After 9/11 TV as comfort food was a big thing. NBC's
long running sitcom FRIENDS, for example ,pulled in more viewers than it had the two seasons prior to 9/11 and ended up the number one TV program. There's nothing wrong with TV providing comfort -- especially when you
consider how, too often, it seems to work hard to run viewers off.
As
television continues to experiment with ways to bring back former
viewers, various efforts are attempted. Last week, the effort was
focused on rebooting sitcoms. NETFLIX served up THAT 90S SHOW while NBC
went with NIGHT COURT.
The
original NIGHT COURT began airing on NBC in 1984 and ran for nine
seasons. Harry Stone (portrayed by Harry Anderson) presided over the
court. In the years since, Harry Anderson has passed away joining other
late cast members including Paula Kelly (Liz), Markie Post (Christine),
Selma Diamond (Selma), Florence Halop (Flo), Charles Robinson (Mac),
Martin Game (Bernie), Jason Bernard (Judge Willard), John Astin (Harry's
step-dad Buddy), Eugene Roche (Christine's father Jack), Gilbert
Gottfired (prosecutor Oscar) and Florence Stanley (Judge Margaret
Wilbur). And you thought FRASIER was sad, right?
Actually,
FRASIER is sad. While John Mahoney has passed away, David Hyde Pierce
and Jane Leeves are alive, well and apparently unwilling to work with
Kelsey Grammer again.
Back
to NIGHT COURT. The reboot centers around Melissa Raunch who plays a
judge -- in fact Judge Harry Stone's daughter Abby. She uses that
relationship to get Dan (John Larroquette) to return as the night court
prosecutor Larroquette won for Emmys for his portrayal of Dan on the
original show. Rounding out the cast are India de Beaufort (as ADA
Olivia), Kapil Talwalkar (as the judge's clerk Neil) and Lacretta
(bailiff Gurgs). NBC served up two episodes last Tuesday. And then
they were surprised by the ratings. NBC isn't used to having hits --
just a bunch of meandering shows with Chicago in the title.
If
they don't screw it up ("they" being the network), they have a hit on
their hands. The cast works well as ensemble and they have a lot of
individual chemistry. Break out star? Probably Kapil with his
character Neil.
THAT 70S
SHOW started airing on FOX in 1998 and aired for eight seasons. It
ended the same season as WILL & GRACE. As we noted in real time,
THAT 70S SHOW was the one that offered a satisfying ending.
(Thankfully, when WILL & GRACE returned for its reboot, it disowned
the last episodes.) So how do you come back from that?
Wisely,
with a largely new cast. The sitcom kicks the timeline 20 years later
and we've got a new group of teenagers to please Kitty (Debra Jo Rupp)
and incur the wrath of Red (Kurtwood Smith). Debra Jo and Kurtwood are
so perfect in their roles that it's tempting to think that adding anyone
else to the cast would have made this a hit. But think about shows
like GOLDEN PALACE or THE ROPERS and you'll quickly grasp that a
talented cast around the existing characters was still going to be
needed.
Fortunately,
they've got one. Most of whom are under 18 in real life which means we
don't comment -- good or bad. We can note that Gwen and Nate live next
door to Kitty and Red (in Donna's old house), that their mother has a
touch of Midge in her and is played by Andrea Anders (who was so great
in a small recurring role as Amber on MODERN FAMILY -- she was also
very good on THE CLASS -- a sitcom CBS should have stood with and given a
second season).
At
the MOTOWN 25 reunion, Diana Ross declared, "It's not about who left.
It's about who came back. And tonight everyone came back." That's
pretty much the case for THAT 90S SHOW. Doing guest sports are Laura
Prepon (Donna from the original), Wilmer Valderrama (Fez), Tommy Chong
(Leo), Topher Grace (Eric), Ashton Kutcher (Kelso), Don Stark (Donna's
dad Bob) and Mila Kunis (Jackie). They interact very well with the
others in the cast and hit the ground running. That's especially the
case for Topher and Laura whose timing and chemistry is so perfect that
it's hard to believe that it's been 15 years since they last acted
together. Both have gone on to other things. Laura was great in the
one season ARE YOU THERE, CHELSEA? as well as in 82 episodes of ORANGE
IS THE NEW BLACK while Topher's found his footing in HOME ECONOMICS
(which appears to get better with each episode). But if you ever
followed THAT 70S SHOW, you'll be hard pressed to want to see them be
anyone other than Donna and Eric. They're just too perfect together.
It'll probably take one of them writing a trashy tell-all about how the
other had bad breath and did who knows what to ever destroy the magic of
Donna and Eric.
Before we
watched either show, we were worried. Friends at NBC were convinced
that NIGHT COURT was going to bomb. When we watched, we wondered if
they understood it was a comedy? Then we were worried about THAT 90S
SHOW. But somehow, two new shows debut in the same week and not only do
they not suck, they're actually quite wonderful.
Comfort food that you want to come back for.
And that's what CNN is looking for.
People
seem surprised by the notion of a talk show on CNN. First off, that's
all CNN has when not doing live coverage of a tragedy or disaster: Talk
shows.
Second, the idea's
not the new. Elaine has floated it -- not just at her site but also to
CNN suits. She's right. LARRY KING LIVE anchored the night for
years. That was a talk show. And CNN really needs another talk show
like that. Being mentioned -- now that the media's caught on to what
CNN is planning -- are two people: Jon Stewart and Bill Maher.
LARRY
KING LIVE was a little more serious than THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JOHNNY
CARSON but just a little. What we mean by that is it was comfort food
with some dashes of news.
Bill
Maher can't serve comfort food. He's too acerbic. Nor should he be on
a live broadcast on CNN. Breaking news might happen and Bill was run
off ABC for a reason. Whether you supported him being fired for
declaring that the terrorists who attacked on 9/11 were "brave" or not,
you surely grasped that this isn't someone you put on a live
microphone. He has no tact and he has no class.
That's before you factor in all the baggage he brings with him -- baggage that includes anti-Muslim, anti-Arab, anti-woman.
Jon
would be the safe choice. (We know and we like Jon, disclosure.) Jon
appeals to the center. His work with veterans and first responders goes
to the fact that he can reach across the aisle. He's actually funny.
(People laugh at Jon's jokes, indicators applaud at Bill's attempt at
humor.)
Jon is not the only
one who could carry an entertaining talk show on CNN but if it really
is down to him or Bill Maher, clearly he would get our vote.
What doesn't get our vote?
NBC's
football staff. You're dealing with two (Mike Tirico and Matthew Berry) who couldn't pass a work
place investigation and one who is a raging homophobe (Tony Dungy). Last week, the
rager went after trans persons and we were not just appalled, we were
confused. This is how the network that brought you WILL & GRACE
behaves? This is the network that launched "The More You Know"
(shooting star, as Jack McFarland would note)? There aren't going to be
any consequences for ?
There's nothing comforting in that.
