Big Shots

[Penny Century]

Okay, I watched it so you didn't have to. That wasn't so good now, was it?...

I'll say only that I expect Charisma Carpenter, when she's introduced, will indeed play Brody's wife, Janelle. We do see the character -- only briefly, and only from the back -- and she does have long dark hair. Weirdly, Brody and Janelle also seem to be the only kinda-sorta happy couple in the show, so that has the potential to be interesting.

But Jeebus, they're gonna have to get over the tag-line dialogue. It's...so...bad. It's like a constantly moving search for the Kew' Quote everyone's gonna want to put on their avatar, you know? Smell the effortfulness! SMELL IT!!!

It also doesn't help that most of the characters are profoundly unappealing. Titus struggles manfully, but is frequently undone by his own lines, and it's like McDermott isn't even trying. And when Vartan gets that "hit me and I'll cry" expression on that apparently his acting coach told him makes him look "sensitive," I really DO just want to hit him until he cries, for real.

Oh well. We've already heard the pilot sucked. Let's see what CC and Rob Thomas can do to pull it out.

[DamnSkippy]

It's what I expected. I can hear the pitch meeting now. "Picture this. Desperate Housewives except with men."

And also, apparently, except for any heart and anything resembling storylines that make the funny happen instead of the other way around.

But, I think it can be saved and can work. It wasn't the most horrible thing I've ever seen, so I do have some hope.

I missed the glimpse of his wife from the back. Do you recall when that happened?

[Penny Century]

Originally Posted by DamnSkippy

But, I think it can be saved and can work. It wasn't the most horrible thing I've ever seen, so I do have some hope.

It definitely could have used some recasting early on, but the actress who plays Karl's mistress is pretty funny. With better material and a little fleshing out of her character, she may be a keeper.

Originally Posted by DamnSkippy

I missed the glimpse of his wife from the back. Do you recall when that happened?

At Janelle's birthday party. Brody is standing by the buffet table (with the Napoleons that came from New Jersey instead of Paris). A dark-haired woman walks diagonally into the frame and touches his cheek, then continues out of the frame. You only see her from the back (and from the back again, a couple of minutes later), but she's plainly supposed to be Janelle.

(It actually was kind of sweet, both the gesture and the way Titus almost unconsciously put his own hand to his face after she walked off. As you point out, there weren't really any moments of what one might call "heart" in this episode, so that one kind of leapt out.)

[SamIAm]

Now Elisabeth Rohm is joining the cast. Hopes of it lasting are dwindling.

[Morrigan]

Originally Posted by SamIAm

Now Elisabeth Rohm is joining the cast. Hopes of it lasting are dwindling.

She wasn't that bad on L&O or Miss Congeniality 2, as long as it's a small part.

[Penny Century]

Originally Posted by Morrigan

She wasn't that bad on L&O or Miss Congeniality 2, as long as it's a small part.

The show seems to have a lot of what I now think of as 24 casting, i.e., dozens of regular or recurring characters who are only on a few minutes per episode, or even a few minutes every third episode. She and Vartan strike me as a stunningly wooden couple, sight unseen, but who knows.

That said, if sometime during sweeps I come in here screaming "Oh my God, it's like watching two puppets f--k!," you'll know exactly who I'm talking about.

[SamIAm]

Originally Posted by Morrigan

She wasn't that bad on L&O or Miss Congeniality 2, as long as it's a small part.

Oh, no, sorry. That wasn't intended to be a slam on ER; she's fine as far as it goes. I just meant they seem to be taking the 'add more characters so no one notices the ones we already have are lame' approach. Over the, you know, 'let's fire everyone else, keep only Charisma Carpenter, and rename it Big Shot' approach.

[nickletv]

After hearing all the negative reviews about this show, my expectations were so lowered and I was so ready for all the cringing that...I actually kinda liked it.

All the parts needed are there- Whipped but in love husband, sensitive nice guy whose world is rocked by wife's betrayal, sleazy playboy who needs to grow up, and the smart, nerdy guy who is in the 'in' crowd and got the girl because of his money and brains. There was way too much 'girly' bonding and bitching but I saw a lot of potential for this show to really be the male 'Sex and the City' / Desperate Husbands.

Whipped guy and his wife will have their ups and downs and he'll be tempted to stray and throw off the shackles of his wife but will always love her and come back to her. Also he'll have to face the craziness of fatherhood when he's not whipped by just one woman but perhaps a daughter as well. What they need to do is free Christopher Titus and just let him go. He can figure out the beats of the character and lay on the fun. If CC is playing his wife, that will be one fun couple.

Michael Vartan is perfect for his role as well because he just is that guy. Sweet, sensitive, the 'real' nice guy who doesn't always stand up for himself but has a quiet strength that even he may not know about. It'll be interesting to see him and Nia Long's relationship develop because she obviously can be ruthless and she wants his job. Will he play dirty or will he always be the nice guy?

Dylan McDermott's character is sleazy and really needs to grow up but I bought the complications for him and his daughter. I liked Peyton List, thought they had good chemistry and she definitely challenges him in a way I can see there being a long term arc story. Also I liked the way DMcD was trying to give the guy SOME depth with his reactions to his friend's pain in finding out his wife was cheating on him. He had two small moments, where you saw he cared and was trying to be a friend (and also hints of other stories that he himself had probably been on both sides of the situation-the one cheated on and the other man in an adulterous affair).

Finally, Nerdy 'Bill Gates' guy was probably the least likeable but had the more entertaining storyline with his mistress wanting more and his sweet wife frustrated by their petering marriage. The two of them becoming friends is a hoot and the mistress has a fun spark to her that will keep things interesting.

Overall the women weren't bitches. They were unpredictable, flawed, but pretty well cast and acted (IMO). I believed in them being challenges for the men they were paired with and felt interest in seeing how their interactions would develop. Nia Long and Michael Vartan and Dylan McDermott and Peyton List were especially interesting to me because you have a sharp woman who is willing to play the game against a nice guy who doesn't play games and there is a mutual attraction and then have a manchild who is seeking forgiveness and love (redemption) from the one woman he's failed the most and who he understands the least and who can be as flippant and stubborn as he is.

I have to say that when I say the previews for next week, my first thought was- I DO want to see that. And with Paul Blackthorne and CC coming on board, I'm in it until the show gets cancelled. If the retooling happens quickly, like we see changes in the next 3 episodes, this show COULD pick up viewers. It tried WAY too hard in the pilot, but if the next episode works, and people remain too lazy to flip the channel after Grey's you never know.

Dangit, I want this show to make it. Call me crazy, but through the crap, I saw the potential. A funny male dramedy should have a shot to make it too.

[Morrigan]

Originally Posted by SamIAm

Oh, no, sorry. That wasn't intended to be a slam on ER; she's fine as far as it goes. I just meant they seem to be taking the 'add more characters so no one notices the ones we already have are lame' approach. Over the, you know, 'let's fire everyone else, keep only Charisma Carpenter, and rename it Big Shot' approach.

Ah, OK. I wasn't that big of a Kate fan and found her acting to be rather wooden. So, I was rather surprised that I could deal with Serena as long as I did.

I see where you're coming from, I'm just hoping that Rob Thomas can actually pull it off, shake everything up enough to make it work. I don't care if they dump half the original cast, as long as CC and Titus remain safe.

[Penny Century]

Originally Posted by nickletv

After hearing all the negative reviews about this show, my expectations were so lowered and I was so ready for all the cringing that...I actually kinda liked it.

And can I just say: NICKLE! NICKLE! NICKLE! Nothing like a high-profile CC project to bring back one of the 5 members of whom every subsequent member is just a sock puppet.

Agreed on the conclusion that the show needs to let Titus be Titus. Come on, this is a guy who made his bones bringing the funny for a living; the fact that he's also a pretty good TV actor is gravy. Consigning him to play foil for an offscreen nag is a waste. On the other hand, letting him cross swords with a smart, funny TV actress who holds the patent on Maddening/Adorable is a potential stroke of genius.

As far as potential storylines are concerned, how about go for the slow-motion train wreck and let Janelle find out how Brody talks about her behind her back? For a guy who plainly loves his wife, he's also pretty relentless in trashing her in front of his buddies (and this is actually one of the more realistic alpha-male behaviors the show depicts). Lots of potential for both comedy and pathos there, without resorting to another tired cheating subplot.

[Morrigan]

From Zap2It

"CSI" scored a 14.8/22 at 9 p.m. as the fate of Sara Sidle was revealed. "Grey's Anatomy" began its season with a 13.0/20 on ABC (it did, however, snag the night's best 18-49 rating). NBC's hour-long "Office" earned a 5.4/8. FOX stayed in fourth with "Don't Forget the Lyrics," 3.6/5, and The CW repeated the "Reaper" premiere.

CBS closed its sweep of the night with "Without a Trace," 10.9/18. ABC's "Big Shots" premiered to a 7.8/13, beating the 6.4/11 for the season premiere of "ER" on NBC.

[Penny Century]

Yet another scathing review of the pilot, this one from Metromix Chicago:

They're not the new women...they're the new obnoxious women.

But it does contain yet another nice comment about CC:

The “ooh” factor: It was just announced that “Buffy” and ”Angel” alum and “Veronica Mars” sexpot Charisma Carpenter has landed a recurring guest role. The addition of Carpenter might just be enough to reel us in. Thankfully, her first appearance won’t be until November, giving them a little while to work up to the caliber she’s used to.

[Morrigan]

I can't get over the fact that all of these critics seem to love CC. Hell saying ooh, CC is coming on a really sucky show, that'll either A) improve it or B) make me stick around to see her is just totally awseome.

[Kimmers]

It got me i watched it, and will continue to watch it only for MV. But your right it is Deseprate housewives for men LOL. That is a great way of describing the men really aren't acting like men, there acting like women.

the whole MV's charter running out like a little girl after finding out his wife cheated on him, it seems to me that titus charter and Vartans are ones that love there wives though.

[stormy]

I didn't catch the 1st episode, but I watched it last night to escape the mind-numbingly-depressing-angstapoolaza that ER has become!

I kinda liked it. They need to do more with Titus. that man is funny. He needs to be used more. I like Mcdermott as the sleazy type thinking about reforming. it works for him. Loved the nerdy guy (haven't gotten all the names down yet, wasn't he on West Wing?) and his therapy sessions with the Mistress and the Wife!


I'll stick with it for a wile anyway