S01.E01: Pilot

[helenamonster]

Quote

Viewers are introduced to the heartwarming yet super uncomfortable and sometimes frustrating relationship among three adult siblings: one in the 1%, one middle-class and one barely holding on.

Original airdate: 4/7/21

[Trey]

I came across this by accident so I watched it.  It was okay for a pilot.  Might shape up into something good.

I will continue to watch for now.

[sugarbaker design]

I thought it was okay also.  I noticed the older brother, the writer, like to correct grammar.  He corrected his younger brother on less vs. few.  But he let his mother side on 'daughter-in-laws'.  Maybe he doesn't correct his elders.

[DanaK]

I'm not sure I liked any of the siblings (I think I liked the spouses more, and the kids), yet I kind of liked this. I'm willing to see where it goes at least for a few episodes

Edited April 8, 2021 by DanaK

[DearEvette]

I liked this.  I like the cast.  There were a few things that made me LOL, mainly every time Topher's character saw the oversized picture of his niece he'd startle. 

And I headwank that Carla Suiza's character is basically Laurel from HTGAWM in an alternate universe.

Youngest brother's analysis of Monopoly was fun. 

[possibilities]

I am giving it a try. I can feel them trying to reboot Modern Family, but I guess it's rare that anything truly new happens in TV.

[truthaboutluv]

Like others, I enjoyed it well enough. I try not to be too harsh on Pilot episodes of shows, knowing how many shows that eventually became really great, had clunky pilot episodes. Definitely got the "this feels a bit Modern Family-ish" vibes.

The only thing that didn't really work for me was the sister. Honestly she just seemed obnoxiously aggressive and unpleasant. I hope they calm her character down as the season progresses because holy annoying. At one point I wondered what her totally awesome wife saw in her. 

Edited April 9, 2021 by truthaboutluv

[eel21788]

On 4/8/2021 at 3:11 PM, possibilities said:

I am giving it a try. I can feel them trying to reboot Modern Family, but I guess it's rare that anything truly new happens in TV.

Updated Modern Family is the first thing I thought of as well.

Edited April 9, 2021 by eel21788

[Shannon L.]

On 4/8/2021 at 11:04 AM, DearEvette said:

I liked this.  I like the cast.  There were a few things that made me LOL, mainly every time Topher's character saw the oversized picture of his niece he'd startle.

That was my laugh out loud moment, too.

I thought it was cute. I'll keep watching for now. 

[Cherry Cola]

I like the idea of this show. It could be really funny and quirky, but they need to tone down the sister with her white privelage comments and the kids asking what the toys' pronouns are. Seemed to be pushing that stuff too much for me. But I am happy to see Topher back on tv. 

[PRgal]

18 hours ago, Cherry Cola said:

I like the idea of this show. It could be really funny and quirky, but they need to tone down the sister with her white privelage comments and the kids asking what the toys' pronouns are. Seemed to be pushing that stuff too much for me. But I am happy to see Topher back on tv. 

There ARE people like her.  I see that in the DEI space ALL THE FREAKING TIME, and it's really annoying and a turn-off from people who REALLY want to be involved in that space.  They also don't like listening to other perspectives.  I'll just put it at that. 

I don't think Topher has aged too well.  IMDB says he was born in '78.  Or maybe they're just making him look tired.  

[truthaboutluv]

3 hours ago, PRgal said:

I don't think Topher has aged too well.  IMDB says he was born in '78.  Or maybe they're just making him look tired.

Really, other than the moments of extreme close-ups where you could definitely tell he was older, I had weird moments of feeling like I was watching Eric Foreman dropped in 2021. 1978 would mean he's what, 43? I'd say he looks pretty good for 43. 

[PRgal]

1 hour ago, truthaboutluv said:

Really, other than the moments of extreme close-ups where you could definitely tell he was older, I had weird moments of feeling like I was watching Eric Foreman dropped in 2021. 1978 would mean he's what, 43? I'd say he looks pretty good for 43. 

Yeah, 43 or turning 43 this year.  I'd think an actor would have a good skincare routine. He looks kind of tired to me.

[luna1122]

I loved it, honestly. Pilots are so often NOT very good, but this one was funny and charming and quirky from the start. Yeah, a sort of new version of Modern Family, but I'm okay with that. I love the cast. And I dunno, I think Topher looks pretty darn good.

[joanne3482]

One thing I really loved is that you kind of think the rich brother is going to be a meathead. He doesn't necessarily come across as super smart (like when he corrected less to fewer, but was incorrect then), but then they pepper in his financial genius and you can see why he is so dang rich and it isn't for something like being an actor. His take on Monopoly (and then there was another financial thing) makes him completely believable as a financial whiz. I liked that because they also could have just made him an actor and that's why he has so much money. 

[mtlchick]

It was nice to see Karla Souza in a more fun setting. I liked How To Get Away with Murder, but if you were to ask me what happened to her character at the end, I’d stare at you blankly, I feel she had Sasheer Zameda would be the in laws that would have major text conversations about the siblings. 
 

For a pilot, it was pretty decent. I’ll give it a few episodes before I’m all in. 

[Johannah]

I really liked it.  Smiled a lot and laughed a few times.  It was over before I was ready and I wanted more.  I actually liked all the characters.  Well, I didn't pay much attention to the kids, but they didn't annoy me.  I also liked that the rich brother didn't lord it over the others.  He made a point about the house belonging to...(Matt Damon? Can't believe I forgot that.) But I think that was more because he was excited by it than that he was bragging. 

Lol'd at the fewer/lesser correction.  Rich brother thought he nailed that and I liked the smart brother's head shake.  Did smart brother correct his sister or did someone look at him for confirmation?  Either way, I don't think he meant it as a criticism, just a correction.  Frankly, if he is going to correct everyone's grammar and the viewers are paying attention, it could only be a good thing.  I did miss the 'daughters -in-law' misstep, though.

Looking forward to the next episode.

Oh, I assume these characters have names and I guess I'll eventually learn them.  I can't even use the actors' names, because I don't know who any of them are.

Edited April 14, 2021 by Johann

[WinnieWinkle]

I'd forgotten I taped this and just saw it.  Really liked it a lot.  If they can keep this standard up I think I finally have a new sitcom that I can look forward to watching!  

[seacliffsal]

I have a hard time getting what the younger brother is saying (maybe his voice is too low?) but I can understand everyone else.  Just me?  Okay.

I didn't like asking the wealthy brother for a loan so the wife could stay at home and not work while the husband is writing a book (at home).  I feel like it was kind of an entitled action when the answer seemed to be to have the wife go back to being an attorney.  Maybe I'm just too old to feel sorry for people who want to stay home and therefore want loans/money from siblings in order to do so.

[Mittengirl]

On 4/15/2021 at 8:10 PM, seacliffsal said:

have a hard time getting what the younger brother is saying (maybe his voice is too low?) but I can understand everyone else.  Just me?  Okay.

Not just you.  The younger brother has the same mush-mouthed affect that Luke did on Modern Family.  
 

Does Tom’s wife hate him or am I just missing her “humor”?

[Ms Blue Jay]

I honestly wondered if Jimmy Tatro has some kind of speech issue, but there's no evidence online, so it's just his personal accent, I guess.  

I thought I'd be able to relate to the sister character, but so far she is very aggravating.

[TheGreenKnight]

I liked this, too, and hope it sticks around for a few years at least. I totally get all the comparisons to Modern Family, and yet... I never was too crazy on MF while I like this show?

[joanne3482]

On 4/15/2021 at 7:10 PM, seacliffsal said:

I didn't like asking the wealthy brother for a loan so the wife could stay at home and not work while the husband is writing a book (at home).  I feel like it was kind of an entitled action when the answer seemed to be to have the wife go back to being an attorney.  Maybe I'm just too old to feel sorry for people who want to stay home and therefore want loans/money from siblings in order to do so.

I agree. And I didn't like how there seemed to be only two options - her stay at home or her go back "to the firm."  Like there are no other law firms or other ways to practice law in San Francisco? 

 But I do really like the concept and hope it does well. 

Edited April 19, 2021 by joanne3482

[love2lovebadtv]

On 4/8/2021 at 11:07 PM, truthaboutluv said:

Like others, I enjoyed it well enough. I try not to be too harsh on Pilot episodes of shows, knowing how many shows that eventually became really great, had clunky pilot episodes. Definitely got the "this feels a bit Modern Family-ish" vibes.

The only thing that didn't really work for me was the sister. Honestly she just seemed obnoxiously aggressive and unpleasant. I hope they calm her character down as the season progresses because holy annoying. At one point I wondered what her totally awesome wife saw in her. 

The sister was an adult brat. I hope her personality gets toned down a bit. Overall, it's good enough for me to watch post-pilot episodes. 

On 4/11/2021 at 4:05 PM, PRgal said:

There ARE people like her.  I see that in the DEI space ALL THE FREAKING TIME, and it's really annoying and a turn-off from people who REALLY want to be involved in that space.  They also don't like listening to other perspectives.  I'll just put it at that. 

Yep, there are definitely people who speak that way, including outside of the DEI space. Didn't seem unrealistic to me at all, nor was I turned off by it on the show.

On 4/15/2021 at 8:10 PM, seacliffsal said:

I have a hard time getting what the younger brother is saying (maybe his voice is too low?) but I can understand everyone else.  Just me?  Okay.

I didn't like asking the wealthy brother for a loan so the wife could stay at home and not work while the husband is writing a book (at home).  I feel like it was kind of an entitled action when the answer seemed to be to have the wife go back to being an attorney.  Maybe I'm just too old to feel sorry for people who want to stay home and therefore want loans/money from siblings in order to do so.

So funny because I was wondering why the husband didn't get a job since his last book tanked and this new one sounds disastrous lol. 

On 4/19/2021 at 12:35 PM, joanne3482 said:

I agree. And I didn't like how there seemed to be only two options - her stay at home or her go back "to the firm."  Like there are no other law firms or other ways to practice law in San Francisco? 

 But I do really like the concept and hope it does well. 

I assumed she was a corporate lawyer, in which case "the firm" may be all she knows/does. I know she said they were living off of the husband's small royalties but I think it's more realistic that they're living off her past income contributions. 

[love2lovebadtv]

On 4/14/2021 at 7:53 PM, Johann said:

I really liked it.  Smiled a lot and laughed a few times.  It was over before I was ready and I wanted more.  I actually liked all the characters.  Well, I didn't pay much attention to the kids, but they didn't annoy me.  I also liked that the rich brother didn't lord it over the others.  He made a point about the house belonging to...(Matt Damon? Can't believe I forgot that.) But I think that was more because he was excited by it than that he was bragging. 

Lol'd at the fewer/lesser correction.  Rich brother thought he nailed that and I liked the smart brother's head shake.  Did smart brother correct his sister or did someone look at him for confirmation?  Either way, I don't think he meant it as a criticism, just a correction.  Frankly, if he is going to correct everyone's grammar and the viewers are paying attention, it could only be a good thing.  I did miss the 'daughters -in-law' misstep, though.

Looking forward to the next episode.

Oh, I assume these characters have names and I guess I'll eventually learn them.  I can't even use the actors' names, because I don't know who any of them are.

I enjoy grammar on TV shows. 

On 4/11/2021 at 8:55 PM, PRgal said:

Yeah, 43 or turning 43 this year.  I'd think an actor would have a good skincare routine. He looks kind of tired to me.

Things like genetics, sleep, and health conditions have a lot to do with how someone ages. I'm sure the actress playing his wife has a good skincare routine but she has looked older when she was on How to Get Away with Murder and she looks even older now. They are struggling financially with 3 kids, including infant twins. So their look makes sense for both of them.