opus February 21, 2015 Share February 21, 2015 MP definitely needs to dial it down a bit. Link to comment
BW Manilowe February 21, 2015 Share February 21, 2015 I should have narrowed down what I quoted. I meant I never had the feeling that he longed for Blanche, and missed her all that much. Oscar & Felix's exes aren't Blanche & Gloria (respectively) in this version. Respectively, they're Gaby & Ashley (I guess that's how they're spelling her character name in the show, until I see it otherwise somewhere) 1 Link to comment
auntjess February 21, 2015 Share February 21, 2015 No, I was referring to the earlier Oscars, who weren't longing for the ex, as opposed to this new one. 1 Link to comment
LiveFromKevin February 21, 2015 Share February 21, 2015 Yes, it was very stilted. All four of the men on the show can act, seriously act, so there's no excuse for the fact that they all looked scared and like they were at a community college class. I kept thinking, that joke's not funny, but then I realized it would have made me laugh if it had been said correctly. Is it me, or do almost ALL CBS sitcoms have this same problem? They somehow find away to drain the acting chops out of almost every actor, regardless of talent. Just off the top of my head: Laurie Metcalf, Melissa McCarthy, Jason Segal, Alison Janney, Kat Denning, Ashton Kutcher. Sure, in a lot of those cases, the writing doesn't help, but you can't ignore the serious downturn in acting. Especially for Metcalf, Kutcher, Dave Foley, and Matthew Perry. These guys have proven they can be fantastic in studio-audience sitcoms before so I don't understand why CBS has them all regress to such over-the-top (but somehow still hollow) performances. I guess CBS has been getting away with it for so long (ahem, Big Bang Theory), that they don't see the problem. Rant over, this show actually wasn't as bad as I was dreading. Thomas Lennon was great. I don't know how he avoided the problem listed above, but he needs to share the secret with the rest of the network. There were a few good jokes (more than I expected). The cast is great on paper, although I think Dave Foley might have been better served as a friend of Felix's instead of Oscar's? Like in the slob-neatfreak spectrum make it a clearer progression of Oscar-Wendell Pierce-Dave Foley-Felix, instead of a 3-on-1 scenario. That way it better highlights that both the leads are at the extreme. I think the show clearly has potential, but right now the execution seems so lazy and clichéd (I mean, of course the concept is clichéd, but it's also tried-and-true if done right). 2 Link to comment
sinkwriter February 21, 2015 Share February 21, 2015 I just watched the pilot. A lot of it made me wince because it just felt like the timing was off, or that they were playing it too big. (And that laugh track was awful.) But there were a couple moments where I laughed out loud (the "it took me x amount of time to figure out F.U. meant Felix Unger!" cracked me up and I felt like that was Matthew's most relaxed line reading of the entire episode), and I felt that Tom did a terrific job balancing the over-the-top stuff with the gentler line readings. But overall if the timing stays as stiff as in the pilot, I may not keep watching. I'll give it some time because shows often need more than one episode to fully "gel" but wow, it wasn't just Matthew, a lot of the lines felt like exactly that. Line readings. I wanted them to all calm down a bit, stop reciting and put a little more human emotion into it. Link to comment
BW Manilowe February 21, 2015 Share February 21, 2015 No, I was referring to the earlier Oscars, who weren't longing for the ex, as opposed to this new one. My apologies. I didn't go back & re-read your original post, & I probably should've. I will from now on, if I need clarification before posting. 1 Link to comment
KayElektra February 21, 2015 Share February 21, 2015 The first few minutes were painful for me. The laugh track (or audience) was way too loud and so much ACTING! gah. The rest wasn't fantastic, but it got better for me for the most part. Lindsay Sloan was a bright spot, and as someone who braved their way through a few episodes of "Spun Out" with Dave Foley, I thought the few lines he had in the pilot were a lot funnier than most of what he had to work with in that series. That apartment was pretty f'ing posh for NYC, though, right? I'm not sure Trump has a skyline view like that. 1 Link to comment
Blakeston February 21, 2015 Share February 21, 2015 While I wasn't going to react simply to a few names being changed, thinking about it made me realize the problem. They're de-Jewing everything. "Blanche"? "Murray"? "Myrna"? What do those names all have in common? In all seriousness, I don't know. Is Blanche a common Jewish name? Link to comment
designing1 February 21, 2015 Share February 21, 2015 Rather than "de-Jewing" the names, I think they're replacing names that are virtually unheard of in the Perry/Lennon generation. They're pretty much stuck with Felix and Oscar, but to have 30- and 40-somethings named Blanche and Myrna would be odd. I'm not sure what the Jewish equivalent would be for people of that generation, or if there even is an equivalent. Perry was good when he played a heavy on The Good Wife. That should have given him a hint about his best career direction, to distinguish himself apart from Friends. Three of his four Emmy nominations are for dramas. He really needs to explore that further as there's underutilized potential there. 2 Link to comment
iMonrey February 21, 2015 Share February 21, 2015 I think that is part of the problem - Perry has to try to define any new character from such a well known one. I think plenty of actors have done that. Maybe it's just that they're better at their craft than he is. Yeah, Lisa Kudrow managed to make me completely forget about Phoebe Buffet within five minutes of the first episode of The Comeback, and again within the first five minutes of Web Therapy. On the other hand, there's not much to distinguish Courtney Cox's Jules Cobb on Cougar Town from Monica Gellar, so it may be a matter of deliberately choosing roles that are vastly different in addition to the actor's versatility. Link to comment
backformore February 21, 2015 Share February 21, 2015 I liked it, for a pilot. I agree with Kromm, above, that they should have NOT had Felix do the weird sinus noises. The characters need to be re-invented more, and not seem like pale imitations of the originals. This show has potential, I hope they don't wreck it. They need to stop the over the top laughtrack . If that's audience laughter, it's turned up and inserted in awkward spots. No audience is going to laugh THAT loudly at every single line. 1 Link to comment
Snow Apple February 21, 2015 Share February 21, 2015 Like others, the laughter ruined it. When I started watching, I thought the show was awful, but then started paying attention by imagining it without the laughing and realized it wasn't so bad. 1 Link to comment
Kromm February 21, 2015 Share February 21, 2015 And yet why do folks keep calling what was in truth the THIRD version of the characters "the original"? I think here at least 7 or 8 people have done it, in various blogs and articles, hundreds of people have, and in comments on said articles and on YouTube videos, probably tens of thousands. Undeniably it's the version stuck in people's minds, because it was around for the longest time. But its why I think as a few have said here, things don't need to be closer to the 70s version, but further away from it. I loved on some level the casting news that Lennon was playing Felix, but the flip side is that we expect Lennon to be Tony Randall. Thinking about how different Randal and Jack Lemon were (with the exception of the honking stuff), already there's precedent for some different shading. It's why I'm more upset by Perry's lackluster delivery than I am that he's "different" from Jack Klugman. As I said upthread, both Klugman and Matthau are homely guys. Perry, even chewed up and spat out as he looks now, is still a handsome guy. Run with that. If an Oscar who's a straight up dawg/scoundrel is new? Run with it. Just WRITE better for it. 3 Link to comment
Cementhead February 21, 2015 Share February 21, 2015 I stand corrected because I am the one who suggested that the show was using a laugh track. If that hysteria was indeed from a live studio audience than might I suggest they go for an audience a lot less deranged from here on in. 5 Link to comment
BW Manilowe February 21, 2015 Share February 21, 2015 (edited) And yet why do folks keep calling what was in truth the THIRD version of the characters "the original"? I think here at least 7 or 8 people have done it, in various blogs and articles, hundreds of people have, and in comments on said articles and on YouTube videos, probably tens of thousands. Undeniably it's the version stuck in people's minds, because it was around for the longest time. But its why I think as a few have said here, things don't need to be closer to the 70s version, but further away from it. I loved on some level the casting news that Lennon was playing Felix, but the flip side is that we expect Lennon to be Tony Randall. Thinking about how different Randal and Jack Lemon were (with the exception of the honking stuff), already there's precedent for some different shading. It's why I'm more upset by Perry's lackluster delivery than I am that he's "different" from Jack Klugman. As I said upthread, both Klugman and Matthau are homely guys. Perry, even chewed up and spat out as he looks now, is still a handsome guy. Run with that. If an Oscar who's a straight up dawg/scoundrel is new? Run with it. Just WRITE better for it. I think in calling version #3 "the original" (which I'm guilty of doing, as well), they/I/we mean "the original TV version"--which it is (the Klugman/Randall version)--not the original iteration of the source material, period (which would, of course, be the Broadway play by Neil Simon). I believe they said this was the *5th* version of the material, in the Hollywood Reporter interview I linked with the Showrunners, Matthew & Thomas. That counts, I'm pretty sure, the original Broadway play; the movie; the Klugman/Randall TV version; the short-lived African-American cast TV reboot, starring Sanford and Son's Demond Wilson as Oscar & Barney Miller's Ron Glass as Felix; & now this 2nd TV reboot version, with Matthew as Oscar & Thomas as Felix. Technically speaking, there's 7 different iterations (that I know of, for sure) based on the same original material--the 1st 5 listed above, PLUS a cartoon version (I think from the 70's or 80's, & I admit I actually used to watch it as a kid/younger person), which was mentioned in the interview I linked, called The *Oddball* Couple, in which Oscar was a dog--a big ole messy Sheepdog, as I remember--& Felix was a fastidious cat, of a breed I can't remember. I think they maintained the names Felix & Oscar, but I can't remember. They also did a "gender-reversal" version of the play, with I think a mainly female cast, starring Rita Moreno as Florence, the female Felix (as I remember, & it took me a few minutes to remember the female name for the original Felix character), & Sally Struthers as Olive, the female version of Oscar (SS was a frequent celebrity player on Dick Clark's $10,000/25,000/100,00 Pyramid game shows, back in the day, & I distinctly remember her plugging "the female Odd Couple" on some of these shows). This version played in/was to play in various cities around the country, but I'm not sure if it was ever on Broadway. Edited February 22, 2015 by BW Manilowe 2 Link to comment
Kromm February 21, 2015 Share February 21, 2015 (edited) Some interesting stage derivatives of the play have been staged. Most in venues where almost nobody saw them, so we can't really give them any kind of "number", but it's just interesting where it's popped up (and with whom) over the years. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Odd_Couple#Productions There was a 1970 college version with Martin Short (as Felix) and Eugene Levy (as Oscar) and Dave Thomas as Murray The Cop. Frankly I would have LOVED to see that--I kinda hate Short these days, but a 1970 version of Short and Levy? I bet it was brilliant. I doubt we can count a local production of the McMaster Shakespearean Players as anything culture influencing or serious, it's just a nice footnote. There was a 1994 version playing in Glasgow starring Craig Ferguson as Oscar. Klugman and Randall did a revival of their TV roles in London, with the play script, in 1996. Billy Crystal and Robin Williams were GOING to do a movie reboot, but backed out because a previous film with both of them in it bombed. A touring version in 1997 was like a MASH version, with Jamie Farr as Oscar and William Christopher as Felix. Simon wrote an update of the play and in 2002 John Larroquette was Oscar and Joe Regalbuto was Felix. Which is interesting casting, since I'd say most of us would assume Larroquette as more Felix-like. It didn't go to London or Broadway (the two places which seem to define which versions of things become "official"), but it did play L.A., which is probably the biggest theater city outside of those other two. And yes the female version existed, and apparently DID go to Broadway. In 1985, Struthers and Moreno gave almost 300 performances there. That definitely counts as a "real" version given the number of performances and where it played. There was also a reunion TV movie that I suppose almost everyone is forgetting, with both Randall and Klugman, which included Jack Klugman's cancer/throat surgery and built the plot around that (transposing his experiences onto Oscar). Edited February 21, 2015 by Kromm 1 Link to comment
justmehere February 21, 2015 Share February 21, 2015 What seemed odd to me was that it did feel like a live show -- not just a live audience, but a live broadcast. I'm not saying that it was actually live, but that's how it I thought it played or maybe was filmed, and that made the difference. As an example, when 30 Rock did an actual live broadcast, I thought it was terrible. Everyone seemed off and uncomfortable, giving performances that were more like cue-card readings than their normal acting. Here, every scene in the apartment felt like it was "live". The sequence with the cab was short, but it did feel a bit different. The laughs did bother me at first, but then I was able to tune them out almost completely. And in spite of the stiffness, I laughed several times and enjoyed the show on the whole. I'll keep watching. I think Dave Foley might have been better served as a friend of Felix's instead of Oscar's? Like in the slob-neatfreak spectrum make it a clearer progression of Oscar-Wendell Pierce-Dave Foley-Felix, instead of a 3-on-1 scenario. As I recall, in the movie, at least one of Oscar's friends enjoyed the care that Felix took -- there was some discussion about how he prepared a sandwich. I liked that aspect and agree that Dave Foley's character would be good in that in-between place. Familiar story/concept or not, this is still a re-invention and could take a few episodes to find its own feet. I don't remember the Klugman/Randall pilot, but I'd bet it wasn't perfectly smooth either. 2 Link to comment
Blakeston February 21, 2015 Share February 21, 2015 New Coke would have stood a much better chance of succeeding if the original (classic) Coke never exisited or if you have never tasted the classic version.. That is the same problem that this show suffers from. The problem with New Coke, though, was that people were predisposed to disliking it, In blind taste tests, most people preferred it to regular Coke. But when it was announced they were making a new version of Coke, people weren't happy, and so they had a major bias against the new version when they tried it. With this show, I think people want to like it, and don't necessarily expect it to be as good as the original movie or the original TV series. We just want it to be good - but the pilot fell way short of that. Link to comment
DeLurker February 21, 2015 Share February 21, 2015 I would be happy with a CBS comedy I don't hate. Link to comment
Ailianna February 21, 2015 Share February 21, 2015 Some interesting stage derivatives of the play have been staged. Most in venues where almost nobody saw them, so we can't really give them any kind of "number", but it's just interesting where it's popped up (and with whom) over the years. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Odd_Couple#Productions There was a 1970 college version with Martin Short (as Felix) and Eugene Levy (as Oscar) and Dave Thomas as Murray The Cop. Frankly I would have LOVED to see that--I kinda hate Short these days, but a 1970 version of Short and Levy? I bet it was brilliant. I doubt we can count a local production of the McMaster Shakespearean Players as anything culture influencing or serious, it's just a nice footnote. There was a 1994 version playing in Glasgow starring Craig Ferguson as Oscar. Klugman and Randall did a revival of their TV roles in London, with the play script, in 1996. Billy Crystal and Robin Williams were GOING to do a movie reboot, but backed out because a previous film with both of them in it bombed. A touring version in 1997 was like a MASH version, with Jamie Farr as Oscar and William Christopher as Felix. Simon wrote an update of the play and in 2002 John Larroquette was Oscar and Joe Regalbuto was Felix. Which is interesting casting, since I'd say most of us would assume Larroquette as more Felix-like. It didn't go to London or Broadway (the two places which seem to define which versions of things become "official"), but it did play L.A., which is probably the biggest theater city outside of those other two. And yes the female version existed, and apparently DID go to Broadway. In 1985, Struthers and Moreno gave almost 300 performances there. That definitely counts as a "real" version given the number of performances and where it played. There was also a reunion TV movie that I suppose almost everyone is forgetting, with both Randall and Klugman, which included Jack Klugman's cancer/throat surgery and built the plot around that (transposing his experiences onto Oscar). And let us not forget the Broadway run with Matthew Broderick as Felix and Nathan Lane as Oscar. That was so good, because of the chemistry. But Broderick and Lane and put a lot of time and work into that chemistry--they are great together in a way that is magic, but I'm sure it didn't happen the first time they were in a room together. 1 Link to comment
SmithW6079 February 22, 2015 Share February 22, 2015 I should have narrowed down what I quoted. I meant I never had the feeling that he longed for Blanche, and missed her all that much. I agree. In the original TV version, Oscar was quite happy to be divorced from Blanche, except for the alimony. Still, there were a few episodes with her that were among my favorites because Jack Klugman and Brett Somers were so good together. 1 Link to comment
zxy556575 February 22, 2015 Share February 22, 2015 (edited) Well, that was lamentable. I couldn't even hack it for the whole 22 minutes. As others have noted, it was primarily MP's (lack of) acting. Think I'll look up a few of the original TV series episodes to see if those hold up. It's possible I'll dislike those now as well so not you/me. Edited February 22, 2015 by lordonia 2 Link to comment
Katmai February 22, 2015 Share February 22, 2015 The first thing I thought when they showed Oscar's apartment was that it was almost an exact replica of Barney's apartment on HIMYM (except for the kitchen). Anyone know if they recycled the old HIMYM set? Having never been a viewer of HIMYM, I'm going to take that apartment back even further due to it being very, very similar to Frasier Crane's on Frasier. What was on Dave Foley's head? A bad rug in an unnatural color or roadkill? Just go natural, Dave, it'll be okay. I'm in for several more episodes to see where it goes. 1 Link to comment
auntjess February 22, 2015 Share February 22, 2015 Lordonia, if you get METV on cable, or I think it's also broadcast, watch the original Fridays at 10:30 PM.It holds up pretty well, but my favorite of the oldies, is The Bob Newhart Show. Link to comment
karenc3 February 22, 2015 Share February 22, 2015 (edited) Perry, while we may joke about him becoming soft and doughy, is still a more conventionally handsome guy than either Matthau or Klugman, so the change to make him a womanizer makes sense. I think it's not just that he is more handsome, they are also seem younger than the Oscar in the old TV show or movie, and Felix does too. I think Matthew Perry is in his early 40s, and Thomas Lennon is probably around that age too, and the characters seem to be that age. Tony Randall and Jack Klugman looked like they were in their 50s when the show started, and the characters seemed about 10 years older than in this version. Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon seemed a bit older than that. But also, I agree Oscar was never considered a handsome guy like Matthew Perry was. ETA: Matthew Perry being more handsome also makes it seem out of place that Oscar would be such a slob, and he doesn't seem as bad as the original either. Edited February 22, 2015 by karenc3 Link to comment
karenc3 February 22, 2015 Share February 22, 2015 I generally liked the show, but I always liked Matthew Perry. It does seem to be more Chandler than Oscar. I think the characters are being played younger than in the original show. I do remember that in the TV show, Felix had a daughter who was in her early teens when the show started, and I wonder if that will be brought to this show. I did hear Matthew Perry talking about how the F.U. joke was brought from the play, I didn't realize that they weren't allowed to use that in the original show. The ticker thing was weird though. The modernization of the show could be interesting if used properly. And more than just they have cell phones, Ipads and big screen tvs. Now someone like Felix would probably be considered OCD, and Oscar would be considered a hoarder. That could take the show in a different direction, but not sure if they will do that. Link to comment
designing1 February 22, 2015 Share February 22, 2015 (edited) Regarding the actors' actual ages, Matthau and Lemmon were 48 and 43, respectively, when the film was made. Klugman (who, like Matthau, never looked young, even when he was) and Randall were 48 and 50 when their version began. Perry and Lennon are 45 and 44. I have no idea how old the characters are supposed to be. Edited February 22, 2015 by designing1 1 Link to comment
DeLurker February 22, 2015 Share February 22, 2015 (edited) I think it's not just that he is more handsome, they are also seem younger than the Oscar in the old TV show or movie, and Felix does too. I think Matthew Perry is in his early 40s, and Thomas Lennon is probably around that age too, and the characters seem to be that age. Tony Randall and Jack Klugman looked like they were in their 50s when the show started, and the characters seemed about 10 years older than in this version. Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon seemed a bit older than that. But also, I agree Oscar was never considered a handsome guy like Matthew Perry was. ETA: Matthew Perry being more handsome also makes it seem out of place that Oscar would be such a slob, and he doesn't seem as bad as the original either. MP and TL are only about 5 years younger than Klugmann and Randall when the 1970 show started, but they seemed younger to me too. I suspect it is probably a combination of the fact that I am no longer a "kid" looking at "adults" and today's 50 is not as old as it used to be (today's 50 is yesterday's 40 or something?). Not sure there's a correlation between attractiveness and neatness :<) I wish they had saved the nose horking for a few eps. I can see why they would want to keep it, but it might have been more effective to have a few eps to start making Oscar and Felix their "own" and then do the obvious callback. ETA: designing1 beat me to the age thing. Edited February 22, 2015 by DeLurker 3 Link to comment
AstaCharles February 22, 2015 Share February 22, 2015 I the pilot was clunky but I enjoyed it. I'm not a huge fan of the Klugman/Randall version. My favorite was the movie. Even though I tuned in for Thomas Lennon, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed Perry. I didn't think he was that bad. Bonus for me : Kids in the Hall and The State members together on my screen. Link to comment
LucyEth February 22, 2015 Share February 22, 2015 Hated it, Perry and Lennon were awful and usually love anything Lennon does Guess I'm stuck on Randall and Klugman and that's my problem. 2 Link to comment
BW Manilowe February 22, 2015 Share February 22, 2015 (edited) The ratings for the Pilot were actually really strong. At least according to TV by the Numbers/Zap2It.com. http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2015/02/20/tv-ratings-thursday-two-and-a-half-man-finale-strong-the-odd-couple-debuts-big-scandal-how-to-get-away-with-murder-up-the-blacklist-flat/365436/ The Pilot got a 3.1 in the coveted 18-49 Demographic; a 10 Share; & had 13.57 Million viewers. Guess we'll have to see if/how long they can maintain those great numbers, since the Pilot airing was preceded by the 2-episode Finale of Two and a Half Men &, therefore, the ratings could be a lot larger--because of that--than we can expect for future eps. Edited February 22, 2015 by BW Manilowe Link to comment
MoreCoffeePlease February 23, 2015 Share February 23, 2015 Dave Foley is love. The show gets an instant Plus 10 because he's there. Shame he wasn't given more to do. Where I can join the Dave Foley fan club? Loved him in A Bug's Life, and he has been hilarious as a guest on The Middle and Hot in Cleveland. What was his big sitcom, Talk Radio? (I'll look it up.) Never watched it religiously, but I probably would have liked it. Debating on whether or not to nurture this show. There were a few good laughs, but I'll have to check with hubby since we have only so many hours to devote to TV. Link to comment
sinkwriter February 23, 2015 Share February 23, 2015 Where I can join the Dave Foley fan club? Loved him in A Bug's Life, and he has been hilarious as a guest on The Middle and Hot in Cleveland. What was his big sitcom, Talk Radio? (I'll look it up.) Never watched it religiously, but I probably would have liked it. News Radio. And it was indeed awesome (especially the first season or two). You should definitely check it out. I highly recommend it, and it's due in part to Dave Foley's awesomeness and hilarious comic timing (as well as the late great Phil Hartman, who is so sorely missed). 1 Link to comment
Kromm February 23, 2015 Share February 23, 2015 Where I can join the Dave Foley fan club? Loved him in A Bug's Life, and he has been hilarious as a guest on The Middle and Hot in Cleveland. What was his big sitcom, Talk Radio? (I'll look it up.) Never watched it religiously, but I probably would have liked it. Debating on whether or not to nurture this show. There were a few good laughs, but I'll have to check with hubby since we have only so many hours to devote to TV. NewsRadio is great. But also check out the doings of Young Dave Foley in The Kids In The Hall sketches. Most of which can be found on YouTube. 1 Link to comment
iMonrey February 23, 2015 Share February 23, 2015 New Coke would have stood a much better chance of succeeding if the original (classic) Coke never exisited or if you have never tasted the classic version.. That is the same problem that this show suffers from. If you have seen the original TV version of The Odd Couple, of course people are going to compare to this new version. This new version just doesn't stand up to the original. Not even close. These actors are in over their heads, and the writing is lousy. I never really liked the original TV version with Klugman and Randall, so my disappointment with this new version had nothing to do with comparison. If anything, I was pre-disposed to liking this version because of the actors involved. But I agree the writing was lousy. It needed to be funnier, and it wasn't. The promo spots for the next episode aren't very promising either. Link to comment
Kromm February 24, 2015 Share February 24, 2015 Dave Foley in NewsRadio Dave Foley in Kids In The Hall 1 Link to comment
SmithW6079 February 24, 2015 Share February 24, 2015 I would be happy with a CBS comedy I don't hate. I enjoyed "The McCarthys," and I can't believe they replaced that show with this dreck. Link to comment
rubaco February 26, 2015 Share February 26, 2015 Thomas Lennon's line delivery reminded me so much of Niles Crane. So all this episode succeeded in doing was make me miss both Frasier and Friends. If I were a friend of Matthew Perry, I honestly don't know what I'd advise him to do. As others have said upthread, he's great in dramatic roles. He was terrific in The Ron Clark Story. But a whole bunch of Chandler's reactions/looks/lines are among the funniest bits (for me, anyway) from the entire Friends series, so he is clearly very gifted at comedy. I don't know what the answer is for where his career ought to be going. But it's not this show. 4 Link to comment
sinkwriter February 26, 2015 Share February 26, 2015 Maybe he's just out of practice with comedy. I loved him on Friends; Chandler was my favorite. In watching this episode, I just kept feeling like he needed to take more time with his lines, savor and sink into them rather than jump on them, if that makes any sense. Maybe he's just not gelling with the character yet and needs more time to find the rhythm of it all (or maybe the writing could be better, too). I felt like he just wasn't becoming the character. Instead it seemed like he was trying to force it to be funny, and that never works. Link to comment
Kromm February 26, 2015 Share February 26, 2015 Thomas Lennon's line delivery reminded me so much of Niles Crane. So all this episode succeeded in doing was make me miss both Frasier and Friends. If I were a friend of Matthew Perry, I honestly don't know what I'd advise him to do. As others have said upthread, he's great in dramatic roles. He was terrific in The Ron Clark Story. But a whole bunch of Chandler's reactions/looks/lines are among the funniest bits (for me, anyway) from the entire Friends series, so he is clearly very gifted at comedy. I don't know what the answer is for where his career ought to be going. But it's not this show. There's a reason for your reaction. On @midnight Lennon talked about the show and said that The Odd Couple's writing staff is largely Frasier's old writing crew. This is actually good news. Lennon also said that only the Pilot was really entrenched in the original show/movie and that the writers are taking it new places in the follow up episodes. As long as they knock the rust off Perry, and we have some patience, maybe this won't be so bad. It's given me enough hope to withhold my judgment until lets say... Episode 4. 2 Link to comment
opus February 28, 2015 Share February 28, 2015 (edited) No discussion here on Ep. 2? Edited February 28, 2015 by GaryE Link to comment
Kromm February 28, 2015 Share February 28, 2015 No discussion here on Ep. 2? In the future, if you don't see a topic for an episode, then you can make one. I did so in this case, right about the same time you posted! Episode 2 thread. Link to comment
SmithW6079 March 2, 2015 Share March 2, 2015 On the other hand, there's not much to distinguish Courtney Cox's Jules Cobb on Cougar Town from Monica Gellar, so it may be a matter of deliberately choosing roles that are vastly different in addition to the actor's versatility. True, but didn't Courtney Cox also play the editor of a sleazy tabloid (I think it was called "Dirt" or "Dirty")? That's pretty much as far away from Monica Gellar as you could get. Link to comment
BW Manilowe March 2, 2015 Share March 2, 2015 True, but didn't Courtney Cox also play the editor of a sleazy tabloid (I think it was called "Dirt" or "Dirty")? That's pretty much as far away from Monica Gellar as you could get. Yeah, she did. The show was Dirt. I think it aired on FX, though I could be wrong; if I'm right, it was, like, their 1st/1 of their 1st original series. I think it only lasted 2 or 3 seasons; certainly less than 5. Link to comment
Taylorh2 May 12, 2015 Share May 12, 2015 Wow! Yevette Nicole Brown has lost a lot of weight but wearing her hair like that makes her look like a bobble head. Link to comment
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