Living Biblically - General Discussion

[JudyObscure]

I haven't seen "the Good Place," so I'll check it out. 

I keep wanting this show to work, but I agree it's not quite there yet.  I think the addition of Gracie, book store owner/ witness protection person/ cult survivor/bartender is great.  We needed a little more push back  at the bar, and she provides it.  We have Cheryl, Ms Meadows and Vince (who is adorable) at the office.  The priest and the rabbi are Gene and Gil. 

 I had to look most of those names up so as to not get in trouble. ;)

[OtterMommy]

16 hours ago, possibilities said:

I don't think this episode title or plot description match the episode that aired tonight, which was about Chip working on the prohibition against stealing. Did they maybe switch the episode order at the last minute?

It didn't....someone just informed me that it was a different ep and the episode described above will air next week.  I'll edit the thread so it matches reality.

[OtterMommy]

Quote

Chip tries to find a loophole to "honoring thy father" when Ron, his overbearing dad, decides to surprise him and Leslie with a visit.

[PrincessPurrsALot]

I finally got a chance to watch this.  Wow.  The laugh track is so loud that if I did actually find something LOL worthy, I would lose that feeling to my annoyance at the laugh track.  I think it makes the show seem even worse than it is.  There is no moment to let the joke land.  

Showing the episodes out of order to me shows they know the show has problems.  It's a shame it is such a mess.  They had solid source material and an interesting concept. It is falling apart in the execution.  There are some good characters in the overall ensemble but, at the core, the writing falls flat.  It doesn't seem like they have figured out how to make this work. 

[JudyObscure]

Chip's dad didn't seem all that bad to me, at least not as bad as Chip's wife, hanging up on the stoned guy and then grabbing her phone from her FIL in such a mean manner.  I find her the worst thing about the show.

[SmithW6079]

2 hours ago, JudyObscure said:

Chip's dad didn't seem all that bad to me, at least not as bad as Chip's wife, hanging up on the stoned guy and then grabbing her phone from her FIL in such a mean manner.  I find her the worst thing about the show.

She grabbed the phone because it was a patient with a medical issue, not one of her girlfriends calling. She resolved the stoned guy's issue by assuring him he wasn't dead.

[JudyObscure]

Yes she said, "Because I'm not dead," and hung up immediately, before he had a chance to reply.  It may have been resolved in her mind, but he may have wanted to say she was dead too and just didn't know it, or whatever.  She was short and flippant with him and she hung up on him.  As for her father-in-law, she snatched the phone and said, in a very angry voice, "That's my work phone!"   All I'm saying is she could be a little kinder to other people.

 

I just don't think her character is very well developed.  One minute she's being all cutsey and smiley, overly so,  like when she said, "Your girl's pregnant,"  and the next she's being sort of harsh  and unsympathetic to other people.  Anyone not herself or Chip.

[Trini]

Finally got around to watching this; it was very 'sitcom-y' and 'pilot-y', the supporting characters were caricatures; and that I can forgive for a pilot. Of course it would be way better if all that was... better, considering it's unconventional source material. The one thing I really didn't like was the priest (the priest!) laughing in the guy's face when he said he wanted to live strictly according to the Bible. I know it was played for comedy, but it was just too unrealistic to me.

Anyway, I'm checking out the next couple of episodes, because I am interested in how they approach this premise.

[Trini]

From the pilot thread:

On 2/28/2018 at 10:30 AM, jhlipton said:

...

The Old Testament (especially Leviticus, the book of Laws) was explicitly rejected by Peter's feast (Acts 10:9-16).  There's a good discussion as to whether Christians should obey Old Testament laws (they say "yes" but give a good argument for "no") here.

Since you cannot follow the Bible completely (Acts 10:9-16 explicitly contradicts Leviticus 11, for example), many non-literalists have taken a "holistic" approach to the Bible, especially the message of Jesus' love and/or salvation and see it as a guide to living ethically.  Hence the "Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth".

Except that the passage in Acts isn't about food. Nowhere (in Acts or any other New Testament book) does it state that the disciples ate unclean foods because of the vision Peter received. It was about accepting gentile believers into the faith. Peter himself gives the interpretation of the parable in verses 28, and 34-35 of the same chapter.

[Trini]

Well, this was way better/funnier than the first episode! I can better see the potential here. The Chip's co-workers are still kinda 'meh' for me; I like the Black guy the best out of all of them, though.

[Trini]

The real second episode! Anyway, I'm willing to stick with this, but I doubt this is going to last long. The workplace is the weakest part. And is it just me, or is that office set super tiny??

I, too, would rather there was a different 'hang out' set/ting than the local bar.

[Trini]

So far, the wife is also a weak point for me. I think it's her delivery of some lines; and sometimes her facial expression doesn't really match the line/scene.

I haven't seen The Good Place either, but this reminds me a bit of My Name is Earl,  with the theme of trying to live a better life. This isn't as witty, however.

[Trini]

Yeah, The Wife could use some work. At least the Co-workers weren't in this one.

Chip having a bad relationship with his dad and his parent's divorce seem like too heavy subjects for this comedy to tackle when I don't think it's really found it's groove yet.

I did like seeing the Priest and Rabbi outside of the bar setting. But this one wasn't good.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

13 hours ago, Trini said:

So far, the wife is also a weak point for me. I think it's her delivery of some lines; and sometimes her facial expression doesn't really match the line/scene.

I haven't seen The Good Place either, but this reminds me a bit of My Name is Earl,  with the theme of trying to live a better life. This isn't as witty, however.

This show is ok for a CBS sitcom (pales in comparison to Young Sheldon) but The Good Place is at an entirely different level of comedy. When you have some time, watch the 1st season in 2-4 sittings. The 2 seasons are really short.

Edited April 2, 2018 by ItCouldBeWorse

[possibilities]

The Good Place is a show which ABSOLUTELY has to be watched in order, from the beginning, because it SERIOUSLY does not make sense otherwise. But it's quick, fun, and easy-- short seasons and the story moves FAST. One of the best things I've ever seen on TV.

[Trini]

Quote

Chip gets into trouble when he vows to stop lying about anything, regardless of the situation.

[OtterMommy]

Description to come.

[Trini]

One thing this show has going for it is that the lead actor (who I've never seen before) is pretty good.

This show could do well, taking a comedic look at everyday moral dilemmas. It seems that nearly everyone opposes Chip on his mission (even the Priest and Rabbi sometimes); I think he needs one or two people fully on his side.

[JudyObscure]

Good idea Trini!  I would love to see that -- maybe an older lady in the apartment building or at work might be excited for him and happy for each little victory.  Or  even a teen!

I knew the actor from, "Mad Men," and while he wasn't one of the first string stars, he had a good part over the years and did an excellent job in it.  He was quietly, ( until the final episode) in love with one of the main characters. It was a  very subtle, tender performance.  Maybe this series would be better if it quit trying so hard for the broad humor and moved toward a slightly more serious atmosphere, with quieter humor.

[LoneHaranguer]

2 hours ago, Trini said:

It seems that nearly everyone opposes Chip on his mission (even the Priest and Rabbi sometimes);

Is it opposing Chip for the Priest and Rabbi not to help him? I noticed that they didn't try to explain what bearing false witness really meant.

[Trini]

17 minutes ago, LoneHaranguer said:

Is it opposing Chip for the Priest and Rabbi not to help him? I noticed that they didn't try to explain what bearing false witness really meant.

I think they've helped him most of the time; but, half the time when Chip says to The Priest "I want to do [thing the Bible says]", his response is "You can't do that."

[Nessie]

I really don't like the wife.  She makes a dinner date with a co-worker she doesn't like to get better shifts, then lies to get out of it.  When she's about to get found out, she expects Chip to lie to cover her ass, despite her knowing he has vowed not to lie anymore.  When she then gets crappy shifts, it's HIS fault for not lying, instead of hers for lying in the first place?  Oh, but it all works out ok for her, because she and the disliked co-worker then bond over what a freakshow she's married to...

It's a shame, too, because I like everyone else in the cast, even Sara Gilbert's weird obit writer - is she going to be back after her cat (in my head it's name is Rosanne) recovers/dies?

[JudyObscure]

55 minutes ago, Nessie said:

I really don't like the wife.  She makes a dinner date with a co-worker she doesn't like to get better shifts, then lies to get out of it.  When she's about to get found out, she expects Chip to lie to cover her ass, despite her knowing he has vowed not to lie anymore.  When she then gets crappy shifts, it's HIS fault for not lying, instead of hers for lying in the first place?  Oh, but it all works out ok for her, because she and the disliked co-worker then bond over what a freakshow she's married to...

I agree. I haven't really cared for her acting since the beginning and the writing for her part is all over the place.  It also wasn't cute to see her asking him questions about things most women wouldn't even want to know the answer to.  It just made me feel uncomfortable. 

[Neiman]

I don't care for the wife either.  When she's not saying something odd, she just smiles all the time.  Not showing at all and smiling all the time...are they sure she's pregnant?

I thought one of the scenes where they were playing a drinking game was odd.  Sure, a bar is the setting, but not what I expect from a priest and a rabbi.  I thought this was possibly going to be a family show, but not with all the alcohol and sex references.

I keep wondering where they might go with all of this.  Since they're older, maybe a birth defect or complications during childbirth?  I could see this getting better if he were a single dad.

[possibilities]

The best thing about this show is the on-going demonstrations of everyone behaving respectfully whether or not they believe the same thing about religion.

[OtterMommy]

Description TBD

[muffkins]

I'm trying to watch this on cbs, as it doesn't seem to be on a Canadian channel tonight, and there is no sound.  Anyone want to let me in on what this episode is about?

[Trini]

Quote

Chip and Leslie's patience is tested when they invite Rabbi Gil to stay with them after he discovers his wife is having an affair.

[possibilities]

Chip struggles to feel comfortable with praying, and the people around him weigh in with their thoughts on how and why to do or not do it, and how it does or doesn't work. He gets into some scary situations and finds that praying comforts him and those around him, whether or not they believe in it. Everyone agrees to get along and not browbeat each other with their beliefs. His mother-in-law is a scientist and an atheist who doesn't like him, but she eventually comes around to accepting that he's a good guy and good for her daughter. He reassures her that he believes in science as well as in the Bible and they bury the hatchet.

[JudyObscure]

Excellent recap, Possibilities.

The more petty details:  Chip and his work crew got stuck on the elevator and Miss Meadows freaked.   Vince thought the experience meant he should get back with his old girlfriend, but he quickly remembered why he broke up with her, and her baby-talking ways, in the first place. 

Chip's wife ( Lindsey Kraft)  has become my least favorite actress. 

Their apartment is the most cluttered set in TV sit-com land and that includes "Everybody loves Raymond's" house and Big Bang Penny's apartment.

[SnarkySheep]

Yeah, the workplace isn't working for me, either...nobody seems to have any purpose except to hang around and talk to Chip (including Camryn Manheim, who I love).

None of the side characters have any storylines; and Chip's only real storyline is the Bible stuff. Leslie's only real storyline is being pregnant. How long can that last? Let's hope the writers start expanding, and FAST.

[SnarkySheep]

On 2/27/2018 at 8:32 PM, eel2178 said:

On 2/27/2018 at 12:54 AM, possibilities said:

ETA: can anyone remember the line about the all white outfit... I think it was the work friend who told him "you look like..." was it "a work-casual ghost"?

 

Close. It was "business-casual ghost."

And that he looked like Diane Keaton, which totally cracked me up.

[possibilities]

I think they will do the pregnancy in real time, i.e. 9 months or one season of the show. He decided to live according to the Bible when she got pregnant, so I'm sure they're in no hurry to have her give birth.

I think they need the workplace to give Chip a situation where he encounters a problem that challenges his principles. He needs situation in which to practice his "rule of the week" and I don't mind if it's at work or the bar or with his family, it's just a way for him to play out his experiment.

I don't find any of the workplace characters interesting, but if they start putting him into random situations on the street, those encounters won't be with well-developed characters, either, so I figure it's just thin writing for a show that's mainly about one guy.

[Trini]

Thought this one was a bit boring. Not really expecting this show to be a deep lecture on theology each week, but there are so many aspects to prayer, and they barely scratched the surface of the aspects they did touch on.

And the "God Squad" (Priest/Rabbi) doesn't need to be a big part of every episode, but I feel they're really underused. Especially Krumholtz.

I was kinda surprised to see Ravi Patel's character again; wasn't sure if he was actually going to be recurring.

[Neiman]

I think there are some good concepts and characters here, but since the first episode they keep falling flat.

[SmithW6079]

22 hours ago, Trini said:

I was kinda surprised to see Ravi Patel's character again; wasn't sure if he was actually going to be recurring.

Well, the Sara Gilbert character is gone because Sara Gilbert's back on "Roseanne," so I guess they needed to bring in another annoying character. 

I like this show well enough, but not the Camryn Manheim character, whom I think is awful. I like the black friend, but that's about it from work. I think the show's the strongest when it's Jay R. Ferguson and the "God Squad" (which, BTW, is not original to this show; on Long Island, a priest and a rabbi hosted a TV show called "The God Squad" and wrote a weekly column).

[nx74defiant]

I hated what a pathetic loser they made the Rabi into. 

[jhlipton]

On 4/10/2018 at 5:57 AM, possibilities said:

Chip s finds that praying comforts him and those around him, whether or not they believe in it.

My wife is very much comforted by prayer, but I am not and never will be.  The idea that prayer comforts everyone is pure BS.  (When people like my in-laws pray for me, I appreciate their sentiment if not their action.)

[possibilities]

Well, sure, not everyone feels the same way about it. But the show acted like they do, so that's the episode description, whether it's a reflection of reality or not.

I thought they did a good job with Chip's mother in law, who didn't like the praying but finally decided to like Chip because she understood he cared even if his prayers themselves weren't of interest to her.

I think there are a lot of people who appreciate the caring if not the God parts of that stuff.

[Trini]

They're just not really doing anything new or interesting here. It's a lot typical mediocre sitcom tropes despite its Bible theme. The actress who plays the wife continues to make weird choices with her face; and the Boss is still a caricature. Tony Rock as Vince is a bright spot, and I actually did get a kick out of Chip mentioning his outfit, because I liked his sweater too!

[Trini]

And... we're done here.

Quote

CBS might be closing the book on Living Biblically: The freshman sitcom has been pulled from the primetime schedule indefinitely, a CBS rep confirms for TVLine.

Repeats of The Big Bang Theory will run in Biblically‘s Monday timeslot for the next two weeks. The show could return at a later date, but at this point, no further episodes has been scheduled. (A total of eight episodes have aired so far.)

That's 8 out of 13.

[Neiman]

The premise of the show is that he's trying to be better in preparation for fatherhood, yet they barely mention the pregnancy and the wife doesn't even look or act pregnant.  Her constant smiling at everything is weird.

Some of the rabbi's lines were cringeworthy like ranting about orgasms at "Soul Cycle."  I don't mind their giving him screen time, but this episode wasn't a good or funny way to go about it IMO.  

They need more or better writers.  The jokes just aren't funny.  When the rabbi said their love is the making for a crappy rom com, I think he nailed it.

[Neiman]

Another thing the wife does that gets on my nerves is that she sometimes refers to herself in the third person like "Mama wants...." or "Mama likes...."  This episode it was "Mama likes to air dry."  (said to priest and Chip). Guess it's supposed to generate laughs, but I'm just wishing she'd stop.

[Neiman]

Just saw that the series has been cancelled!  

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/living-biblically-canceled-at-cbs-1104247

[SmithW6079]

2 hours ago, Neiman said:

Just saw that the series has been cancelled!  

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/living-biblically-canceled-at-cbs-1104247

That's too bad. It wasn't a great show, but I enjoyed it for the most part, although I wasn't a fan of the office staff  (except for the black coworker ).

[jhlipton]

On 4/18/2018 at 5:38 PM, possibilities said:

I think there are a lot of people who appreciate the caring if not the God parts of that stuff.

That's where I am.

[paulvdb]

"Living Biblically" Returns to CBS Lineup on Monday, May 28

The remaining unaired episodes will air on Mondays at 9.30, starting May 28.

[Trini]

A summer burn-off; okay. I didn't think this would see the light of day again!

[ItCouldBeWorse]

I wish they would finish showing Me, Myself & I instead. That was a sweetly funny show that I would have happily continued to watch. 

Edited May 29, 2018 by ItCouldBeWorse

[Trini]

So the burn-off is starting next week, actually. http://www.thefutoncritic.com/showatch/living-biblically/listings/