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'Free Agents' - 'Pilot': Strange bedfellows

What did everybody think of the new Hank Azaria/Kathryn Hahn comedy?

By Alan Sepinwall Wednesday, Sep 14, 2011 11:00 PM

<p>Hank Azaria and Kathryn Hahn in "Free Agents."</p>

Hank Azaria and Kathryn Hahn in "Free Agents."

Credit: NBC

I posted my review of NBC's "Free Agents" yesterday. Now it's your turn. For those of you who watched, what did you think? If you're familiar with the UK version, did you find this a step up or down? (And did you miss all the profanity?) 

As I said yesterday, I was not really a fan of the pilot (though I laughed at Joe Lo Truglio's line about Nixon, and smiled at the Ricky Sargulesh reference), but am trying to put faith in John Enbom and company. Will you do the same? 

Alan-sepinwall-sm
Alan Sepinwall
Sr. Editor, What's Alan Watching
Alan Sepinwall has been reviewing television since the mid-'90s, first for Tony Soprano's hometown paper, The Star-Ledger, and now for HitFix. His new book, "The Revolution Was Televised," about the last 15 years of TV drama, is for sale at Amazon. He can be reached at sepinwall@hitfix.com
Related Searches: Free Agents, Hank Azaria, Kathryn Hahn

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  • Default-avatar

    MommaJ

    My reaction was just the opposite of Alan's. I thought Up ALL Night tried way too hard yet fell terribly flat. I didn't even smile, much less laugh. But Free Agents was clever and original and introduced a host of diverse characters besides the two principals. And, I laughed! Unfortunatelu, I think Up All Night will fail and take Free Agents down with it, as everyone flees NBC at 8:00 and therafter.

    September 14, 2011 at 11:13PM EST Reply to Comment
    • Default-avatar

      christopher I agree. I found the main characters in Free Agents very likeable, and the supporting charcters very funny. Whereas for Up All Night, Christina Applegate is funny, but Will Arnett is too odd to play straight and Maya Rudolph set her phasers on kill.

      September 15, 2011 at 12:17PM EST
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    Bob

    I thought this show has some funny characters (Hahn & the 'Executive Assistant')...except of course the main character played by Hank Azaria. He is unfunny and unsympathetic. Unfortunately, this show is going nowhere with Hank as the lead!

    September 14, 2011 at 11:32PM EST Reply to Comment
    • Zoidberg_talkback_profile

      mrbilliam I actually thought the executive assistant was the worst character. She says mean things that aren't actually funny: they're just mean.

      September 15, 2011 at 12:23AM EST
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    Scott Rosenberg

    I saw three pilots today (this, Up All Night, and The New Girl), and of those three this was my favorite. Save Anthony Head, I hated all of the coworkers and can't believe any of those actors managed to get cast, but I thought several of the jokes landed well, the farcical aspects made me laugh out loud at several points, and I thought there was a genuine chemistry between Hahn and Azaria and the underbelly of it all seemed heartfelt. Azaria's character was somewhat bland and a little off, but the character felt like it was generically written rather than for Hank in the role, despite the fact that his non-character talents are still substantial. As they learn to merge the character with Hank's essence/wheelhouse, the show can only improve. Natasha Leggero falling out a trap door wouldn't hurt, either.

    September 15, 2011 at 12:26AM EST Reply to Comment
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    Claude de Muzac

    I don't think I'll even watch this. I do wonder though why the English version didn't have another season. looking at a thumbnail photo of the actors I thought this was the British version. What? They even have to copy the looks of the original actors?

    September 15, 2011 at 7:16AM EST Reply to Comment
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    blingbling

    I think the chemistry between Azaria and Hahn is good but Tony Head -- as much as I've missed him -- is wasted in this role. I'll give the Arnett thing and this one more chance next week before I officially turn in my scorecard.

    September 15, 2011 at 8:03AM EST Reply to Comment
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    Huey Lewis

    I'm torn. I expected to really dislike Up All Night took me most of the show to see Will Arnett in a real person role (which he did for a long time). But, I laughed and Christina Applegate was terrific. I expected, before the reviews, to love Free Agents. I adore Natasha Leggero as a comic (somewhat wasted here) and Hank Azaria is terrific. What really won me over was Kathyrn Hahn. I long thought she beautiful and talented. Her comedic timing was usually funneled into sidekick roles. She still came across as a potentially good character and hope this propels her even further. However, the office characters are silly (Al Madrigal was wasted) and the writing suspect. I plan to watch a few more (this goes with Up All NIght too) to see if they can find their voice. And for Kathryn Hahn.

    September 15, 2011 at 10:10AM EST Reply to Comment
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    Yorick

    It's odd, I usually agree with Alan's reviews, but I liked Free Agents a lot and did not laugh once watching Up All Night. Maybe it's because I don't have kids so I can't relate - though I'm not an agent sleeping with a co-worker either so...

    Anyway I'll watch episode 2 of both shows (mostly for Maya Rudolph concerning Up All Night), but for now, Free Agents is clearly my favorite.

    September 15, 2011 at 11:05AM EST Reply to Comment
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    Andy

    Another show filled with talented people but lacking in laughs. I'm more inclined to give this another shot than Up All Night because I really like Hank Azaria but more likely than not I'll never watch another episode.

    September 15, 2011 at 1:28PM EST Reply to Comment
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    dan

    never saw this when it was on over here, watched the pilot and enjoyed it, so i watched the original, and is is much better - as is the case most the time.

    even though they are pretty much the same the seem sooo different

    plus matthew holness from garth marenghi is in uk one so thats an automatic win right there

    September 15, 2011 at 6:34PM EST Reply to Comment
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    XK

    I much preferred Free Agents to Up All Night. I felt like the latter was just zany for no purpose (and hated Maya Rudolph's character), whereas Free Agents seemed to at least pretend to some depth. I'll be watching FA, but Up All Night has only one more episode to hook me.

    September 15, 2011 at 10:36PM EST Reply to Comment
  • Default-avatar

    amg

    I don't think a year is "too long" to grieve your 30-something fiance who dies completely out of the blue of heart failure. I thought the tone-deafness of colleagues to this fact was unrealistic. But so were the ridiculous oversized photos. Maybe not the best storyline for a sitcom to use if that was its attempt to make such a loss "funny". Agree Kathryn Hahn was best part of show. I usually love Hank Azaria. I would like this show to work. I suppose we'll see...

    September 15, 2011 at 11:05PM EST Reply to Comment
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    skippy_thebushkangaroo

    watched half of "up all nite" before i changed the channel...watches the first 5 minutes of "free agents" before i changed the channel.

    but the next night, nbc re-ran both pilots and my wife wanted to see "free agents," so i watche sthe whole thing with her. on second viewing, it has potential, i liked the characters tho some were broader than others (i'm looking at you, exec asst!) so we will probably give it a few more viewings.

    but up all nite is down for the count.

    September 16, 2011 at 2:56AM EST Reply to Comment
  • Default-avatar

    Michael Dyckman

    I also expected to like Up All Night more than Free Agents, but it was the reverse - Up All Night wasn't very funny, and the best jokes were in the show's ads. Also, not to be a prude, but why is there so much cursing (especially if it's bleeped out anyway). Free Agents was witty, funny, and Kathryn Hahn is lovely. UAN gets 1-2 more chances, then it's out.

    September 16, 2011 at 3:13PM EST Reply to Comment
  • Laptop_talkback_profile

    pamelajaye

    I'm just watching it now and the only reason I haven't turned it off is that I like Anthony Stewart Head.
    But not enough.
    Executive reminds me of Constance Zimmer but sadly is not her.
    Save me from this. 12 minutes is enough and the DVR is full

    October 5, 2011 at 9:35PM EST Reply to Comment

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