The void left behind by Sex And The City
Sometimes I know something about a show when I sit down to watch it and sometimes I know nothing, this was the case with Love Bites and that feeling of not knowing continued through most of the episode. The script starts with bunch of friends on a Hens night, but before they get too rowdy the bride to be falls asleep and the only one who still wants to go clubbing is the pregnant Annie, her friend Cassie is tired of being upstaged by her friends belly so tells a guy she is a virgin. The story then follows the ramifications of this lie and how Cassie and the guy try to figure out their next move to result in sexual bliss. At this point I start to wonder what happened to the bride to be and the pregnant Annie as there are no cutaways from Cassie’s story which comes to close when she admits the lie. The next thing I see is a new character talking about how he and his wife can sleep with a celebrity of their choice if the opportunity arises. Of course the opportunity does arise and the results are much less funny than that episode of Friends where Ross gets his chance with Isabella Rossellini. Then the story shifts again and I release that this is not one episode but several little stories on the theme of love, kind of like Creepshow
Apparently this was not the format of the show Cindy Chupack had originally intended, it was suppose to me a regular show exploring love and relationships of singletons Annie and Cassie, but after cast members left for various reasons, a pilot was made and rejected, Cindy left as showrunner, the whole thing was retooled into the format now which finally premièred 8 months late. The show was watch-able, if predictable with no real ongoing drama, it is simple watch out the corner of your eye while you doing something else. It doesn’t challenge expectations and mostly left me wondering about more interesting characters and stories that were discarded along the way. Instead of giving us rich interesting character development we have a series of C stories, the plots that were not quite interesting or fleshed out enough to carry a full episode.
Officially the show has not been cancelled but viewing figures have been dipping every week and it looks likely that the original 9 episodes made may also be the last.
Created / Written by: Cindy Chupack
Directed by: Marc Buckland
Starring: Becki Newton, Greg Grunberg, Constance Zimmer
Date premièred: 2nd June 2011 (NBC)
UK Details: TBC
is about a call centre manager sent to India in order to manage the jobs that have been outsourced. But enough the 2008 ITV comedy, this is about the fresh ideas that roll around in America’s week of pilots. Outsourced is a totally different sitcom in that was based on a 2006 
of the same name.
. Nothing new here, except a depressing reality check.
and the Emmy award winning 
making it the only traditional multi-camera sitcom in the 2 hour line up of Wednesday night comedy (the fourth was show is another hit from last year 
and the 20 / 30 something angst is transferred over here only now it feels tired and overdone. While watching Better With You it can feel like watching a show from 90s, it is tame, predictable, bland and packed with characters we have seen a dozen times before. The weak jokes are based on characters being too stupid to exist, for example the older sister telling the boyfriend of her younger sister that she doesn’t want to get married until her social security becomes insolvent – this requires all three to be stupid – the boyfriend belives it, the girlfriend doesn’t question it and sister thinks this titbit will delay the engagement. I know this is a comedy and not a serious drama and perhaps I could let this go if the script wasn’t packed so many more clunkers. It is bad writing on the one episode that has to stand up stronger than all the others.
and 
failed). $h*! My Dad Says while not totally horrible (especially when compared to other odd couple offering 
, this show sets out to show the kind hearts of the low income American.
and 
) where we see the real struggles that face real people. Raising Hope for all its over the top comedy, attempts to show a more realistic portrayal of the average American life, although some have said Garcia paints these people in a positive folksy way, I see it as being slightly more mocking. There are dangers in getting too political about such things, but while love and family are great, sometimes money or a strong social safety net is better.
), future girlfriend Shannon Marie Woodward (coming off of an excellent performance in FX’s 
) and Cloris Leachman who pretty much echoes her role from Malcolm in the Middle as the lunatic grandmother.
stands out as one of the funniest and creative sitcoms in recent years, so when it was canned after three series it left a gap that needed to be refilled. Last year creator Mitch Hurwitz introduced “Sit Down – Shut Up” an animated series that reunited Will Arnett and Jason Bateman, it failed to get much attention and the promised Arrested Development movie is still languishing in development hell. Running Wilde is Mitch Hurwitz new comedy that brings Will Arnett to the forefront.
has Tina Fey’s Liz Lemon – it might seem like a funny idea to have Tracy Mogan take centre stage, but it limits what stories you can tell because these types of characters are so simple. Running Wilde does have Emmy’s daughter Puddle (Stefania Lavie Owen) as the solo sane voice (literally as she does not speak and we only hear her through voice over), she explains all the back story and presents the only genuine vulnerability in the show. Easy jokes come from crazy characters, but memorable stories come from characters who well rounded and identifiable. Running Wilde is sitting on a fine line, the characters are different enough that the dynamics between are going to be interesting to see play out, although most cases the plots will probably revolve around Steve trying to do something nice, but is a total disaster, he then has to look at himself and do things right.
and 
), so his name on a new project is going to get attention. Mike and Molly sets out to make their mark with the often recycled plot line of the misadventures of a new couple and their circle of zanny friends. The twist? They’re fat.
