Man With A Plan - General Discussion

[jumper sage]

6 hours ago, kat165 said:

I've never seen Episodes, unfortunately. No access.

Check your library system, that's how I watch it.  Got it on DVD.

[kat165]

Thank you, Jumper. I will check it out. :)

[RainbowBrite]

I watch this show as background noise, and only because of my soft spot for Matt LeBlanc, but I've noticed a Friends "reference" in the last two episodes. There's a good chance they were unintentional.

The first was when MLB said something along the lines of "they know we know", which reminded me so much of the Friends episode where everyone finds out about Monica and Chandler. 

The other was MLB's character Christmas shopping at a gas station. His Friends character did the same in one of the first few seasons.

[iMonrey]

RainbowBrite - I think the gas station shopping just speaks to how unimaginative and unoriginal the writing for this show is. I can guess how Matt LeBlanc got sold on this show, though - James Burrows directed the pilot and some of the other episodes too. With that kind of star-power behind it, LeBlanc must have been expecting a pretty high quality show. There are about a dozen producers, executive producers and co-producers listed in the opening credits, which usually means "too many cooks in the kitchen." Who knows how this was originally pitched to LeBlanc versus what it eventually became.

Which makes it all the more ironic since LeBlanc starred in "Episodes," a show about this very thing. A smart, well written comedy that devolves into pedestrian pablum because of network interference. 

[MsJamieDornan]

On 11/18/2016 at 2:08 PM, iMonrey said:

On 12/8/2016 at 1:40 PM, Unclejosh said:

 

I just can't with the actress who plays the wife.  She ruins an already terrible show.  Not that another actress would have made this show amazing but she is awful and has been in everything I have ever seen her in.

 

And I'm sorry but Kevin Nealon has never been funny once in his entire life. 

He ruins the whole show. Very poor actor.

[RainbowBrite]

On 12/21/2016 at 0:13 PM, iMonrey said:

RainbowBrite - I think the gas station shopping just speaks to how unimaginative and unoriginal the writing for this show is. I can guess how Matt LeBlanc got sold on this show, though - James Burrows directed the pilot and some of the other episodes too. With that kind of star-power behind it, LeBlanc must have been expecting a pretty high quality show. There are about a dozen producers, executive producers and co-producers listed in the opening credits, which usually means "too many cooks in the kitchen." Who knows how this was originally pitched to LeBlanc versus what it eventually became.

Which makes it all the more ironic since LeBlanc starred in "Episodes," a show about this very thing. A smart, well written comedy that devolves into pedestrian pablum because of network interference. 

I swear that I read a long while back that Jenna Fischer was initially cast as his wife but that the role was recast due to a "chemistry" issue. I had wondered at the time whether it was really Fischer who chose to leave once she saw what the show turned into...

[jbrecken]

The actress who plays Lowell's wife was on an episode of Joey.  I wonder if that's how she got the part.

[willco]

I was a really big Friends fan back in the day and, until recently, I watched reruns a lot so much so that I've had to stop, I was getting to the point that I knew every single thing that was going to happen. Anyway, I liked Joey on the show, although he wasn't my favorite 'Friend' because he was far too often just too dumb. So at least on this show, he has at least a little more smarts. I didn't think the 1st part of the season was all that good, but last night's show was better.

 

The guest star, Victoria Justice, I had to look up ( because I'm old !) I've heard the name, but I'm not sure I've seen her in anything before. Very pretty. I know that when I 1st started hearing her name, whenever that was, I kept thinking they were talking about the former SNL player, whose name is actually Victoria Jackson. I was confused because she hadn't been in much since her SNL days, and I kept wondering why all of a sudden she was getting all this press. At some point, I must have realized they were two (very) different people.

[stillhere1900]

It really bugs the hell out of me the way the parents always just walk into the teenage daughter's room without knocking first.

[TheOtherOne]

Caught the first few minutes (which was a few too many), and listening to LeBlanc's character talking about how men are better at some jobs than women, I inevitably thought of this:

 

Which just made me think how much better that show was than this one.

[Unclejosh]

Anyone see that Blind Item regarding Victoria Justice and Matt Leblanc regarding the episode she did?  According to the BI, Matt was very handsy and gropey but she had to put up with it because she hasn't been getting much work lately and doesn't want to rock any boats.

[MsJamieDornan]

On ‎11‎/‎18‎/‎2016 at 2:08 PM, iMonrey said:

And I'm sorry but Kevin Nealon has never been funny once in his entire life. 

He is awful. And, I can do without Liza Snyder.

On ‎12‎/‎8‎/‎2016 at 1:40 PM, Unclejosh said:

I just can't with the actress who plays the wife.  She ruins an already terrible show.  Not that another actress would have made this show amazing but she is awful and has been in everything I have ever seen her in.

Correct !

[LakeGal]

I prefer this show to Kevin Can Wait.

[msani19]

I'm amused that the show has generated so little activity. To be fair, it doesn't deserve much! It's so bland and generic. Friends gets more interest than this show!I watched the other night and it was ok, but not something I'm clamoring to watch. It just happened to be on and I was busy doing other things and didn't turn it off. The comedy is so stale and old, like are there NO interesting ways to tell the story that hasn't been done since the beginning of tv? 

1 hour ago, LakeGal said:

I prefer this show to Kevin Can Wait.

Hmm, well in that case I agree. It is better than KCW which is atrocious. 

[AngelKitty]

10 hours ago, msani19 said:

The comedy is so stale and old, like are there NO interesting ways to tell the story that hasn't been done since the beginning of tv?

That's so true, isn't it, yet I do find myself chuckling every now and then. Especially at Stacy Keach.

[llewis823]

I will say I enjoy this show more often than not, but it's kind of like a watered down version of "Home Improvement"...the husband is always the foil to the wife, but in the end, they are all fine. And I never liked Stacy Keach before this show, but he is just hilarious as his dad.

[jumper sage]

Birthday dinner - Maybe I live under a rock but if you plan a dinner in a private room and someone can't make it why would you reschedule?  I thought the whole thing was stupid.

[Tanichka]

I’ve seen this show a couple of times & it’s not horrible. Maybe it’s because it follows Kevin Can Wait, tho.

[Katy M]

On ‎3‎/‎13‎/‎2018 at 9:12 PM, jumper sage said:

Birthday dinner - Maybe I live under a rock but if you plan a dinner in a private room and someone can't make it why would you reschedule?  I thought the whole thing was stupid.

On the other hand, why would you plan a dinner and book a private room and then not invite anyone until that week?  But, yeah, major overreactions from everyone.

[jumper sage]

2 hours ago, Katy M said:

On the other hand, why would you plan a dinner and book a private room and then not invite anyone until that week?  But, yeah, major overreactions from everyone.

And another thing, a family member backed out and a non family member was invited I would think it would be quite nice that they thought of you.

[ari333]

The birthday dinner was kind of a miss for me even though I do like the show in general. I started watching it after my DVR caught part of it after Kevin Can Wait

The Ipad eppy was kind of funny and very topical. I am terrified of doing some silly something like that. I put a band aid over my laptop webcam bc I never know if I'm turning it on by accident *snort* 

I still think of him as Joey, but I like his goofiness here too.  I like the wife and brother (nealon) the kids are meh. I like his parents too

[needschocolate]

This show is not on my short list of "shows I just can't wait to watch" so I saw the birthday party episode yesterday.  It highlights why this show is not more watchable - they write the details to fit the plot they want, and the details do not always make sense in real life.  They needed everyone to be upset about the birthday party in order to prove that Adam can't plan a party.  There are many ways they could have done this, but they went with some "rule" about "if one person can't make it to the party, you have to reschedule the whole thing."  

I do not know anyone who would follow that rule in real life.  However, I could overlook that if Adam hadn't scheduled sleepovers for the kids.  But they decided to put that in and now, thanks to this "rule," they have to inconvenience the families that where the kids were to spend the night just because Marcy can't make it?  Why did the kids have sleepovers anyway?  The oldest one is old enough to babysit.  And most parents I know would have their school age children at their birthday party (since it was at a restaurant and not some non-kid-friendly place).  

[Nessie]

The whole birthday party thing was just stupid.  Didn't the s-i-l admit that she didn't really have a conflict, she was just bluffing (so it was a total power play)?  And then Lloyd, who spent all of last season worshiping the ground Adam walked on, decides not to attend the dinner for...reasons?  (I honestly can't remember at this point, as I only half pay attention to this show.)  And the kicker is that the parents cancel in solidarity with the brother and his wife, even though they didn't even have a real reason for declining in the first place?  But of course, it's all Adam's fault.

[Katy M]

1 hour ago, Nessie said:

The whole birthday party thing was just stupid.  Didn't the s-i-l admit that she didn't really have a conflict, she was just bluffing (so it was a total power play)?  And then Lloyd, who spent all of last season worshiping the ground Adam walked on, decides not to attend the dinner for...reasons?  (I honestly can't remember at this point, as I only half pay attention to this show.)  And the kicker is that the parents cancel in solidarity with the brother and his wife, even though they didn't even have a real reason for declining in the first place?  But of course, it's all Adam's fault.

She had a pottery class, and she figured they would move it for that since that's what they always do. But, she didn't want to be left out, so when she found out they weren't moving it, but replaced her instead, then she wanted to go that night.  They were all being a bunch of babies. But, Adam literally waited until less than a week before the party to invite anybody.  People had plans.  Gasp.  Imagine that.

[Nessie]

14 minutes ago, Katy M said:

She had a pottery class, and she figured they would move it for that since that's what they always do. But, she didn't want to be left out, so when she found out they weren't moving it, but replaced her instead, then she wanted to go that night.  They were all being a bunch of babies. But, Adam literally waited until less than a week before the party to invite anybody.  People had plans.  Gasp.  Imagine that.

Gotcha.  I can see how a pottery class (I actually think it was plans with people from her pottery class) would be more important than a family member's birthday dinner.  It's weird, though, because in classic sit-com style, Andi and Marcy never seem so close that Marcy not being at her birthday dinner would ruin it, except when the show wants them to be.

I get that Adam should have planned further in advance, but Marcy had no problem cancelling her plans when she found out Adam wasn't going to change the date of the dinner (because he wanted it to be on the actual date of Andi's birthday...what a jerk).  She said she was making a power move and she lost.

After thinking about it a little more, I realize I totally forgot about the surprise party at the end.  So I guess everyone's reasons for cancelling were just made up to throw Andi off. 

And now I think I've put way more thought into this episode than the writers did...

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Discuss any past or future projects here!

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Swoosie Kurtz, Erinn Hayes, & Chris Diamantopoulos discuss their new show The Dangerous Book for Boys

[Katy M]

So, telling little girls princess stories now causes them to be sexual molesters?  And, the school actually has a policy of telling parents that they don't approve of princess stories?  And the only way that you can get your little girl to stop kissing boys is to tell her that Snow White thinks she's prettier than her?  Nonsensical.  

And Andi made up some stupid story so that Adam couldn't get a recliner just because she thinks they're ugly?  Surely you could find one that looks like a regular chair.  Reupholster it. Something.  

[Unclejosh]

There are times when this show makes me laugh despite it's idiocy and then there are times when the idiocy is so overwhelming it kills the laughter.  No consistency.

[Cajungirl64]

Confession time: my brother is one of the writers/executive producers for this show. He was also writer and executive producer for "That 70s Show" (all the years of its run), "Mike and Molly," "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (all years) and countless others. He moved out to L.A. right after college and his first "gig" (LOL!) was showrunner on the soap "Santa Barbara." Anyway, just as in "That 70s Show," I can always tell which parts of the eps. he has written because it's stuff "ripped from our childhood." But I can also tell the stuff he's written based on his life as a parent with two young teens in TODAY's environment (at least in LaLa Land). There are many writers for every show and my brother has often talked about how frustrating table reads can be especially when the actors want to make changes to the script based on their ability to "sell" the storyline. The birthday party episode was a classic example (can't say more than that or my brother would have to kill me). ?

[Cajungirl64]

On April 17, 2018 at 6:42 AM, Katy M said:

So, telling little girls princess stories now causes them to be sexual molesters?  And, the school actually has a policy of telling parents that they don't approve of princess stories?  And the only way that you can get your little girl to stop kissing boys is to tell her that Snow White thinks she's prettier than her?  Nonsensical.  

And Andi made up some stupid story so that Adam couldn't get a recliner just because she thinks they're ugly?  Surely you could find one that looks like a regular chair.  Reupholster it. Something.  

The thing about the recliner is "ripped from our recent family history," My dad's last girlfriend, whom he was living with during the last four years of his life, wouldn't let him get a recliner because "they're too ugly and don't go with our decor." My dad's prostate cancer had spread to his bones; he was in terrible agony and wanted a recliner because he felt it would be more comfortable than trying to lay on a couch. She FINALLY relented on the recliner when I told her if she didn't let him buy one, I was going to drive down, buy the ugliest one I could find and have it delivered. She picked one out a couple days later. He LIVED in that recliner for the remainder of his life (six months or so). I'm positive this was about that incident, but I don't know which writer wound up writing and/or editing that piece... ).  

[msani19]

There's no media topic for the show. The show got renewed for a second season which really surprises me cause it was only so-so. Kevin Can Wait was canceled, not shocking. I just thought CBS would dump the whole hour of sitcoms and start over. Turns out CBS owns Man with a Plan but not Kevin Can Wait, so it made more sense to keep MWAP. Maybe season 2 will improve, but it just seems like a painfully typical, middle of the road, sitcom. Nothing special. 

[Kimmmmmm]

Have only seen this a couple of times..not a fan..but just came here to ask...What the hell did Swoosie Kurtz do to her face???

[Katy M]

On ‎5‎/‎13‎/‎2018 at 2:52 PM, msani19 said:

There's no media topic for the show. The show got renewed for a second season which really surprises me cause it was only so-so. Kevin Can Wait was canceled, not shocking. I just thought CBS would dump the whole hour of sitcoms and start over. Turns out CBS owns Man with a Plan but not Kevin Can Wait, so it made more sense to keep MWAP. Maybe season 2 will improve, but it just seems like a painfully typical, middle of the road, sitcom. Nothing special. 

This was Season 2.  It's been renewed for a third season.

[msani19]

Shows how little I was paying attention, didn't even realize that they just aired season 2!

[knitorpurl]

Glad to see this show back. While it can be a little nonsensical I'm willing to roll with it because it makes me laugh here and there.

Last night when Swoozie Kurtz was talking about not having peripheral vision then later Stacy Keach had to turn her head to see what was happening next to her made me smile. And Andy's mom skills where just what was needed to get the nurse situation taken care of. Liked the nurse.

Edited February 20, 2019 by knitorpurl
Keach is spelled with a K

[knitorpurl]

On 4/26/2018 at 11:51 AM, Cajungirl64 said:

The thing about the recliner is "ripped from our recent family history," My dad's last girlfriend, whom he was living with during the last four years of his life, wouldn't let him get a recliner because "they're too ugly and don't go with our decor." My dad's prostate cancer had spread to his bones; he was in terrible agony and wanted a recliner because he felt it would be more comfortable than trying to lay on a couch. She FINALLY relented on the recliner when I told her if she didn't let him buy one, I was going to drive down, buy the ugliest one I could find and have it delivered. She picked one out a couple days later. He LIVED in that recliner for the remainder of his life (six months or so). I'm positive this was about that incident, but I don't know which writer wound up writing and/or editing that piece... ).  

Sorry that happened to your dad, Cajungirl64. Glad he got his chair to give him a little comfort though. 

I've heard of the recliner conflict in real life more than once. In had a version of it myself as my husband wanted a reclining couch and most of them look like massive marshmallow sculptures or as if they could swallow pets and small children. We have a reclining couch but we shopped for one that looks like a couch. 

[SmithW6079]

I liked this show well enough the first two seasons, mostly because of Matt LeBlanc and his silver foxiness. It wasn't breaking any new ground as a sitcom, but that's fine. The actress who plays the wife doesn't bother me, but I liked that she really wasn't featured that much. Most of the stories centered around Adam and the workplace or the family home. There were almost no scenes of the wife at work.

I wonder if the actress playing the wife complained about wanting more screen time, which is why they had her get laid off (or quit; I forget) last season and become the interior designer at the construction firm. I don't like the increased use of her because I feel all she does is complain about Adam. The show would be more watchable if it was Matt LeBlanc, the parents, and the Lowell, the third guy at the construction firm (who's the one holdover from the school stories of season 1).

[Katy M]

Didn't they do an episode about how much freedom they should give Katy last year?  When she lied and said she was at the library?

Do they have a landline?  Because you can't just take a phone and stick it on the wall.  You have to sign up for service?

Does Adam's father not understand how phones work?  If they take your phone and put it in their house, you're not paying for their calls.

Why are college campuses scarier than any other potential venue?  Do college campuses have rock concerts?  The one I went to didn't.  Seems weird to me.  Especially on a weeknight.  Colleges do like to at least not specifically encourage partying into the wee hours of school nights.

Did Katy buy concert tickets before she knew none of her friends could go, or was she planning on buying the at the door?  What kind of crappy band still has tickets available to buy right before showtime?  For Don and what's-his-name, too?

[Ailianna]

Lots of colleges do have concerts especially for smaller name bands who would not sell out.  And they were pretty exlicit about why college campuses are scarier--college boys and their beds are right there handy.

[Katy M]

36 minutes ago, Ailianna said:

Lots of colleges do have concerts especially for smaller name bands who would not sell out.  And they were pretty exlicit about why college campuses are scarier--college boys and their beds are right there handy.

Because college boys only go to concerts at colleges?  If Kate wanted to hook up with a concert-goer, the venue wouldn't matter at all.  Colleges even have security all the way to the dorm which wouldn't happen with a different concert venue where she's going back to an apartment.  Plus, she'll be going to college next year (?) anyway.

[Ailianna]

I'm not saying it's logic--it's parent of a teenage daughter logic.  Just like the dad saying he raised his sons by ignoring them does not address old school raising of daughters--and the old fashioned idea that hteir virtue requires more protection than a son's would.

[Katy M]

I know this is a comedy so stupid stuff has to happen, but it just made no sense. Andie tells Lowell to lie to  Adam.  Lowell straight up says he won't be able to do it.  So, why wouldn't you just leave a note for Adam saying you're going to the mall and then have Lowell go home so he's not even there when Adam gets back.  Unless the younger two kids were upstairs and the teenager was out and he was babysitting. That's literally the only way it makes any sense, but they didn't mention the kids at all tonight.  

And, why would you admit that you're trying t hit on the wife after the husband shows up when nobody thought that. It clearly wasn't going to happen at that point.

[SmithW6079]

This show used to be mildly amusing, but it has really gone downhill. A whole episode devoted to the fact that Adam is horny? And who wants to think of Kevin Nealon having sex? At least we didn't have to listen to the father boast that he and the mother got it on all the time.

Andi was completely wrong about letting the daughter have friends over, and there's no way Adam should have apologized for whatever he did.

The premise of the show is gone -- that the wife went back to work & Adam had to pick up the slack at home. Why not retool it entirely and make it about the construction firm (minus the wife) and the projects they take on? 

[Katy M]

I think that was the stupidest episode of anything I've ever seen.  First of all, it's been done to death with the "successful" sister who turns out isn't all that successful.  Second of all, sister or not, why would you let someone so rude stay in your house. It's one thing if she's just rude to you.  I wouldn't put up with it, but whatever. But, when she's being rude to your husband and all your guests, then it's your responsibility to check her.  Maybe if she had actually been mean to the kids something would have been done, but I tend to doubt it.

And, then, apparently sex with Lowell makes all your problems go away?  Since when is Lowell the kind of guy who would have sex with a near stranger while he's 5 minutes off from a date with someone he really likes?

[Deskisamess]

This show had so much potential, and the horrid writing is killing it.

[AnnaCody]

Season 4 premier

Thursday, April 2

According to IMDb

[Ailianna]

I literally thought this show was cancelled and I just didn't hear about it.  I like the show, even while recognizing that it's a long way from classic or great.  But it's comfortable.

[AnnaCody]

32 minutes ago, Ailianna said:

I literally thought this show was cancelled and I just didn't hear about it.  I like the show, even while recognizing that it's a long way from classic or great.  But it's comfortable.

Aw, go on, you just like Joey 😁 Perhaps I'm projecting 🤣 I'm really looking forward to seeing him again!!  

The best shows are when they work together to get the kids back in line.  Some clever maneuvering as parents. And when the kids realize they've been had made for some good laughs.

[Ailianna]

I do love Matt LeBlanc, but from Episodes, not Friends.  This is no Episodes, but then not much is.