Showing posts with label Friends with Better Lives. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Friends with Better Lives. Show all posts
Friday, February 13, 2026
Remembering James Van Der Beek of Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23; The Way Home Returns for Final Season in April on Hallmark
Actor James Van Der Beek, who played a fictionalized version of himself on Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23, has died. He died on February 11 in Austin, Texas, after a multi-year battle with colorectal cancer. Mr. Van Der Beek was only 48.
Van Der Beek's first television credit was as Paulie, a boy whom Clarissa (Melissa Joan Hart) attracts as her punk alter-ego Jade, in a 1993 episode of the Nickelodeon sitcom Clarissa Explains It All. He appeared as Stephen Anderson in three episodes of the CBS soap opera As the World Turns in 1995. He guest starred as Ethan in a 1996 episode of the ABC sitcom Aliens in the Family.
He starred as Dawson Leery in the 1998-2003 The WB teen drama Dawson's Creek. The series, which aired for six seasons, is about the lives of a close-knit group of friends in the fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts, beginning in high school and continuing into college. Dawson Leery is an introspective 15-year-old who aspires to be a filmmaker just like his hero Steven Spielberg. Throughout the series he has romantic relationships with his childhood friend Joey Potter (Katie Holmes) and his neighbor Jen Lindley (Michelle Williams).
Van Der Beek played a fictionalized version of himself on the 2012-2013 ABC sitcom Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 (also known as Apartment 23). Krysten Ritter stars as Chloe, an irresponsible party girl who searches for roommates by asking for rent up front and then behaving outrageously until they leave. He is a close friend of Chloe's who is desperate to revitalize his dwindling acting career. The cast included Dreama Walker, Liza Lapira, Michael Blaiklock, Eric André, and Ray Ford.
He starred as Will Stokes in the short-lived 2014 CBS sitcom Friends with Better Lives. The series follows six people who all think their friends have better lives. Will Stokes is a gynecologist who returns to the bachelor life after learning of his wife's infidelity. The series also starred Majandra Delfino, Zoe Lister-Jones, Brooklyn Decker, Rick Donald, and Kevin Connolly.
Van Der Beek had a recurring role as Simon Tremblay, one of Robin Scherbatsky's (Cobie Smulders) former boyfriends, in three episodes of How I Met Your Mother in 2008 and 2013. In 2017, he guest starred as Bo Johnson in an episode of Modern Family. He appeared as Charlie in two episodes of the Prime Video comedy Overcompensating in 2025.
In 2026, he will posthumously appear as Dean Wilson in the Legally Blonde prequel television series Elle. The Prime Video comedy series explores the high school years of teenage Elle Woods (originally portrayed by Reese Witherspoon), set to be portrayed by newcomer Lexi Minetree. Elle is scheduled to premiere on July 1, 2026.
He had a recurring role as Dr. Joe Briggs, the new Chief of the ICU, in 11 episodes of the NBC medical drama Mercy in 2010. He starred as Senior Field Agent Elijah Mundo in the 2015-2016 CBS police procedural drama CSI: Cyber. In 2018, he starred as Matt Bromley, Stan's (Evan Peters) kingpin boss, in the first season of the FX drama Pose. He voiced Boris Hauntley in the 2017-2021 Disney Junior animated series Vampirina.
Some of his other television guest appearances included Criminal Minds (2 episodes), Ugly Betty, One Tree Hill (4 episodes), Medium, The Forgotten, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Franklin & Bash, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Walker. He hosted Saturday Night Live on January 16, 1999. He was a contestant in the 28th season of Dancing with the Stars in 2019.
He starred as Jonathon "Mox" Moxon in the 1999 coming-of-age sports comedy-drama film Varsity Blues. In 2002, he portrayed Sean Bateman (younger brother of American Psycho protagonist Patrick Bateman) in Roger Avary's film adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis's The Rules of Attraction. Some of his other film credits included Angus (1995), Texas Rangers (2001), Formosa Betrayed (2009), Labor Day (2013), and Bad Hair (2020).
Mr. Van Der Beek was a talented and versatile actor. He was funny and memorable playing a fictionalizd version of himself on Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23. He had great comedic timing and was a scene stealer. We thank him for the laughs and entertainment that he brought us during his career. He will be greatly missed.
Share your memories on our Dawson's Creek and Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 message boards. View photos in our galleries
We also remember actor Charles C. Stevenson Jr., who played the bartender Smitty on Will & Grace. He died on January 19 of natural causes in Camarillo, California. Mr. Stevenson Jr. was 95.
Stevenson Jr. had a recurring role as Smitty in 12 episodes of the NBC sitcom Will & Grace from 2002 to 2006 and the revival from 2017 to 2020. Smitty is a bartender who regularly serves Karen (Megan Mullally) at different establishments.
Some of his other sitcom appearances included Cheers, Dream On, Designing Women, Parker Lewis Can't Lose, The Jackie Thomas Show (3 episodes), Empty Nest, Hope & Gloria, Women of the House, The John Larroquette Show, Sister, Sister (1996), NewsRadio, Family Matters, Ellen, 3rd Rock from the Sun, For Your Love, The Jamie Foxx Show, Malibu, CA (1999), Everybody Loves Raymond, Boy Meets World, Spin City, Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place, Suddenly Susan (2 episodes), The Drew Carey Show (2 episodes), Scrubs, Less Than Perfect, Andy Richter Controls the Universe, Rodney, My Wife and Kids, According to Jim, Out of Practice, Curb Your Enthusiasm, My Name Is Earl, Samantha Who?, The Office, Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23, The Middle (2 episodes), Instant Mom, Dads, and Bad Judge.
Mr. Stevenson Jr. appeared in more than 100 television series and films over his decades-long career. He was cast as reverends or ministers on screen so often that it prompted him to describe his job as mainly "marrying or burying people". We thank him for his work on television and in films. He will be sorely missed.
Fans of Hallmark Channel's critically acclaimed, hit series The Way Home get to jump back into the pond for more twists and turns of the Landry family's journey continues. The fourth and final season premieres on the network Sunday, April 19 (9:00 p.m. ET/PT), streams next day on Hallmark+.
Series stars Andie MacDowell (Maid, Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove), Chyler Leigh (Supergirl, Grey's Anatomy), Evan Willams (Blonde, Versailles), Sadie Laflamme-Snow (The Apprentice) and Spencer MacPherson (School Spirits) all reprise their roles, as do Julia Tomasone (Ghostwriter), Jordan Doww (Ganymede) and Devin Cecchetto (The Parker Andersons/Amelia Parker), who joined the cast last season. With the Landry family's time travels taking them to 1925 in season four comes the introduction of Bianca Melchior (Wicked, Schmigadoon!) as young Fern Landry as well as Hallmark fan favorites Gabriel Hogan (Hannah Swensen Mysteries) as Grayson Goodwin and Dan Jeannotte (All I Need for Christmas, Good Witch) as Port Haven's new Temperance Inspector Cliff Kane.
New journeys and revelations await the Landry family across generations. At the beginning of season four, Alice (Laflamme-Snow) is about to graduate high school, Kat (Leigh) and Elliot (Williams) dream of the next steps for their relationship while Del (MacDowell) realizes she will soon be an empty-nester again. But Del, Kat, Alice and Elliot should know by now that no matter how hard they try to focus on the future, the past is never gone. As more mysteries are unearthed, the Port Haven of the past and the Landry family of generations before might just contain the answers they seek.
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
NBC Summer Pilot Review: Undateable - Premieres Thursday, May 29; CBS Pulls Friends with Better Lives, Bad Teacher Burn-Off
Undateable - Thursdays at 9:00PM & 9:30PM ET/PT on NBC
Premieres Thursday, May 29, 2014 at 9:00PM ET/PT
by Vincent
Danny Burton (Chris D'Elia, Whitney) decides to help out his new roommate, Justin Kearney (comedian Brent Morin), the owner of an unsuccessful bar and a chronic over-thinker, and Justin's group of oddball friends - Shelly (comedian Ron Funches), Burski (comedian Rick Glassman) and Brett (David Fynn, Game of Thrones) in their attempts to cease being "undateable" and finally make something out of their love lives.
Cast Details:
Chris D'Elia as Danny
Brent Morin as Justin
Bianca Kajlich as Leslie
David Flynn as Brett
Rick Glassman as Burski
Ron Funches as Shelly
Chris D'Elia (Danny) is a stand-up comedian known for his Comedy Central stand-up special White Male Black Comic. He was also the lead actor on Whitney and has appeared in shows such as American Dreams, Monk, and Workaholics.
Brent Morin (Justin) is an improve and stand-up comic whose work has appeared on The Comedy Store, The Imrpov, and Laugh Factory.
Bianca Kajilch (Leslie) is best known for her role as Jennifer on the long-running CBS series Rules of Engagement. She has also appeared in shows such as Dawson's Creek, Vanished, and Psych.
David Flynn (Brett) has appeared on a variety of British television shows, including Sherlock, Black Mirror, and Big Band World. He has also guest starred on Game of Thrones.
Rick Glassman (Burski) has appeared in the comedy shorts Macc's Law and A Night with Rachel Starr and Rachel Roxxx.
Ron Funches (Shelly) has appeared in guest roles on many shows, including Bob's Burgers, Kroll Show, Enlisted, New Girl, and Portlandia.
Final Numbers (out of 5 stars):
Watchability: 2/5
Funniness: 1.5/5
Overall: 1.5/5
Discuss the show after you watch it on Thursday, May 29, 2014 at 9:00PM & 9:30PM ET/PT on our message board.
Related Links:
NBC.com Official Site
TV.com
epguides.com
Internet Movie Database
Wikipedia
Undateable Photo Gallery
Preview:
Brent Morin as Justin
Bianca Kajlich as Leslie
David Flynn as Brett
Rick Glassman as Burski
Ron Funches as Shelly
Chris D'Elia (Danny) is a stand-up comedian known for his Comedy Central stand-up special White Male Black Comic. He was also the lead actor on Whitney and has appeared in shows such as American Dreams, Monk, and Workaholics.
Brent Morin (Justin) is an improve and stand-up comic whose work has appeared on The Comedy Store, The Imrpov, and Laugh Factory.
Bianca Kajilch (Leslie) is best known for her role as Jennifer on the long-running CBS series Rules of Engagement. She has also appeared in shows such as Dawson's Creek, Vanished, and Psych.
David Flynn (Brett) has appeared on a variety of British television shows, including Sherlock, Black Mirror, and Big Band World. He has also guest starred on Game of Thrones.
Rick Glassman (Burski) has appeared in the comedy shorts Macc's Law and A Night with Rachel Starr and Rachel Roxxx.
Ron Funches (Shelly) has appeared in guest roles on many shows, including Bob's Burgers, Kroll Show, Enlisted, New Girl, and Portlandia.
Pilot Plot:
"Pilot" (Thursday, May 29 at 9:00PM ET/PT)
When confident slacker Danny Burton takes Justin on as a roommate, Danny unwittingly inherits Justin's group of romantically challenged friends. Seeing himself as the ultimate player, Danny decides to teach them everything he knows about "the game of love."
Analysis:
For a long time, summer television was the place where shows that weren't good enough to air during the regular season go to have their episodes burned off and their contracts fulfilled before they're banished to the TV archives and completely forgotten about. That isn't necessarily the case anymore – there are plenty of reality shows and drama series that successfully air in the summer and are considerable hits for their networks, from So You Think You Can Dance on Fox to Under the Dome on CBS to America's Got Talent on NBC. Cable networks also generally follow a year-round schedule - acclaimed series like Mad Men and Breaking Bad aired many of their episodes in the summer, and successful comedies such as It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Louie began their runs in the summer. And yet, summer still remains a dead zone when it comes to broadcast sitcom. If a network TV sitcom is premiering in the summer, it means that at some point between last years' Upfronts and now, the network looked at it, said "wait, why did we pick this up again?," and sent it off to summer, where it could die with minimal promotion and little harm. Most of these burn-off sitcoms are shows that seem to have potential but have some glaring flaws that hinder them from having any real shot as success. Sometimes, you get an intriguing oddball (such as last year's Save Me) and sometimes you get a surprise success (such as Seinfeld, which started as a summer burn-off but wound up taking off and becoming a huge hit). But for the most part, these shows muster up nothing but a "meh."
Undateable is a "meh" at best, and at worst, it's a completely unappealing failure that follows generic sitcom molds to so much of a tee that it feels like an unintentional throwback to shows of twenty years ago. In fact, Undateable truly does have the feel of a B-level sitcom NBC might throw after Friends or Seinfeld in the '90s. It's chock full of tired stereotypes and outdated gender roles, as the entire premise of the show essentially boils down to "hey, come watch these stupid losers try to get laid!." It's an ancient chestnut of a premise that somehow manages to marginalize both men and women – but especially women, who rarely get to be more than objects for the guys to gawk at. Perhaps some of this could be excused if the show was funny, but the "jokes" hardly feel like jokes – more like (as Parks and Recreations' Perd Hapley would put it) lines that have the cadence of jokes but fail to involve any sense of humor at all, feeling that sounding like a joke should be enough.
To be fair, there are a few redeeming aspects to this show. The best scenes, by far, involve Leslie's sister Danny attempting to get him to change his ways and point out that he needs to grow up at some point. They offer a self-awareness the show otherwise lacks, a realization that Danny is a pretty terrible person even if he happens to get laid a lot. But by having him "teach" the other guys how to be "dateable," the show sends mixed messages as to whether we should be supporting or condemning his behavior, thus making the "redemption" scenes with his sister kind of irrelevant. Additionally, it's hopeful to see the shows' portrayal of gay men is far less stereotypical than its portrayal of straight men – Brett is by far the person on the show who most resembles a real human being, and his sexuality doesn't define him like it does too many gay characters on television. But those minor accomplishments aren't enough to shake the feeling that Undateable is a show made almost like it realizes it's going to be a summer burn-off, occasionally hitting the right notes but mostly just content to stay flat.
Conclusion:"Pilot" (Thursday, May 29 at 9:00PM ET/PT)
When confident slacker Danny Burton takes Justin on as a roommate, Danny unwittingly inherits Justin's group of romantically challenged friends. Seeing himself as the ultimate player, Danny decides to teach them everything he knows about "the game of love."
Analysis:
For a long time, summer television was the place where shows that weren't good enough to air during the regular season go to have their episodes burned off and their contracts fulfilled before they're banished to the TV archives and completely forgotten about. That isn't necessarily the case anymore – there are plenty of reality shows and drama series that successfully air in the summer and are considerable hits for their networks, from So You Think You Can Dance on Fox to Under the Dome on CBS to America's Got Talent on NBC. Cable networks also generally follow a year-round schedule - acclaimed series like Mad Men and Breaking Bad aired many of their episodes in the summer, and successful comedies such as It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Louie began their runs in the summer. And yet, summer still remains a dead zone when it comes to broadcast sitcom. If a network TV sitcom is premiering in the summer, it means that at some point between last years' Upfronts and now, the network looked at it, said "wait, why did we pick this up again?," and sent it off to summer, where it could die with minimal promotion and little harm. Most of these burn-off sitcoms are shows that seem to have potential but have some glaring flaws that hinder them from having any real shot as success. Sometimes, you get an intriguing oddball (such as last year's Save Me) and sometimes you get a surprise success (such as Seinfeld, which started as a summer burn-off but wound up taking off and becoming a huge hit). But for the most part, these shows muster up nothing but a "meh."
Undateable is a "meh" at best, and at worst, it's a completely unappealing failure that follows generic sitcom molds to so much of a tee that it feels like an unintentional throwback to shows of twenty years ago. In fact, Undateable truly does have the feel of a B-level sitcom NBC might throw after Friends or Seinfeld in the '90s. It's chock full of tired stereotypes and outdated gender roles, as the entire premise of the show essentially boils down to "hey, come watch these stupid losers try to get laid!." It's an ancient chestnut of a premise that somehow manages to marginalize both men and women – but especially women, who rarely get to be more than objects for the guys to gawk at. Perhaps some of this could be excused if the show was funny, but the "jokes" hardly feel like jokes – more like (as Parks and Recreations' Perd Hapley would put it) lines that have the cadence of jokes but fail to involve any sense of humor at all, feeling that sounding like a joke should be enough.
To be fair, there are a few redeeming aspects to this show. The best scenes, by far, involve Leslie's sister Danny attempting to get him to change his ways and point out that he needs to grow up at some point. They offer a self-awareness the show otherwise lacks, a realization that Danny is a pretty terrible person even if he happens to get laid a lot. But by having him "teach" the other guys how to be "dateable," the show sends mixed messages as to whether we should be supporting or condemning his behavior, thus making the "redemption" scenes with his sister kind of irrelevant. Additionally, it's hopeful to see the shows' portrayal of gay men is far less stereotypical than its portrayal of straight men – Brett is by far the person on the show who most resembles a real human being, and his sexuality doesn't define him like it does too many gay characters on television. But those minor accomplishments aren't enough to shake the feeling that Undateable is a show made almost like it realizes it's going to be a summer burn-off, occasionally hitting the right notes but mostly just content to stay flat.
There are some redeeming qualities to Undateable, but they're few and far between the moments of tired stereotypes, outdated gender roles, beaten-to-death plot formulas, and humorless jokes. It's not hard to see a good show lurking in here somewhere, and Bill Lawrence does have an ear for the multi-camera sitcom style (as evidenced by the imperfect but immensely watchable Ground Floor over on TBS), but it just doesn't feel like anyone involved is all that dedicated to finding the good in this show. If this were a show being given more time, I would hold out some hope that it would capitalize on the things it does well and push out its lesser qualities, but given it's place on the schedule, it's unlikely that this will ever turn into anything more than a giant missed opportunity.
Final Numbers (out of 5 stars):
Watchability: 2/5
Funniness: 1.5/5
Overall: 1.5/5
Discuss the show after you watch it on Thursday, May 29, 2014 at 9:00PM & 9:30PM ET/PT on our message board.
Related Links:
Preview:
CBS has pulled canceled comedies Friends with Better Lives and Bad Teacher from its schedule. Both shows were not picked up for second seasons, but they still have episodes left to be aired. CBS aired an episode each of both shows during the first week of the summer but they now decided they will not air the remaining episodes...at least not on their current slots of Mondays at 8:30pm and Thursdays at 9:30pm. They could pop-up on CBS Comedytime block on Saturdays, but as of now there is no sign of that. Repeats of Mom will now move to Mondays at 8:30pm (Two and a Half Men will now also air Mondays at 9:30pm), while The Millers will air Thursdays at 9:30pm following Two and a Half Men on Thursdays. Mom will also now air Thursdays at 8:30pm in the summer.
Single-camera comedy Bad Teacher was based on the hit feature film and starred Ari Graynor as an always inappropriate, fearless and unapologetic former trophy wife who masquerades as a teacher in order to find a new man after her wealthy husband leaves her penniless. Friends with Better Lives was a romantic comedy about six friends at different stages in their lives - married, divorced, newly engaged and single - who were outwardly happy, but secretly questioning if their friends have it better. The series starred Majandra Delfino, Kevin Connolly, James Van Der Beek, Brooklyn Decker, Rick Donald and Zoe Lister Jones.
Monday, March 31, 2014
CBS Midseason Pilot Review: Friends with Better Lives - Premieres March 31; Three's Company Returns to TV Land, That '70s Show Quietly Now on Nick at Nite
Friends with Better Lives - Mondays at 8:30PM ET/PT on CBS
Premieres Monday, March 31, 2014 at 9:00PM ET/PT
by Skees
As we come of age, we all think that we're the ones suffering, and it's our friends who have the better lives. So, naturally, that would be the premise of the latest sitcom on CBS, Friends with Better Lives. The series follows a married couple (Andi and Bobby), a divorced man (Will), a soon-to-be-engaged couple (Kate and Lowell), and the eternally obnoxious one who finds the flaws in everybody (Jules). So who really has the better life? That's what this CBS series tries to answer, in sitcom form.
Cast Details:
James Van Der Beek as Will Stokes
Brooklyn Decker as Jules Talley
Zoe Lister-Jones as Kate McLean
Rick Donald as Lowell Peddit
Majandra Delfino as Andi Lutz
Kevin Connolly as Bobby Lutz
James Van Der Beek (Will Stokes) is primarily known for playing the starring role in the teen drama Dawson's Creek. More recently, he was on ABC's Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23. His first TV appearance came in 1993 on an episode of Clarissa Explains it All, and since Dawson's Creek ended, he has been cast in several unsold pilots, and has also played roles in many dramas such as Criminal Minds and One Tree Hill
Brooklyn Decker (Jules Talley) is primarily known as a swimsuit model, having appeared in many magazines including Sports Illustrated, but she has also made appearances in series such as Chuck, Ugly Betty, and New Girl. She is married to retired tennis player Andy Roddick.
Zoe Lister-Jones (Kate McLean) is possibly best known for her role of Lily on the series Whitney. She has also made guest appearances on three out of four series in the Law & Order franchise, as well as an episode of The Good Wife.
Rick Donald (Lowell Peddit) is an Australian actor who has made appearances on series such as House Husbands, The Doctor Blake Mysteries, Underbelly, and Home and Away. This series marks his American television debut.
Majandra Delfino (Andi Lutz) is a Venezuelan-American actress who is best known for her role on the series Roswell. She got her start in Hollywood in the film Zeus and Roxanne, as well as appearing in the short-lived sitcom The Tony Danza Show, and has appeared in episodes of The Office and Boston Public.
Kevin Connolly (Bobby Lutz) is best known for his role of Eric on the HBO series Entourage. Before that, he was a regular on the series Unhappily Ever After. He has appeared in movies including The Notebook, Antwone Fisher, Secretariat, and will be reprising his TV role in the upcoming Entourage film.
Pilot Plot:
"Pilot" – airs Monday, March 31st, 2014 at 9PM ET/PT
Andi (Majandra Delfino) and Bobby (Kevin Connolly) are married and happily living on their own... well, sort of. They've also got to deal with parenting, and also Will (James Van Der Beek), who recently moved in after his own marital troubles. Bobby is about to throw a surprise party for Andi, but it is something that is going to end in disaster for almost everybody, except for Kate (Zoe Lister-Jones) and Lowell (Rick Donald).
Analysis:
In the 21 minutes of the episode that I watched, I mostly found myself
confused by who the characters were and what their backstory was, which
can be expected to some extent in a pilot... but that is also a solid indication that there is little, if anything, that is exciting about the characters or the series. The premise here is that we've got the married couple, the engaged couple, the one who is dating, and the one whose relationship just crashed. These are, ideally, all distinct characters that should have completely unique personalities. But everything just seemed to sort of mesh together into a horrible mess.
Like many pilots, a lot of things happened in the pilot. But in this pilot, maybe it was a bit too much. An engagement and a divorce happening within minutes of one another in the same house (all during a wedding anniversary celebration of another friend, to top it off) was a bit too much for the pilot. It would have been better to see the pre-engagement relationship play out a bit first, followed by a drawn out divorce. Now the series has already turned into two people dating and two couples married married (or one of them is at least close to it).
While the pilot did have some great actors in it, I felt that their potential was not utilized as fully as it could have been. While I was never a fan of Dawson's Creek, it cannot be denied that James Van Der Beek is a talented actor... but having him played the desperate divorced guy seemed out of place. It may have felt more natural for Kevin Connolly (another talented actor) to play that role, but instead, he was the happily married guy. Personally, I'm still seeing him as Eric from Entourage, or to go back even further, Ryan from Unhappily Ever After.
I can't say that I laughed at all during the entire episode. Of course, I'm always willing to give a sitcom the benefit of the doubt if it isn't a laugh-filled riot, because even some of the greatest sitcoms ever have good story telling with few laughs. The problem is, there wasn't a great story to be told here. The pilot attempted to focus on getting quick laughs, particularly related to some sexual content. But the problem is that a lot of sexual jokes are going to get their biggest laughs from a much younger audience than this series could ever hope to target.
Like many pilots, a lot of things happened in the pilot. But in this pilot, maybe it was a bit too much. An engagement and a divorce happening within minutes of one another in the same house (all during a wedding anniversary celebration of another friend, to top it off) was a bit too much for the pilot. It would have been better to see the pre-engagement relationship play out a bit first, followed by a drawn out divorce. Now the series has already turned into two people dating and two couples married married (or one of them is at least close to it).
While the pilot did have some great actors in it, I felt that their potential was not utilized as fully as it could have been. While I was never a fan of Dawson's Creek, it cannot be denied that James Van Der Beek is a talented actor... but having him played the desperate divorced guy seemed out of place. It may have felt more natural for Kevin Connolly (another talented actor) to play that role, but instead, he was the happily married guy. Personally, I'm still seeing him as Eric from Entourage, or to go back even further, Ryan from Unhappily Ever After.
I can't say that I laughed at all during the entire episode. Of course, I'm always willing to give a sitcom the benefit of the doubt if it isn't a laugh-filled riot, because even some of the greatest sitcoms ever have good story telling with few laughs. The problem is, there wasn't a great story to be told here. The pilot attempted to focus on getting quick laughs, particularly related to some sexual content. But the problem is that a lot of sexual jokes are going to get their biggest laughs from a much younger audience than this series could ever hope to target.
Conclusion:
In all honesty, CBS probably doesn't have a hit on their hands with this series. I'm not sure what can be done about this series to make it a bit more watchable, as it honestly seems to show little promise. Of course, I've been wrong about these things before, but it mostly just feels like something CBS is using to fill the hole left by How I Met Your Mother, except there really isn't going to be anything good enough to fill that hole for the time being. Luckily for CBS, they have a mostly solid lineup, with a majority of their lineup already having been renewed for next season, and plenty of pilots in the works, which makes it unlikely that they'll turn back to this series in the fall. The real question, though, is will they continue to turn to this for an entire 13 episode run. The series will be given a very fair chance to capture an audience with what will probably be a solid lead-in for the debut, but what viewers decide beyond that is to be determined.
Final Numbers (out of 5 stars):
Watchability: 2/5
Funniness: 1/5
Overall: 2/5
Discuss the show after you watch it on Monday, March 31 at 9:00PM ET/PT on our message board.
Related Links:
Preview:
TV Land has picked-up the cable rights to Three's Company once again. The classic 70s/80s sitcom was not renewed by TV Land after its contract expired in August 2013, but now TV Land has made a deal to bring back the sitcom. It will join other recent returnees including The Brady Bunch and Gilligan's Island. The John Ritter-led sitcom will begin starting this Saturday (April 5, 2014). It will air weekend mornings. Times will vary, but this coming Saturday it will air with a marathon block from 4:30am-2pm and Sunday from 4:30am-12pm. To make room for Three's Company, it seems TV Land will be removing The Golden Girls. Not to worry, as that will still air on the Viacom-owned network Logo. And as we mentioned, Three's Company is also returning in April on Antenna TV, so it's twice as nice for Three's Company this April. No foolin'. Stay with us for continued updates on TV Land and Three's Company!
In other news, That '70s Show has quietly started on Nick at Nite a few weeks ago and it is airing every night from approx. 1:24-2:36am (2 episodes). George Lopez is now pushed to 2:36-4:57am, with Yes Dear rounding out the night from 4:57am-6am. Old Christine and My Wife & Kids are no longer airing on the network, but both can be found on other Viacom siblings (NickMom and BET, respectively). Hangin' with Mr. Cooper remains from 6-7am. Back to That '70s Show, with it now airing on Nick at Nite, it is still airing on TV Land as well. TV Land has not removed it and will continue to air it early mornings after 4am and on weekends after 2am. Stay with us for continued updates.
Monday, February 17, 2014
CBS Midseason 2014 Schedule Includes Sitcom Premiere & Switches; The CW to Bring Back 5 Dramas in 2014-15
At last CBS has finally announced premiere dates for the rest of their midseason class. CBS has given mid-season premiere dates to the new comedy Bad Teacher and returning drama Unforgettable. Additionally, Thursday night comedies The Crazy Ones and Two and a Half Men will switch time periods, beginning Feb. 27. So The Crazy Ones and Two and a Half Men will switch time periods, effective Thursday, Feb. 27, with Two and a Half Men moving to 9:00 PM and The Crazy Ones shifting to 9:30 PM. Then Bad Teacher, a single-camera comedy based on the hit feature film, premieres Thursday, April 24 at 9:30PM, ET/PT), after The Crazy Ones completes its full 22-episode season order on Thursday, April 17. And Unforgettable returns on Friday, April 4 at 8:00PM ET/PT, following the completion of Undercover Boss' season order. The only series CBS has not scheduled yet is new drama Reckless, which will likely premiere in summer. Also previously announced for CBS this mid-season were return dates for Survivor and The Amazing Race, and also new comedy Friends with Better Lives which premieres after the How I Met Your Mother series finale on Monday, March 31.
The CW Network has ordered early pickups for the 2014-15 season for its hit series Arrow, Reign, The Originals, The Vampire Diaries, and Supernatural, which will be returning for its tenth season next fall. All of these series have done well in the Nielsen ratings for The CW in their timeslots. The CW has not yet made decisions on its dramas: Beauty & the Beast, The Tomorrow People, Hart of Dixie or The Carrie Diaries. Stay tuned for any updates on these come May during upfront season. One show of course that will not be returning next season is the drama Nikita, as that series has been canceled. Stay with us for continued updates.
Friday, December 20, 2013
CBS Announces March 31, 2014 as HIMYM Series Finale Date; Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 23, 2013)
After 208 episodes told over nine seasons, the story of how Ted Mosby ultimately meets his children's mother will conclude with a special one-hour series finale on Monday, March 31, 2014 from 8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT. The How I Met Your Mother finale will be followed immediately by the series premiere of the new comedy Friends With Better Lives from 9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT). Following its special premiere after the How I Met Your Mother finale, Friends With Better Lives moves to its regular Monday at 8:30PM ET/PT) time period on April 7, 2014. Friends With Better Lives is about six friends at different stages in their lives - married, divorced, newly engaged and single - who are outwardly happy, but secretly questioning if their friends have it better. As part of CBS's new Monday lineup, 2 Broke Girls will move again, this time to the 8:00 PM time period starting on April 14 to lead off the night's comedy block. Mike & Molly and Mom will continue to air in the 9:00 PM ET/PT hour.
How I Met Your Mother stars Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Cobie Smulders, Neil Patrick Harris, Alyson Hannigan and Cristin Milioti. Friends With Better Lives stars Kevin Connolly, Majandra Delfino, James Van Der Beek, Zoe Lister-Jones, Brooklyn Decker and Rick Donald.
It's Friday, so it is time for "Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows" for the coming week. This is where we list what sitcom stars are appearing on talk shows for the coming week, the stars are both current and past sitcom stars, so this is for all sitcom fans of all eras!
For the week of Dec. 23-27, 2013, we have many current sitcom stars and past sitcom stars on TV talk shows! All times listed are Eastern. So get your DVRs (or whatever you use) ready! Ready? Here is all what you need to know for the coming week!
Monday, December 23, 2013
- Bryan Cranston (Malcolm in the Middle) - Watch Bryan on a repeat of Conan at 11pm on TBS.
- Betsy Brandt (The Michael J. Fox Show) - Betsy appears on a repeat of Conan at 11pm on TBS.
- Jennie Garth (What I Like About You) - Jennie guest co-hosts a repeat of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Steve Carell (The Office) - Steve visits LIVE! with Kelly and Michael, so check your listings.
- Clark Gregg (The New Adventures of Old Christine) - Clark creates the ultimate sub sandwich with Michael Symon on a repeat of The Chew on ABC at 1pm ET/12pm PT/CT.
- David Koechner (The Office) - David and Will Ferrell take us behind-the-scenes of their film, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, on Katie, so check your local listings.
- NeNe Leakes (The New Normal) - NeNe is a guest on a repeat of Bethenny, so check your local listings.
- Vicki Lawrence (Mama's Family) - Vicki appears on a repeat of The Doctors, so check your local listings.
- Danica McKellar (The Wonder Years) - Danica visits The Better Show, so check your local listings.
- Jennifer Lawrence (The Bill Engvall Show) - Jennifer stops by ABC's Good Morning America between 7-9am.
- Adam Scott (Parks and Recreation) - Adam will be on ABC's Good Morning America between 7-9am.
- Craig Ferguson (The Drew Carey Show) - Catch Craig on a repeat of The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
- Megan Hilty (Sean Saves the World) - Megan stops by The Better Show, so check your local listings.
- Nia Long (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) and Sanaa Lathan (The Cleveland Show) - Nia and Sanaa talk about The Best Man Holiday on a repeat of The Arsenio Hall Show, so check your local listings.
- Kirstie Alley (Kirstie/Veronica's Closet/Cheers) - Watch Kirstie on a repeat of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Queen Latifah (Living Single) - Queen Latifah appears on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC. She will also be on a repeat of The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
- Adam Pally (Happy Endings/The Mindy Project) - Adam is a guest on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Candice Bergen (Murphy Brown) - Candice chats on a repeat of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon at 12:37am on NBC.
- Ashton Kutcher (Two and a Half Men/That '70s Show) - Ashton appears on a repeat of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
- Bette Midler (Bette) - Catch Bette on a repeat of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Scott Foley (The Goodwin Games/A.U.S.A.) - Scott is a guest on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Drew Carey (The Drew Carey Show/The Good Life) - Drew appears on a repeat of The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
- Charlie Day, Rob McElhenney and Glenn Howerton (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) - Charlie, Rob and Glenn are guests on a repeat of Conan at 11pm on TBS.
- Melissa Rauch (The Big Bang Theory) - Tune in to see Melissa on a repeat of Conan at 11pm on TBS.
- Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/One Day at a Time)- Valerie appears on a repeat of The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
- Jennifer Lawrence (The Bill Engvall Show) - Jennifer is a guest on a repeat of LIVE! with Kelly and Michael, so check your listings.
- Melissa McCarthy (Mike & Molly) - Melissa chats on a repeat of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
- Arsenio Hall (Arsenio) - Arsenio appears on a repeat of Rachael Ray, so check your local listings.
- Jason Biggs (Mad Love/Drexell's Class) - Jason stops by Bethenny, so check your local listings.
- George Lopez (George Lopez) - George is a guest on a repeat of The Arsenio Hall Show, so check your local listings.
- Kirk Cameron (Growing Pains) - Kirk appears on a repeat of The Better Show, so check your local listings.
- Adam Scott (Parks and Recreation) - Watch Adam on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Ariana Grande (Sam & Cat/Victorious) - Ariana is a musical guest on a repeat of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon at 12:37am on NBC. She also appears on a repeat of LIVE! with Kelly and Michael, so check your listings.
- Rashida Jones (Parks and Recreation/The Office) - Rashida appears on a repeat of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon at 12:37am on NBC.
- Terry Crews (Brooklyn Nine-Nine/Are We There Yet?) - Terry is part of the guest panel on a repeat of Bethenny, so check your local listings.
- Niecy Nash (The Soul Man/Reno 911) - Niecy is a guest on a repeat of The Arsenio Hall Show, so check your local listings.
- Lenny Venito (The Neighbors/The Knights of Prosperity) - Lenny cooks breakfast with Mario Batali on a repeat of The Chew on ABC at 1pm ET/12pm PT/CT.
- Vanessa Lachey (Dads) - Vanessa appears on a repeat of The Better Show, so check your local listings.
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Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Wednesday, March 25
Scrubs - "My V.I.P." (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
J.D. and Dr. Park are forced to work together when a member of the hospital board experiences a mysterious health crisis. Turk helps Elliot navigate a newfound romance, while the interns practice vulnerability with patients.
Abbott Elementary - "No Homework" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Ava implements a no-homework policy at Abbott, sparking debate amongst the teachers.
Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "A Split Tree Grows" (BET, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Efe has a mock teaching session with the assisted living facility to prepare him for the classroom; Jeremy is on the fence about the court system's harsh punishment of the young robbers.
Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "A Rolling Stone" (BET, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Mr. Brown receives a surprise that brings up his sinful past; Reginald and Jeremy are at odds with the court system.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 23)
Wednesday, March 25
- Ariana DeBose (Schmigadoon!) - Watch Ariana on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Wanda Sykes (The Upshaws/The New Adventures of Old Christine/Wanda at Large) - Wanda appears on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Robert Smigel (Let's Be Real) - Robert is a guest on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Chelsea Handler (Are You There, Chelsea?) - Chelsea stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. She also chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Rocky Carroll (Roc/Welcome to New York) - Rocky talks about NCIS on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
- Patricia Arquette (High Desert) - NBC's Today catches up with Patricia in the 9am hour.
- Heather Graham (Californication/Scrubs/Emily's Reasons Why Not) - NBC's Today catches up with Heather in the 10am hour.
- Sterling K. Brown (Starved) and Ryan Michelle Bathe (First Wives Club/Retired at 35) - Sterling and his wife Ryan Michelle tell Sherri about the highly anticipated new season of Paradise now streaming on Hulu & Disney+ on Sherri, so check your local listings.
- Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Cafe Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Valerie joins Drew and Ross to cover the news with a special cleaning theme on The Drew Barrymore Show, 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.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
08/26 - The Huckleberry Hound Show - The Complete Original Series (Blu-ray)
09/30 - Touché Turtle and Dum Dum - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
10/07 - Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season (DVD)
10/14 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
10/28 - St. Denis Medical - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/04 - Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - Rick and Morty - Season 8 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fifteenth Season (DVD)
11/11 - Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/02 - Tom and Jerry - The Golden Era Anthology (1940-1958) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
12/16 - Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/16 - Wally Gator - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
01/20 - The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Golden Age Collection (Blu-ray)
01/27 - The New Fred and Barney Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/11 - Tom and Jerry - The Complete CinemaScope Collection (Blu-ray)
03/24 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
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