Manhattan Love Story - General Discussion

[Primetimer]

Technically this is a romantic comedy. You may not find it that romantic?

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[mspaul]

So, this show looks ridiculous and I can't stand whatever is living on Evan Chambers' face, but I did have a co-worker who lived in Chicago and went to Northwestern who once managed to lock herself (after hours) in the stairwell of our office in the Sears Tower, and had to walk down 92 flights of stairs to get out.

[Jillybean]

Will there be a forum for this show?

[Thump]

Aw, it wasn't *that* bad. If I'm going to watch an ANTM alumna star in something on my screen, I'd pick this ten times over the Whitney Houston biopic. Or Wheel of Fortune (right, Jenascia?)

[Meredith Quill]

Your Media Topic!

[Meredith Quill]

Seen them in other shows? Tell us here!

[formerlyfreedom]

Will there be a forum for this show?

 

There is now - http://forums.previously.tv/forum/1222-manhattan-love-story/

[methodwriter85]

Honestly, this feels like a step back for Analeigh Tipton. I think she's developing a very nice supporting actress movie career. I can't see this lasting very long. I only caught the tail-end, but when I read the review and it said that she's supposed to be from Atlanta, I guffawed a little.

Jake McDorman just feels miscast for the part. I keep think his part should have been played by a guy who looks like Ben Feldman or Zachary Levi, not a guy who looks like he should be playing a wannabe Strattonite in The Wolf of Wall Street. And he does NOT have the face to pull off scruffy hipster facial hair.

[methodwriter85]

Analeigh was such a little scene stealer in Warm Bodies that I've been rooting for her ever since. I really want to see her in Two Night Stand, with her and Miles Teller.

[MaiSoCalled]

Jake McDorman was in one of my favorite ABC Family shows, Greek. Sometimes I hated his character, Evan Chambers, but that's exactly what the script called for. Jake was equal parts funny, cocky, and charming. I am so happy to see him back on TV. 

[Whimsy]

A young couples thoughts are looked at as they start a relationship together.

 

 

Not loving all of the voice overs.  I get what they're trying to do, but it got annoying really fast.  That said, both actors are charming and I would see little bits and pieces that I liked.  I hope they gel and it gets better.  Probably won't last long, though.

[Whimsy]

According to this source, the series premiere of Manhattan Love Story garnered a 1.3 adults 18-49 rating, down 43 percent from a 2.3 for the premiere of Trophy Wife.  So, yeah, probably getting cancelled. 

[MMLEsq]

According to this source, the series premiere of Manhattan Love Story garnered a 1.3 adults 18-49 rating, down 43 percent from a 2.3 for the premiere of Trophy Wife.  So, yeah, probably getting cancelled. 

I heard the ratings on EW radio on Sirius this morning (although not necessarily the speculation about the show being cancelled).  But having roughly half the viewers that the premiere of Trophy Wife had?  Not a good sign, although the stars of Trophy Wife are better known and I think might have had more outlets to promote the show. 

[MMLEsq]

Analeigh was my favorite on her cycle of America's Next Top Model.  I'm pretty sure she appeared on The Big Bang Theory not long after that in an episode where Howard and Raj find the ANTM house.

Edited October 2, 2014 by MMLEsq

[Limelight]

It was bugging me where I'd seen the lead actress the whole time I was watching the show. It turns out she was in Crazy, Stupid, Love a favorite movie of mine. She looks different here, short blonde hair as opposed to long dark straight hair in the movie, so that's why I couldn't figure it out. She played the babysitter that had a crush on Steve Carrell's character.

[Limelight]

I found Dana's quirks a bit too cutesy but otherwise I sorta, kinda, liked the show, I think. I'll give it another week anyway.

I want to live in a huge, Manhattan loft like Dana's friend, big enough to do yoga in. I could barely turn around in my apartment in Philly, who knew trophy plaques were so lucrative? Also, how does Dana's friend (I only remember Dana's name, sorry!) know the guy that she set Dana up with? Also, was that Samir from Office Space? I thought that was him as one of the mean bosses.

[Latverian Diplomat]

I found Dana's quirks a bit too cutesy but otherwise I sorta, kinda, liked the show, I think. I'll give it another week anyway.

I want to live in a huge, Manhattan loft like Dana's friend, big enough to do yoga in. I could barely turn around in my apartment in Philly, who knew trophy plaques were so lucrative? Also, how does Dana's friend (I only remember Dana's name, sorry!) know the guy that she set Dana up with? Also, was that Samir from Office Space? I thought that was him as one of the mean bosses.

Dana was a little too ditzy and country mouse for me, especially when Peter is portrayed as a shrewd, urbane player. And how can someone Dana's age who obsessively checks her smartphone be so bad at using it?

 

Dana's friend (Amy) is married to David, and Peter is David's brother (not easy to remember since they don't look much like brothers).

 

That was Samir (Ajay Naidu) well spotted!

[rungirl911]

I thought it was cute. I was home sick from work yesterday and tried this on demand and selfie. 

 

I wouldn't set my DVR for this but on demand I would watch.  I did find Peter interesting. Mostly because he isn't the "classic hot guy" and for his thoughts were kind of funny (the pregnant "yes, yes, hmm maybe....yes" ).  Dana was a bit country mouse as Latverian Diplomat stated, but I liked when she was assertive. If she was a bit too timid, I wouldn't like her at all.

[MMLEsq]

I listened to EW radio again during my commute home last night and caught the TV editors hour.  They were talking about which Fall shows would possibly be cancelled.  After Utopia, I think this was the next one that was mentioned.  They were scathing in their review of the show.  Doesn't look good.

Edited October 3, 2014 by MMLEsq

[Charlotte Vale]

Like the cast, not crazy about the writing or the concept. If there is nothing better on or I don't have a good book to read, I may tune in; but if it gets cancelled I won't miss it (and will forget it existed within five minutes).

[Roaster]

I want to live in a huge, Manhattan loft like Dana's friend, big enough to do yoga in. I could barely turn around in my apartment in Philly, who knew trophy plaques were so lucrative?

Why are shows like this never set in Philly, or for that matter the suburbs of NYC or anyplace more resembling where most Americans live?  In Hollywood's fantasy world, living in Manhattan is like being in high school only everybody's about 10 years older.  Not much to worry about.  Walk down the street and you see lots of attractive members of the opposite sex in your age range.  What a life!  You're not an adult yet - adults live in the suburbs - you're a kid living in a wonderland of Romance.

[whack-a-mole]

I didn't enjoy this for what it is. I did enjoy imagining those awful intrusive thoughts we all have being mixed in amongst all the nonsense. Imagine somewhere in here they take a diversion into one of them thinking about strangling a puppy or sticking a knife in the waiter because that smile was just too fake. This could be a lot more fun if they went anywhere near what actual people think all the time instead of the "cute" version. One and done.

[methodwriter85]

Jake McDorman just feels miscast for this. I feel like his character should have been played by a guy who looks like Zachary Levi or Ben Feldman, not a guy who looks like he should be a stockbroker in The Wolf of Wall Street.

 

My other thought- isn't Brooklyn where the young, creative people are going right now instead of Manhattan?

Edited October 3, 2014 by methodwriter85

[CleoCaesar]

I don't think Dana's list being riddled with cliches is so bad. She wants to go to Central Park, the heathen. She lives in NYC and wants to take advantage of that.

This show is beyond awful, though. The pilot was actually painful.

Edited October 7, 2014 by CleoCaesar

[Kenneth Conway]

This show is guaranteed to make one hate: New York City, New Yorkers, young people, young women, young men, Soho, lofts, Manhattan, social media, apps, technology, dating, romance, writers, sitcoms, blondes, mobile phones, beards, transplants, office workers, quips, quirks, interior monologues, wives, husbands, couples, singles, restaurants, cobblestones, colleagues, bosses, purses, the Statue of Liberty, television, the networks, lists, buckets, bucket lists, the human race, existence.

"beyond awful" is 100% accurate.

[Whimsy]

Things start to become awkward between Dana and Peter after she bumps into him out on a date with somebody else.

 

 

[Jac]

Embarrassing pretty much sums up this show. I had it on while I was cooking dinner tonight and I wanted to throw things at my TV. I hate this season's trend towards vapid, self-absorbed, streotypeed female leads in comedies and Dana is the worst of the bunch.

[JasmineFlower]

Thought the second episode was better, not great, but better.

 

Not nearly as many voiceovers, and certainly not as many that interfered with the other almost simultaneous conversations. Thought they toned down the female best friend so she wasn't as annoying, not overly likable but a lot more tolerable.

 

The sister is probably my favorite character. I think the leads mostly work and I like the dad now and the brother still works to me. The writing could just be better and I could still do with less or better placed voiceovers.

 

Don't think this show is long for the world but I'll watch a few more episodes as long as it continues to air.

[iMonrey]

Either I totally missed the fact that Peter and David were brothers in the pilot, or I forgot. Same for the female co-worker, whose name I still don't know. Didn't know she was related either. Or that they all worked for their father. Shows how much attention I was paying.

 

I really like the leads, but the show just isn't funny enough. Ratings are crap - I predict this will be the first cancellation of the season.

Edited October 8, 2014 by iMonrey

[JasmineFlower]

It was fairly subtle, but they did make it known that they were all related. They turned when the boss came in the room during the pilot and said "Hi, Dad" for instance. But they weren't in your face about it, so I wouldn't be surprised if a few people missed that the three of them were siblings, don't think you're alone there.

[reggiejax]

It was fairly subtle, but they did make it known that they were all related. They turned when the boss came in the room during the pilot and said "Hi, Dad" for instance. But they weren't in your face about it, so I wouldn't be surprised if a few people missed that the three of them were siblings, don't think you're alone there.

 

 

The only family member I didn't realize was part of the family until the second episode was the beardo. Of course it doesn't help that none of the 4 look like they could be plausibly related. Not as bad as Ruthie Camden on 7th Heaven, but definitely rivaling the Rush family on Too Close for Comfort in terms of lack of resemblance.

 

There is a lot to like here, but for me it is the central premise that isn't working. While the leads are engaging, I just don't see where either of them would want to pursue a relationship with the other. Especially don't see Dana even bothering with Peter after that first date. But it is a throwback rom-com, and it wouldn't be such if the female lead didn't go for the guy who was totally wrong for her.

[SallyAlbright]

This show is pretty damn cute. I don't have too many more in depth thoughts, but I will watch it as long as it's on.

[AnnaRose]

This show is pretty damn cute. I don't have too many more in depth thoughts, but I will watch it as long as it's on

 

 

I think this show is pretty cute too, and I don't think it deserves the derision it has received. 

 

A to Z did a very similar second episode, and I actually liked the Manhattan Love Story second episode much better.  I think the leads are cute, and I generally like the supporting characters on this one much more than the A to Z series. (Don't get me started on that show's annoying, bearded work friend - he is awful!)  

 

I like the family dynamic on this show too, and that the secondary relationships don't seem forced to me, which is always a plus. 

 

I also think the lead actress on this show (don't know her name) is pretty adorable.  Conversely, I really don't see the appeal of the actress on A to Z.  I didn't watch How I Met Your Mother, so perhaps I would like her and it more if I had.  (I do like Ben Feldman on A-Z though, but that show is already starting to bore me.)

 

Oh well, ratings for this are terrible, so I suppose this show is not long for this world.  I will continue to watch though, precluding any major dip in quality.

Edited October 13, 2014 by AnnaRose

[photo fox]

Dana and Peter seem to have reached the perfect relationship balance – they’ve jointly agreed to see other people but not talk about it. But their dating anonymity is all about to change when Dana learns of a long-standing dinner party Amy is hosting at the loft – and the fact Peter is attending and bringing someone else as his date. On a mission to find her own suitable dinner companion, Dana turns to her new handsome and British boss, Tucker, but both Peter and Dana’s evenings do not go as planned.

[iMonrey]

I thought this was actually a pretty strong episode, although it might be too little too late. The leads are so watchable. I loved when Dana had the flashback and realized all the things she'd seen in Tucker's office that should have tipped her off to his being gay, including the photo of him with his boyfriend! (Although, to be fair, if the guy has a boyfriend, why did he think Dana brought him to the party to set him up with Peter?) I laughed at him slapping Peter on the ass, too.

[AnnaRose]

This show is so freakin' cute.  I really like all the characters/actors involved.  This was another strong episode, and I liked Jason's continued character growth. 

 

I hope the ratings improve, somehow.  I think this show is better than both Selfie and A to Z.  It totally sucks that hardly anyone is watching it.

[me5671]

This show isn't bad, but to me it isn't great either.  I do like the two leads and I agree that they are very watchable.  However, my problem with this show is that these two really don't seem to work as a couple.  I'm kinda rooting for them to just break up at this point.  This show isn't giving me a reason to WANT them to make it as a couple and multiple examples of why they shouldn't be (i.e.: the disastrous first date, catching him dating some other chick, etc).  I do like the actors, but the writing isn't giving them much to work with IMO.

[photo fox]

Dana and Peter continue to enjoy New York and each other, but when they realize they still haven't had sex, both decide tonight's the night following a sexy and swanky dinner at an upscale oyster restaurant. But when the couple finds their reservation is pushed, Dana and Peter head elsewhere, not knowing that their romantic evening is about to go from intimate dinner to disaster. Meanwhile, Amy and David spend an evening babysitting and make a decision that will impact their future forever

[possibilities]

I thought I would hate this show, but I actually like it. The voice over with what they are really thinking works for me, for one thing.

 

The problem for me is that I don't know why they like each other. It seems to be nothing about their personalities and all about chemistry? That isn't enough for me, long term, so I'd like to see them discover at least a few common points of interest or demonstrate compatibility in some other way. I suppose most TV couples don't really do that, and we're supposed to base everything on attraction alone, but I think the show would be better if they could show that it's not just that.

 

Actually, I feel the same way about her friend/his brother, a married couple that seems to fit the TV trope of "always bickering and don't respect each other or act like they even like each other in the vaguest of ways except for make up sex after each episode's stupid argument."

 

Soooo... why do I like the show? Not sure! But I do.

 

Does anyone know if Peter is played by the same actor who was on Greek-- I can't remember that character's name (Evan, maybe?), but he was a rich frat guy who was dating the female lead, and then lost his family's support when he didn't do what they wanted him to do (something like that anyway)? And if not, then does anyone know what other roles he's had, because he looks really familiar to me.

[truthaboutluv]

Does anyone know if Peter is played by the same actor who was on Greek-- I can't remember that character's name (Evan, maybe?),

Yes, that's the actor who played Evan Chambers on Greek.

[AAEBoiler]

Soooo... why do I like the show? Not sure! But I do.

 

I agree totally. I think I like the show because it's "cute". I enjoy the awkwardness of Dana (Analeigh Tipton). She's doing a fantastic job and is very likable ... which is odd for someone who got noticed via America's Next Top Model.

[MMLEsq]

I didn't like that the episode's title pretty much gave away the major plot point.  However, my first thought was to Legally Blonde: The Musical.  Did anyone else here see it?  There's a song "There! Right There!" from the show that's directly on point.  I've copied and pasted only a snippet, but you get the idea:

 

Elle:
There! Right There!
Look at that tan, well tended skin.
Look at the killer shape he's in.
Look at that slightly stubbly chin.
Oh Please he's gay, totally gay.

Callahan:
I'm not about to celebrate.
Every trait could indicate the totally straight expatriate.
This guy's not gay, I say not gay.

All:
That is the elephant in the room.
Well is it relevant to assume
that a man who wears perfume
is automatically radically fey?

Emmett:
But look at his coiffed and crispy locks.

Elle:
Look at his silk translucent socks.

Callahan:
There's the eternal paradox.
Look what we're seeing.

Elle:
What are we seeing?

Callahan:
Is he gay?

Elle:
Of course he's gay.

Calahan:
Or European?

All:
ohhhhhh.
Gay or European?
It's hard to guarantee
Is he gay or European?

Warner:
Well, hey don't look at me.

Vivian:
You see they bring their boys up different in those charming foreign ports.
They play peculiar sports.

All:
In shiny shirts and tiny shorts.
Gay or foreign fella?
The answer could take weeks.
They will say things like "ciao bella"
while they kiss you on both cheeks.

Elle:
Oh please.

All:
Gay or European?
So many shades of gray.

Warner:
Depending on the time of day, the French go either way.

[blaase]

Why does this show get so much hate? Analeigh and Jake McDornan are adorable, and it's pretty funny, ABC has had a lot worst crap before. 

[truthaboutluv]

I too also enjoy the show. While I think Selfie may be a little bit funnier, I think the leads on this show have way better chemistry. Speaking about the hate, I agree and have been especially confused by all the misogyny and sexist attacks it got in the early reviews. I watched the show expecting Peter to be this awful, obnoxious asshole and yeah he's a bit frat boyish in some of his thoughts but nothing so awful that I'd call the show sexist and misogynistic. Pity because with these ratings I can't see it not being canceled. I think Selfie might be able to squeak a second season as its ratings seem to be increasing and it's getting some good buzz and word of mouth. Before these few comments I almost thought I was the only one watching Manhattan Love Story.

Edited October 24, 2014 by truthaboutluv

[Lilac2000]

It's cancelled. We were really enjoying it too. I think the leads were good and I liked the family dynamic at the trophy place. :(

[giovannif7]

Yup, first official cancellation of the season.

[AnnaRose]

Oh man, that is terrible news.   I'm so sad that it's gone already.  I think the early bad press killed its chances, unfortunately.  I don't think it was "edgy" enough for critics. 

 

I thought Manhattan Love Story was sweet and fun to watch, and I loved the actors/characters.   It wasn't super hilarious for a comedy, but it was more realistic and down to earth than most sitcoms.  I found it very enjoyable and will miss seeing this story play out.  (I wonder how many episodes have been filmed?   I hope they put them online sometime.)

 

Damn.  I wish more people would have watched this.  The leads were adorable together and I enjoyed the family dynamic too.  It was getting better with each episode, and didn't have any ridiculously annoying characters that all the other new shows seem to feature.  

 

 

 

 

[sonyab]

It's cancelled. We were really enjoying it too. I think the leads were good and I liked the family dynamic at the trophy place. :(

Yeah I read that it was cancelled. That's too bad. I really liked it. :(

[looksee]

Too bad about the cancellation. I watched the first episode and thought it was cute. Only problem was I couldn't remember the title and when it was on and on which channel! I hope the lead actress gets another role somewhere else because there is something unique about her.

[MMLEsq]

And damn Two and a Half Men or 2 Broke Girls dreck goes on and on and on like cockroaches!

Agree 1000%!