Post Mortem – NBC Comedies

NBC had a number of comedies that were given a brief chance to grab an audience on Wednesday nights, and none of them did.  First out of the gate we have Are You There, Chelsea?, the Laura Prepon vehicle based on the life/writings of Chelsea Handler, who also starred as the sister to the character based on her.  The show, based solely on the incorrect premise that girls who drink a lot and are promiscuous are inherently funny, was not very good and Ms. Handler proved to be a less than capable actress.

 

Bent was, by far, the best of the three shows and, unfortunately, the one given the least chance to succeed.  The six episodes were burned off in three weeks, airing in one hour blocks with little promotion.  The show starred Amanda Peet and David Walton as warring opposites who couldn’t help but be attracted to each other.  Sadly, this show was actually pretty good despite being given no chance of success.  Peet and Walton had actual chemistry, and the supporting cast was aces.  This is one I will actually miss.

 

Best Friends Forever replaced Bent on the schedule and lasted about as long, though not by design.  The show revolved around a scorned woman who, after learning that her husband has been cheating on her,  moves in with her best friend and her fiancee.  There was no new ground being broken here, and very little was done to breathe new life into the tired material.

Midseason Review – Wednesdays

Time to look back on our thoughts regarding Wednesday’s television slate from the fall.

CBS

Criminal Minds – Last season saw A.J. Cook and Paget Brewster written out of the show and replaced by Rachel Nichols.  Someone must have realized it was a mistake, as this season Rachel Nichols has been replaced by A.J. Cook and Paget Brewster.  As it enters its seventh season, it may not be the best move to return back to the old status quo.

Well, we certainly are back to the status quo.  It is still entertaining, but I don’t know how long you can keep beating this horse before he dies.

NBC

Up All Night – Two espisodes in and it has been decent so far, with the appeal of Christina Applegate cancelling out the annoyances of Will Arnett.  The scenes at home with the baby have far surpassed those at work to this point.

This has turned into a pretty decent show, and has been rewarded with a move to Thursdays.  Christina Applegate has been her usually charming self and I have even come to enjoy Will Arentt’s performance in this. Continue reading →