The McCarthys - General Discussion

[Meredith Quill]

Your Media Topic!

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Your Tyler Topic!

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Your Cast Topic!

[formerlyfreedom]

A place to discuss particular episodes, arcs and moments from the show's run. Please remember this isn't a complete catch-all topic -- check out the forum for character topics and other places for show-related talk.

[formerlyfreedom]

News coming in advance of next week's premiere...

 

Tyler Ritter stars in new CBS sitcom The McCarthys

 

Actor and Comedian Jimmy Dunn of The McCarthys

 

Cheers Vet John Ratzenburger to Play Ball With CBS' The McCarthys

 

Q&A With Laurie Metcalf

[formerlyfreedom]

To get the ball rolling, here are some of the credits or background of the cast.

 

Tyler Ritter: Progeny of John Ritter

Laurie Metcalf: Seriously, I shouldn't have to explain anything here, right?

Jack McGee: Rescue Me

Jimmy Dunn: well known comedian.

Joey McIntyre: New Kids On The Block alum. Also, sometimes acts.

[mtlchick]

As a Blockhead, I'm required by our fan club laws to watch.  (Ok, that's a lie, but go with me.)

 

As someone who likes TV but does not watch any CBS sitcoms at all, this may be a chore to get through.  

[Bronzedog]

Wow. That was bad.

[mtlchick]

I watched the pilot on the NKOTB cruise and...it's just as bad as I remembered it.  Many fans who have gone to the tapings since then say it does get better so I better hope they're right.  

[Trooper York]

It was pretty bad. I mean I hate Boston and Boston fans and even I feel bad for them.

[Rinaldo]

@stacey , may I say how it gratifies this former Chicagoan's heart to see Laurie Metcalf's stature treated as something that needs no explanation?

 

Back around 1980, I was living there again and marveling at this local theater, Steppenwolf, which had an amazing company of actors, of whom Laurie Metcalf was the most extraordinary. I was thinking at the time, "Boy, more people ought to know about her; she's just the best there is." And so it has turned out! (Their other actors at the time were no slouches either, and they've done all right too: John Malkovich, Gary Sinise, Glenne Headly, Terry Kinney, Joan Allen, Jeff Perry, Gary Cole, and more.) Her monologue in Balm in Gilead is something people are still talking about: definitely the #1 acting performance of my theatergoing experience.

[Milburn Stone]

We liked it! Great cast, sharp writing. We LOL'ed.

[Mckinnonsgirl]

Oh my gosh , there was a moment when Ty Ritter channeled his Father , his mannerisms and facial expressions remind me so much of John Ritter. While the pilot was rough I did smile and got a couple of chuckles.

Joey M has good comedic timing and what can I say I've loved Laurie Metcalfe since Roseanne.

Edited October 31, 2014 by Mckinnonsgirl

[Readalot]

At the end of a long week it's an easy laugh so we will watch again.

[EtheltoTillie]

Was that Ken Howard making a stunt casting appearance? Seriously, though, this was awful.

[BusyOctober]

I guess I'll give it another try, but only because I'm from Boston and I feel a weird sense of loyalty to anything tied to New England in general.  I hope this show gets better but I'm guessing I'm not the audience for this kind of sit-com.  I can't tolerate most of CBS's "comedy" line up- Two & A Half Men, 2 Broke Girls, Mom, The Millers or even Mike & Molly (despite my Melissa McCarty love) all make me cringe with embarrassment for the actors. I'm even starting to lose my enthusiasm for Big Bang Theory.

 

Did not know that was John Ritter's son in the lead. How many kids in show business does he have? I know his son Jason was on Parenthood.  I wasn't ever a fan of John, but all I know him from is Three's Company (which was unwatchable to me even as a kid in the 70-80's).  I never understood the reverence people have for him as a comedic actor.

[Puffaroo]

I'm willing to give it another try as Laurie Metcalf's comedic timing is as on point as ever, but MAN that laugh track just about drove me crazy.  I wouldn't have minded it so much if it weren't SO LOUD!

[Snow Apple]

Oh my gosh , there was a moment when Ty Ritter channeled his Father , his mannerisms and facial expressions remind me so much of John Ritter. While the pilot was rough I did smile and got a couple of chuckles.

Close your eyes and you'd swear you were listening to John.

 

Not a great show, but it's something I'd watch again. It's comfort TV that you don't have to think too much or pay attention, but get a few laughs.

[Bronzedog]

I doubt either one of John Ritter's sons would be on weekly shows if they weren't John Ritter's sons. I don't think either son is that talented. Ironically, I thought John Ritter was at his best in dramas, not comedy. I hated Three's Company.

[kassa]

The other son was on Joan of Arcadia and quite good there, I think.  

 

I think it shows some promise, but the laugh track way waaaaay overboard.

 

 

I always try to keep in mind that it's a pilot, the actors don't know each other yet, the characters haven't settled -- look at the pilots for great tv comedies over the years and very, very few are really that good.  

 

But there's really no excuse for the laugh track.  

[teebax]

I had read good things about this show (so maybe it gets better), but I thought this pilot was awful. The only thing I liked about it was how the family is accepting of Ty Ritter's character. 

 

I don't buy Laurie Metcalf as the mother. She doesn't look old enough (she may be in real life and just have aged well). I also don't see her as married to the dad.

 

I'll probably watch again, since it's paired with Mom, which I love. But I'm not optimistic about this one.

[kassa]

You should see Metcalf on Getting On, on HBO.

 

She's definitely old enough!  (around 60, I'd guess?)

[sugarbaker design]

Good guess!  According to IMDB she'll be sixty next June.

[DropTheSoap]

The laugh track is way over the top, as has been noted.

 

Otherwise, it's really pretty bad.

[Kromm]

It was pretty weak. Then again, I kept saying to myself "it's far better than Mulaney!"  So it's not the WORST new sitcom of Fall 2014.  it's just almost the worst!

[SmithW6079]

I enjoyed it quite a bit. It made me laugh, which is what I want from a situation *comedy*.

 

I was a little confused, though. Was "Fatty," the assistant coach a young guy who died of a heart attack? Because I can't see that the sister would sleep with an old man. I would imagine there would have been a little more angst if he was the father's age.

 

Also, who gives a fuck about the laugh track? I barely even notice them. Sitcoms have employed them for years, so maybe it's time to move on.

[Kromm]

Also, who gives a fuck about the laugh track? I barely even notice them. Sitcoms have employed them for years, so maybe it's time to move on.

I think people see them as an antiquated concept. An artificial prompt that's unnecessary and quite insulting to a viewing audience. It's great if you're able to tune one out, but I doubt that's a universal skill.

[Milburn Stone]

The laugh track thing might be generational.

 

(By the way, "laugh track" is partially a misnomer. When a show is filmed in front of a live audience, that's the sound of laughter, not a laugh track. Granted, the sound of genuine laughter is sometimes augmented through artificial means, especially with really bad shows that no human being would actually laugh at. But my sense with The McCarthys is that the augmentation was done with a light hand.)

 

Generations brought up when laugh tracks were the norm probably tune them out--especially when most of the laughter heard seems to the genuine laughter of a studio audience--while generations brought up in the age of The Office and Parks & Rec probably find laugh tracks "dated."

 

Of course, even SNL--a live show!--dials in artificial audience sounds (laughter, woo!'s, applause, etc.), when going into and out of breaks and in the transitions between sketches.

Edited November 3, 2014 by Milburn Stone

[xander874]

I actually enjoyed this show. It wasn't great, but I'll watch it. It got terrible ratings I heard, so it may not be around long anyway.

 

And I thought that was very funny when the dad announced that Ronny was the new coach and he said, "No thank you". It was the delivery I enjoyed. I've never seen Tyler Ritter in anything, but I thought he was pretty good.

[teebax]

You should see Metcalf on Getting On, on HBO.

 

She's definitely old enough!  (around 60, I'd guess?)

I love that show! I thought they were aging her with makeup. I guess it's hard to believe Jackie from Roseanne is that old now. It wasn't lost on me, BTW, that one of her kids on the show is named Jackie.

[EtheltoTillie]

There were so many tone-deaf  lines here.  The son keeps saying things like he doesn't like "the sports."  Come on.  He's raised in a family of athletes.  Just awful.

[Kromm]

There were so many tone-deaf  lines here.  The son keeps saying things like he doesn't like "the sports."  Come on.  He's raised in a family of athletes.  Just awful.

There's a valid joke in there--they just hammered it a few times too many.  The first time they indicated he knew exactly what he was doing and using "the' to annoy his father and brothers... so the joke made sense.  Later in the episode they used it so many times it no longer seemed fully like a conscious choice. Thus ruining the joke.

[sidekickgirl]

14 year old me gives this a thumbs up, just based on the fact that Joe McIntyre is in it.  Of course, my NKOTB love is still in full throttle 25 years later, so 39 year old me will be watching.  *please let it be good. please let it be good. please let it be good*  I'm going to get docked fan club points, because I haven't watched the first two episodes yet.... I'm sorry Joey, love me!

 

Also, I loved John Ritter, so I'm excited to see his son as well.

[SmithW6079]

The laugh track thing might be generational.

 

The laugh track thing is people don't want to admit they watch old-school, traditional sitcoms, so they have to show they're "hip" and "cool" by decrying the use of a laugh track.

[DropTheSoap]

I have no trouble with old fashioned sitcoms. The laugh track is something I actually rarely notice on a sitcom. I did have trouble with the laugh track on this show, though, as it seemed to be intrusively loud and artificial.

[alexa]

I really liked it. I kept thinking the lead looked like a Ritter but didn't know there were more of them so thought it was a coincidence. Too funny that it actually is a Ritter. I did laugh quite a few times.

[alexa]

I totally lol'd during the party scene. I have a hard time finding sitcoms I like but this one is a keeper for me.

[mtlchick]

Well I did chuckle at the drinking game.  So there's that.  And I smirk at Gerard's stank face in his photos.  That said, it's forgettable. If it makes it past November, I'll consider that a small miracle.  

[Cherry Cola]

Holy cow. He looks exactly like his dad!!

[Cherry Cola]

I like it. It's not perfect but it is funny.

[TheOtherOne]

Tyler Ritter is so, so pretty. The show isn't perfect, but it is likeable enough for me to keep watching (and this episode did make me laugh several times). But frankly, even if it wasn't, I'd probably still tune in, because I really just want to stare at him. It's weird, because I don't find John Ritter, even young John Ritter, attractive at all. But Tyler?

 

So, so pretty.

Edited November 7, 2014 by TheOtherOne

[jumper sage]

I like it too.

[ae2]

I had no intentions of watching this show, and based on the previews, had very low expectations. But, it came on while I was exercising the past 2 weeks and I... actually like it. The show is fairly well written for a typical sitcom. There were a handful of funny moments, and 1 or 2 laugh out loud moments.

 

(And, I've had a crush on Kelen Coleman for awhile now.)

 

My biggest problem is... why must they lay so heavily on the Boston stereotypes? I feel like I'm in a half hour version of this commercial. It's sort of funny the first time you watch it, but after the third time you're reaching for the mute button. Can't we have a show set in an iconic location without focusing so much on the stereotypes? Except Portland, because every stereotype you have about Portland is wildly true.

[Milburn Stone]

I like it. It's not perfect but it is funny.

 

This sums up my feeling perfectly.

 

I can't help but notice the remarkable difference between the posts on this episode (so far) and the ones on the pilot. Last week, it was a hate-fest, and I was nearly the only one commenting that he kind of liked it. This week, so far, all the posts but one are somewhat positive, and even the exception isn't totally negative. As far as I can tell, it's not accounted for by a difference in quality between the episodes, since last week's had some pretty sharp writing, too. Maybe it's just that all the "haters" stopped watching. :)

Edited November 7, 2014 by Milburn Stone

[Katmai]

 

I like it. It's not perfect but it is funny.

Ditto. I really found this episode much better than the first one. I'm keeping on my DVR.

[mtlchick]

In the show's defense, I did chuckle a few times which for a CBS comedy, says a lot for me.  I do hope for the cast's sake, it does last. But I won't be sad if it gets pulled for low ratings.  I normally give it 3 shows anyway so thinking good things for next week. 

[Packerbrewerbadger]

I did find this episode entertaining especially "not in front of the kids" jokes. But either give all the people Boston accents or ( preferably ) none of them! The Mcintrye guy really overdoes it ,he's channeling someone, can't place it. But I think Sheldon's mom is great!

[LiveFromKevin]

In the show's defense, I did chuckle a few times which for a CBS comedy, says a lot for me.  I do hope for the cast's sake, it does last. But I won't be sad if it gets pulled for low ratings.  I normally give it 3 shows anyway so thinking good things for next week.

I agree with this completely. The cast is really elevating the writing right now.

[formerlyfreedom]

I put this on last night while my mom was visiting. She was immediately taken with it - she was very pleased to see Laurie Metcalf working, and just very much enjoyed the show, not in any sort of high brow or enlightening way, but much the same way she really enjoys a number of other sitcoms.

[squeegeaddict]

I did find this episode entertaining especially "not in front of the kids" jokes. But either give all the people Boston accents or ( preferably ) none of them! The Mcintrye guy really overdoes it ,he's channeling someone, can't place it. But I think Sheldon's mom is great!

 

As someone from a place with very pronounced dialects, this is actually something that can happen. You should hear me compared to my family - chalk and cheese. We're from Newfoundland. Plus, from old New Kids on the Block interviews, I really do think Joey's accent is that thick. I like it. Reminds me of home a lil.