The recent EW post about underrated movies and the cancellation of NBC's Undercovers got me thinking. As far as UC goes, it was a great plot, with likable characters, but they spent way too much times setting up the bad guy plots and traveling aroudn the country. Crewatoe There have been so many shows that were whisked away too soon. I'm not saying some shows didn't need to be yanked off quick (see ABC's 2010 dud Romantically Challenged- honestly Alyssa Milano, what were you thinking??), (also see FOX's Running Wilde- how did it make it to December, that little girl had a grating voice that hurt as bad as Will Arnet's "pretty boy" persona), but some shows were shot down before their groove could be reached. Here are my favorites.
Maybe its Me (2000-2001)
This WB gem lasted a full season and was surreptitiously dropped. MIM was a half-hour comedy followed 16-year old Molly Stage and her insane extended family. Dad (Fred Willard) was her soccer coach, Mom (Julia Sweeney) was cheap. Her older brother Rick was dangerously handsome and total thief and con artist (he got them illegal cable in one episode) and her close in high school aged older brother Grant was in love with Jesus. Molly's best friend Mia (great Mia Hamm joke in the first episode when the frustrated dad is mourning the team's loss and mom offers Mia some more ham at dinner) is in love with grant. Throw in twin redhead little sisters whoa re cute but troublesome, and a grandma (the lady from The Wedding Singer)and grandpa (reverend from Little House on the Prairie) (not married, from opposite sides of the family), and it was sickly funny from Molly entering a town beauty pageant where contestants had to shuck clams, to the grandparents cranking up the heat while mom was gone, to mom giving the whole school food poisoning when she subbed as a lunch lady. Their theme song changed twice in the once season, from Lindsay Pagano's "All U R" to Simple Plan's "I'd Do Anything." Bad news: Grandpa got replaced in the middle of the season. GRADE: A+
Mr. Sterling (Jan. to Mar. 2003)
Mr. Sterling (NBC) made it to about ten episodes, all of which were splendidly written. What happened? Josh Brolin was the leading character, a CA-based lawyer that is called to be a senator when the current senator faces major scandal. He hops a plane to D.C., meets his staff, and sets out to get out from the shadow of his father, a former governor of California. The staff included Audra McDonald (Addison's bestie on Private Practice), Will Russ (the dad from Boy meets World).The best episode included Sterling give an all-night filibuster to change a law, complete with reading a copy machine manual. GRADE: B
Miss Match (Sept. to Dec. 2003)
On NBC, Alicia Silverstone is Kate, a divorce lawyer by day, and a matchmaker after hours. Great premise, plus the introduction of James Roday (PSYCH hottie) to television. Roday is a co-worker, and Ryan O'Neal plays her father and the owner of the firm. Kate's bartender best friend Victoria (played by Lake Bell), kept an eye on the matches and was a bit of a slut. Her "should be or shouldn't we" ex Michael (the husband on Ghost Whisperer)was interesting and his best pal Adam (Nathan Fillion, aka Castle) also kept the couplings interesting. The theme song was done by Macy Gray. I see a lot of parallels between this and the new USA show FAIRLY LEGAL. GRADE: B+
Maybe its Me (2000-2001)
This WB gem lasted a full season and was surreptitiously dropped. MIM was a half-hour comedy followed 16-year old Molly Stage and her insane extended family. Dad (Fred Willard) was her soccer coach, Mom (Julia Sweeney) was cheap. Her older brother Rick was dangerously handsome and total thief and con artist (he got them illegal cable in one episode) and her close in high school aged older brother Grant was in love with Jesus. Molly's best friend Mia (great Mia Hamm joke in the first episode when the frustrated dad is mourning the team's loss and mom offers Mia some more ham at dinner) is in love with grant. Throw in twin redhead little sisters whoa re cute but troublesome, and a grandma (the lady from The Wedding Singer)and grandpa (reverend from Little House on the Prairie) (not married, from opposite sides of the family), and it was sickly funny from Molly entering a town beauty pageant where contestants had to shuck clams, to the grandparents cranking up the heat while mom was gone, to mom giving the whole school food poisoning when she subbed as a lunch lady. Their theme song changed twice in the once season, from Lindsay Pagano's "All U R" to Simple Plan's "I'd Do Anything." Bad news: Grandpa got replaced in the middle of the season. GRADE: A+
Mr. Sterling (Jan. to Mar. 2003)
Mr. Sterling (NBC) made it to about ten episodes, all of which were splendidly written. What happened? Josh Brolin was the leading character, a CA-based lawyer that is called to be a senator when the current senator faces major scandal. He hops a plane to D.C., meets his staff, and sets out to get out from the shadow of his father, a former governor of California. The staff included Audra McDonald (Addison's bestie on Private Practice), Will Russ (the dad from Boy meets World).The best episode included Sterling give an all-night filibuster to change a law, complete with reading a copy machine manual. GRADE: B
Miss Match (Sept. to Dec. 2003)
On NBC, Alicia Silverstone is Kate, a divorce lawyer by day, and a matchmaker after hours. Great premise, plus the introduction of James Roday (PSYCH hottie) to television. Roday is a co-worker, and Ryan O'Neal plays her father and the owner of the firm. Kate's bartender best friend Victoria (played by Lake Bell), kept an eye on the matches and was a bit of a slut. Her "should be or shouldn't we" ex Michael (the husband on Ghost Whisperer)was interesting and his best pal Adam (Nathan Fillion, aka Castle) also kept the couplings interesting. The theme song was done by Macy Gray. I see a lot of parallels between this and the new USA show FAIRLY LEGAL. GRADE: B+
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