Mike Henry (Michael J. Fox) has Parkinsons disease. He doesn't want that to defend him, too bad that Fox didn't want his show to be the same way. Sure, there's tons of other stuff but his disease is the thread that pulls the show forward.
Mike Henry used to be a celebrity anchorman on NBC Channel 4 News but after his disease became too much to handle, he retired and became a burden to his family, who mostly mean well. His wife, Annie (Breaking Bad's Betsy Brandt) tries to get him to let guys in to fix the dishwasher and promises that she will make worth his while. Oldest son, Ian (Conor Romero) is the anti-Axl, with good grades but not good enough for Cornell. He dropped out of college and is currently trying to start his own search engine but is failing epically. Eve (Juliette Goglia) is the underachieving daughter. She's the one to watch in the show, talent-wise. Graham (Jack Gore) is the youngest, cute kid who still hides in his parents' bed but fortunately appears before they begin having sex.
The most annoying character is Mike's freelancing sister Leigh (Katie Finneran). In the second episode, she feels like people aren't listening to her petty problems so while watching Graham, she lets the other mothers believe that she's a single mother so they pity her. She doesn't appreciate what others do for her. It's horribly annoying.
Then there are Mike's co-workers. Harris (Wendell Pierce) is the boss who does mean well, but he wants Mike to come back so the ratings will climb. His assistant (Ana Noguiera) is much more interesting with her budding optimism and appreciation of Mike.
The plot of the first show isn't much, just Mike deciding whether or not to go back to work and finally stumbling, almost literally onto the story of how 911 calls work in the city, which goes over big, but not big enough for the Today Show to play that instead of going to DC for breaking news. Eve also learns that she can't skate through her school projects.
The second show is better with the plot lines for the kids, Eve believes that her new friend is a lesbian but she's not and starts making out with Ian, which I predicted. She just likes making out with girls at parties because guys like that. Ian does tell his sister some good advice, just have friends that are cool not necessarily unique. Good advice, stop trying to make yourself seem more unique. The friend also says some interesting stuff, like the fact that she believed Eve to be a lesbian as well.
However, the plot line for the adults is horrifying. Mike meets a new neighbor, Kelly (Tracy Pollan, Fox's real life wife) and develops a crush on her leading to an uncomfortable and extremely awkward double date with the Henrys and Kelly and Harris. Annie is too nice and Mike comes clean and tells her that if he told her she was beautiful every time she was beautiful, he wouldn't be able to do anything else.
Though the acting is good, it needs better plot lines and Leigh needs to go so they can focus more on Mike's job, wife and kids who are much more interesting and less annoying. Still, the show has promise but it is probably the weakest and oddly least enjoyable of all the new shows I have begun watching so far this fall and reviewed. I want it to work, I truly do so hopefully it will improve. Grade: B-
Side Notes:
-The most awkward and yet oddly funny line in the show, Harris's, "I'm going to make love to her {Kelly} with my shirt on." Mike's response, "Thanks for putting that image in my head." My sentiments exactly. You read my mind.
-Because Ian dropped out of college, he is currently sleeping in his little brother's large closet bedroom and hates that his parents treat him like a second rate citizen but he's supposed to be in college. I hope they do more with his character because he might be my favorite one though I don't really know why.
-I hope Leigh never has children-giving them soda and Twizzlers is clearly not a good idea.
-Eating together as a family is a good thing, especially when you actually have chairs for everyone. (A reference from The Middle who don't have enough chairs.)
-Despite being a sit-com, the shows really weren't that funny. Again, I hope that changes.
-Another good part? A reference to one of Mike's stories from Africa, about a woman literally having her baby in a tree. They need to find more stuff like that for the show, but at least the second episode didn't focus on Mike's disease.
-Eve, don't for a second think that the problems of your family are similar to the ones that the Joads face.
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