Animal Practice

Show: Animal Practice

Network: NBC

Time slot: Tuesdays 8/7c

Premieres: September 26th, 2012

Oh, how I had high hopes for this show. Staring Justin Kirk (Weeds) and actors I love from failed shows (that shouldn’t have failed! They were awesome!) JoAnna Garcia Swisher (Better With You, Privileged) and Tyler Labine (Reaper, Mad Love). Plus a pretty original plot and decent advertisement to boot. This show seemed to have it all. Yet I have to admit, I was very disappointed in the pilot.

Dorthy, Garcia’s character, gains control of the Animal Practice once her grandmother passes. She also happens to be the head veterinarians ex-girlfriend whom she walked out on a few years ago because he never said I love you back to her. Okay... that is a little far fetched. Maybe fight or be sad, but just walk away from a relationship because someone isn’t ready to say “I love you” yet? Crazy. So Doctor George Coleman, played by Kirk, has a little fit over her being there. They’re just too different when it comes to the care of the animals and their owners. Blah blah blah. 

The funniest (and cutest) thing about AP; "Dr"Rizzo

So much goes on in this episode. A 30 minute “comedy” (I put quotes because I laughed maybe once) and way too much stuff happens, including Doctor Coleman quiting and coming back, Dr. Doug Jackson (Labine) blabbing on about his girlfriend moving on to someone else, and random (sometimes funny) interruptions by Angela (Betsy Sodaro), and crazy antics from Dr. Yamamoto (Bobby Lee), and to pile it on, a kidnapping of a dog and argument with it’s owner. There was no time to show who these characters are or who they will be or to even give us viewers anything to root for in these people.

^Watch the Promo!^

Bottom Line: Seriously. So. Disappointed. Sad face! I honestly cannot justify myself watching it at this point, there’s so much good t.v. happening and this is not something I want to invest time in because I don’t believe it will last long. However, if it gets renewed for a second season, I may play catch-up, because sometimes shows have a bad first season and turn out to be great moving forward (Parks & Recreations for example). 

Ben and Kate

Show: Ben and Kate

Network: Fox

Time slot: Tuesdays 8:30/7:30c

Premieres: September 25th, 2012

A mature beyond her age sister, who’s a single mom to a young daughter, and an immature brother’s relationship is the basis of this new comedy coming to Fox this September staring Dakota Johnson (21 Jump Street) as Kate Fox, Nat Faxon (Bad Teacher) as Ben Fox, and Maggie Elizabeth Jones (We Bought a Zoo) as Kate’s daughter Maddie Fox. In the pilot we learn a lot and we learn it fast. Ben is really immature and comes in and out of Kate’s life whenever he pleases. Kate matured quickly after having her daughter at a young age and being left by the father to raise their kid on her own. They go somewhat into Ben and Kate’s childhood as well. There’s a handful of back and forth’s in time, to give us a clear picture of who these characters are.

Usually pilots try to fit as much back-story as they can into the initial episode so they can quickly move on to the plot and storylines. That can make for a rushed and hectic pilot. However, Ben and Kate had a fantastic first pilot. You’ll not only feel for Ben and Kate for what they’ve been through and what they go through (Ben’s ex is getting married and the guy Kate was dating turned out to be kind of a jerk), but you’ll laugh hard at how they deal with life.

Not only will you laugh at and with Ben and Kate, but they have friends that also bring some hilarity to the show. Lucy Punch (Bad teacher, Dinner for Schmucks), plays Kate’s friend BJ, who comes off as a neurotic, sexy, party girl… but in a good way. She’s redeemable because she’s funny and obviously cares about her friend. And then there’s Ben’s friend Tommy, played by Echo Kellum, who is hilarious as a guy who’s madly and obviously in love with Kate. His one liners are brilliant and he seems endearing  with his feelings for Kate.

^Watch the Promo!^

Bottom Line: Watch Watch Watch! It’s cutesy but filled with awesome comedy! I think a lot of people who have a sibling who they have hilarious moments with will also love this show because they know how frustrating a sibling can be but also how funny things can be. Fingers crossed this show gets the viewers and ratings it needs to stick around because I know I’ll be watching this show every week! 

xoxo

e.m.

The Mindy Project

image via www.ew.com

Show: The Mindy Project

Network: Fox

Time slot: Tuesdays 9:30/8:30c

Premieres: September 25th, 2012

Mindy Kaling is best known for portraying Kelly Kapoor, a superficial and weak woman, on The Office. Let’s not forget how annoying Kelly Kapoor is as well (in a funny way of course). Needless to say, I did not like her character on The Office that much and I definitely do not look up to "Kelly" on that show. But now she has moved on to her very own show, The Mindy Project, premiering on Fox this September, in which she portrays a very different character.

image via www.kitchensofa.wordpress.com

The show is about, Mindy Lahiri, a nerdy (yet fashion forward) lonely Ob/Gyn who is looking for love and success. The show is a dramady (Comedy + Drama... get it?), kind of like Scrubs meets Grey’s Anatomy. I absolutely LOVE Mindy on this show. To be honest, the acting wasn’t great and I don’t think they had a very big budget for the pilot, but I see a lot of potential, if it can just grab the viewers it needs to stay on the air long enough. Mindy is strong and smart and beautiful, but she’s flawed and she knows it. I feel for her so much. In one scene Doctor Danny Castellano played by (Chris Messina) leaned in close and said she would look better if she lost fifteen pounds. It was so heart wrenching, especially for a show that is being led on as a comedy. It may have very many comedic actors and guest stars, but I can see that it will also be very moving. I believe Mindy can be a very good role model to women of all ages. 

Obviously Kaling has a lot of very famous comedians for friends, in the first episode alone there were guests such as Ed Helms (The Office, The Hangover), Bill Hader (SNL), and Stephen Tobolowsky (Glee). That’s in just the FIRST episode! I love seeing actors from other shows and from movies making guest spots, and, in instances like Ed and Bill, you can tell they’re mostly on the show to support their friend and because they believe in the show. I’m stoked to see who else will pop up. It’s kind of like 30 Rock in that sense because 30 Rock over the years has had some really awesome guests on their show.

The supporting cast is just as awesome as Mindy. I think everyone has a really great idea of who their character is and who they are to Mindy’s character. Doctor Castellano is kind of an asshole, but an asshole you feel for. You can see that, even though his words say something different, he has feelings for Mindy. It’s very subtle, but very cute. And her best friend Gwen, played by Anna Camp (True Blood, The Help) is wonderful as always. There’s something about her accent and smile that makes her a lovable person, no matter who she plays. And then there are her assistants, Betsy and Shauna who bring some snazzy one liners. Whoever the casting director is needs a high five, they just did a wonderful job! The show, like I said, is moving, yet funny and interesting. This is a half-hour comedy with a real story!

^Watch the Promo!^

Bottom Line: Although the acting was subpar and it looked a little low budget, I think, given time and a chance, this show can be something big.  I know I’ll be watching this show and supporting it 100 percent!

xoxo

e.m.

The New Normal

image via www.imdb.com

Show: The New Normal

Network: NBC

Time slot: Tuesdays 9:30/8:30c

Premieres: September 11th, 2012

The New Normal is a half-hour comedy brought to us by the creator of Glee, Ryan Murphy, and will air on NBC this fall. It's about what some people would say is a controversy topic, but those who say that are probably not very open-minded individuals. I love the concept of a young newly single struggling mother who becomes a surrogate for a gay couple. More than the concept, I love the chemistry of the cast and how the feelings of each of the characters seem so sincere and heartwarming. 

The pilot episode didn't feel too much like a pilot, like most first episodes of a new series can tend to do. I'm so in love with Andrew Rannells character Bryan, who plays a fine line of masculinity and femininity. I feel like sometimes they shows have characters who are overly flamboyant for the comedy factor, but that doesn't always work out for a show. Bryan, one half of the gay couple who wants a baby, is so full of love and hope and happiness and emotion that it gave me goosebumps to see how much he wants a baby.

image via www.examiner.com

Goldie Clemmons, portrayed by Georgia King, is a young mother who wants the world for her daughter, and after catching her husband cheating (ugghhh cheaters!!), she takes off with her daughter, Shania (Bebe Wood). Both Goldie and Shania are super cute. I know that's not the most eloquent way to describe them, but if you watch the show, you'll know exactly what I mean. I don't think the scrip did much to make watchers really want to pull for these characters, like they did with the gay couple, but I believe the more the show goes on the more they'll be able to show different sides to Goldie and Shania and their relationship that will make viewers want the best for them.

Other characters that make this show genuinely funny are Goldie's grandmother Jane Forest played by Ellen Barkin and Bryan's assistant Rocky, hilariously played by NeNe Leakes. In a show full of mushy love stories, between two men and a mom and daughter, come two characters with crazy antics. Jane, the grandmother, is not only racist but very homophobic. Of course someone has to be against what Goldie is doing, to make the show more interesting, and Jane does just that. Rocky is loud and quick with the one liners-- I really enjoyed her on Glee and am glad she's on a show where she will more than likely get more screen time.

^Watch the Promo!^

Bottom Line: I'll give it a chance, I give most shows more than one episode to pull me in. I'm a little scared to get into it, since more than likely NBC will cancel it half-way through the season, seeing as I don't think it will pull in a great amount of viewers. However, I do wish the show the best of luck, and I can't wait to see where the characters go from here.

xoxo

e.m.

I'm baaccckkk!!! Not that I have a fan base that has noticed my absence, but either way, I am officially back. I'm working on a few blog entries for some pilots I've been able to preview (not because I'm special, but because they're OnDemand & Hulu early haha). Also I've read quite a few books lately, and so I will try to post some reviews, as well as some personal blogs and product blogs (There are a handful of products I've tried recently that I NEED to gush about!).

Stay tuned my fellow entertainment fans :-)

xoxo
e.m.