New NBC Comedies

[Spot's Meow]

I hadn't seen another thread on this topic, so I apologize if there is one already floating around out there...

Has anyone else been watching the new NBC comedies? I'm talking about The New Normal, Go On, and Animal Practice.

I have watched all of The New Normal so far, and I think I like it. Comedies can sometimes have a really great start and then quickly devolve into idiocy or gimmicks, so you really need several episodes before you can fully judge them, but so far the show has made me laugh. The outrageous bigotry of the grandmother is something that many people might not "get," but it made more sense to me after I heard an interview in which the actress called the character a modern day Archie Bunker. I don't really like the little girl character though, she's not very funny.

Go On, starring Matthew Perry, is another one that I think I might like, though not quite as much as The New Normal. There are moments that make me laugh and moments that are a little too typical sitcom for me, but overall it's an alright show. I could see the premise becoming very worn out quickly, but we'll see.

Strangely, Animal Practice was the show that I felt had the funniest previews, yet the premiere itself wasn't funny at all. I gave up a little less than halfway through. It was just too weird in a bad way.

So, what are your thoughts on the new shows? So far it seems like NBC has brought a strong fall lineup, certainly much better than in recent years past. I guess we'll see how long it can last...

 

[the G-man]

I watched the "Go On" pilot and wasn't impressed.

I'm not a fan of Ryan Murphy so I don't see a reason to watch "Cam and Mitchell Get a Spinoff"...um, I mean, "the New Normal."

I have yet to see a good review of the Animal show.

 

[bigdaddy]

Go On is a bore, the Animal show I wanted to love (I love the cast) but couldn't.

I think The New Normal would just annoy me.

 

[Spot's Meow]

I watched the "Go On" pilot and wasn't impressed.

I'm not a fan of Ryan Murphy so I don't see a reason to watch "Cam and Mitchell Get a Spinoff"...um, I mean, "the New Normal."

I have yet to see a good review of the Animal show.

It does smack of a Modern Family imitation, and as a big Modern Family fan I was weary, but I found it to be just different enough to be okay. Like I said, I need more time to see what direction it goes in, but it does have the potential to be a unique show. Also, the humor is a bit different than Modern Family's, though I can't explain exactly how.

 

[Starbreaker]

They all look like instant cancellation fodder.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Yup. That about sums it up.

 

[Enterprise is Great]

None of the ads impressed me at all (and not just NBC's every sitcom from every network looks blah) so I'm avoiding them.

 

[Spot's Meow]

Wow! I know NBC hasn't done well in the past, but I give all new shows a fair shot, and these really aren't that bad. Go On is doing pretty well in the ratings, and The New Normal is okay there too, though there was a drop from last week so not as successful as Go On has been.

But besides that stuff, those two shows did actually make me laugh, which is more than I can say for any of the other new shows on NBC in recent years. I think that this is a big improvement for them. They're no Big Bang Theory or Modern Family, but these comedies are at least good enough to keep watching for a while, to see where things go.

 

[Guy Gardener]

I told a gay friend that his lot was being represented by a new sitcom, he looked up the cast of characters and said I'm sorry but these people are unfuckable.

 

[Takeru]

The pilot for The New Normal didn't impress me, but was okay. The show has been improving with every episode.
I like the gays and Ellen Barkin's character, I could do without Nene Leakes, the surrogate, her daughter and her husband are okay.

Animal Practice ... I like Justin Kirk and Joanna Garcia but the premise is so stupid I haven't watched it yet, but I will definitely check it out when I can watch the first 8-10 episodes in a row, if it's good I will know immediately and if it sucks and doesn't improve I only wasted a few hours, not weeks.

Not interestd in Go On at all.

 

[the G-man]

Wow! I know NBC hasn't done well in the past, but I give all new shows a fair shot,

I barely have enough time to watch shows I already like. I don't have time to try something for more than one episode and only then if I've heard good things about it or I'm a fan of the creators involved

 

[Guy Gardener]

Those three are genius compared to Guys with Kids.

 

[Kirby]

I watched two episodes of Go On. I liked it better when it was called 'Dear John' starring Judd Hirsch. I will not be going on with this show. I have absolutely no interest in Animal Hospital, the one commercial I saw took care of that, and The New Normal looks like a ripoff of Modern Family, so if I happen to stumble across it, I may watch it. Ok, probably not.

 

[Guy Gardener]

In the nbc previews show.. might have been SNL... But they called Go On: "Goon" which I think was a much funnier title.

Matthew perry is too friendly.

I watched all four seaosns of Dear John recently.

The Mayor of Sunnyvale was almost unrecognisable.

 

[jb1234]

I liked The New Normal pilot quite a bit, the episodes that aired after it not nearly as much. Everything is so rushed and frantic that it's hard to get a grasp of the characters and the jokes are really hit and miss.

The Go On pilot was adequate but didn't invest me enough to bother with more episodes (despite my affection for Matthew Perry). Not bothering with Animal Practice.

 

[Spot's Meow]

I liked The New Normal pilot quite a bit, the episodes that aired after it not nearly as much. Everything is so rushed and frantic that it's hard to get a grasp of the characters and the jokes are really hit and miss.

I am feeling the same way about the show - everything moves so fast! You have to DVR this show, otherwise you will be missing the rapid fire jokes. I haven't given up on the show yet, but I don't necessarily like this style.

 

[the G-man]

I watched two episodes of Go On. I liked it better when it was called 'Dear John' starring Judd Hirsch

Glad to know I'm not the only one who thought that

 

[grabthars hammer]

I thought 'new normal' was okay, not as big a ripoff of 'modern family' as I thought it'd be but the grandma is too over-the-top to believe as a character. As for 'Go on', I'd rather watch 'dear john' reruns and maybe its me, but I cant take any more of Matthew Perry and his shit-eating grin.

All of these shows however, look like 'The Wire' when compared to 'Guys with Kids'. Laugh tracks are even more annoying when nothing funny is happening.

 

[the G-man]

Matthew Perry needs to get into a show on cable. He's shown he can do good work with guys like Sorkin (even if Studio 60 wasn't that great, Perry was good in it and in his guest shots on the West Wing). The network sitcoms they keep throwing at him are not doing his career any favors.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Goon had a game changer this week.

Shades of Providence, the dead wife came back from the dead, because she was dead, to nag him. But she was wearing nothing but a man's business shirt.

Hot.

Is she a ghost, or is Chandler going crazy?