Medical/The Goldbergs/Rules of Engagement/Reno 911!) - Wendi appears on Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
    • Jennifer Tilly (Out of Practice) - Jennifer stops by Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 3:30am on Bravo.
    • Keanu Reeves (Swedish Dicks) and Chris Pratt (Parks and Recreation) - E! News has interviews with Keanu and Chris at 11pm on E!.
    • Simu Liu (Kim's Convenience) - NBC's Today catches up with Simu in the 9am hour.
    • Jay Ellis (Running Point/Insecure/The Game) - Jay talks about Running Point on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
    • Chelsea Handler (Are You There, Chelsea?) - Chelsea talks about I'll Have What She's Having on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
    • Brenda Song (Running Point/Dollface/Dads/The Suite Life on Deck/The Suite Life of Zack & Cody) - Brenda discusses Running Point on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
    • Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/CafĂ© Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Valerie and Drew are talking all things moisturizers and hydration with board certified dermatologist and TikTok sensation Dr. Shereene Idriss on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
    • Phil Dunster (Surface) - Phil talks about the new season of Surface on Apple TV+ on Sherri, so check your local listings.


    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

    02/24 - Fox Renews Jay Pharoah Game Show; Leighton Meester to Guest Star on Nobody Wants This
    02/23 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of February 24, 2025)
    02/22 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Jury Duty Returning for New Season on Prime Video; New Spinoff of 9-1-1 in the Works
    02/21 - CBS Renews 9 Additional Series for 2025-26; Hulu Picks Up Paradise for Season 2
    02/20 - 31st Annual SAG Awards Pre-Show Hosts; Hulu's Ellen Pompeo Series Trailer Released
    02/19 - Hulu's Am I Being Unreasonable? Returns for Season 2; Apple TV+ New CG Animated Comedy Series
    02/18 - Cartoon Network's Iyanu Debuts April 5; Chelsea Handler: The Feeling Premieres March 25 on Netflix
    02/17 - Netflix Renews XO, Kitty for Season 3; The Pitt to Return on Max
    02/16 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of February 17, 2025)
    02/15 - SitcomsOnline Digest: CBS Sets Cast for Potential Backdoor Spinoff of The Neighborhood; Martha Stewart to Co-Host New NBC Cooking Competition
    02/14 - FX's Dying for Sex Premieres in April on Hulu; BET+ Announces Lil Kev, Adult Animated Comedy
    02/13 - Antenna TV and Rewind TV Celebrate Valentine's Day; The Handmaid's Tale Returns for Final Season
    02/12 - Official Trailer for Hulu's Deli Boys; Doctor Odyssey Returns with a 2-Part Event
    02/11 - Trailer for Shoresy Season 4; More Stars for SNL50: The Anniversary Special
    02/10 - First Ever SNL Episode This Saturday on NBC; FX Renews English Teacher for Season 2
    02/09 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of February 10, 2025)
    02/08 - SitcomsOnline Digest: English Teacher Renewed at FX; MeTV Toons to Launch House of Hanna-Barbera Programming Block
    02/07 - SNL50's Star-Studded Lineup; Adult Swim Presents Oh My God... Yes! A Series of Extremely Relatable Circumstances
    02/06 - Prime Video Iliza Shlesinger Special; Kate Hudson Stars in Netflix Comedy
    02/05 - Fox Midseason Tuesday Change; 2025 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game Rosters
    02/04 - NBC Summer Staples Return in Summer 2025; Gronk Guests on Animal Control
    02/03 - The Conners Final Season Premieres March 26; Tyler Perry Gets 2nd Comedy Series for Netflix
    02/02 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of February 3, 2025)
    02/01 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Little House on the Prairie Reboot Headed to Netflix; George Sr. Set to Return on Georgie and Mandy's First Marriage
    01/31 - Final Season of The Righteous Gemstones; Kenya Barris and Malcolm Gladwell's Audible Original
    01/30 - Netflix's New Little House on the Prairie Series Coming Soon; Sabrina Brier Gets Awesomeness TV Series
    01/29 - MGM+ Orders Comedy Series; Peacock's Amanda Seyfried Series Premieres March 13
    01/28 - Ellen Pompeo's Hulu Series Gets Premiere Date; The White Lotus Season 3 Launches February 16
    01/27 - Hulu's Deli Boys Adds Tan France; Joel McHale Taking Over The 1% Club
    01/26 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of January 27, 2025)
    01/25 - SitcomsOnline Digest: The Righteous Gemstones to End After Upcoming Season; Mid-Century Modern to Pay Tribute to Linda Lavin
    01/24 - Prime Video George Lopez Special; Netflix Renews The Lincoln Lawyer for Season 4