Inside Television with Alan Sepinwall

Review: 'Mad Love' - 'Friends and Other Obstacles': First date, worst date

An unpromising follow-up to the pilot

By Alan Sepinwall Tuesday, Feb 22, 2011 11:20 AM

Tyler Labine and Judy Greer on "Mad Love."

Credit: CBS

Boy, not a very good second episode for "Mad Love," was it? Still no laughs from Biggs or Chalke - or, for that matter, from Labine and Greer, whose chemistry is less of the "thin line between love and hate" variety than the "their interactions are unpleasant" variety. And while I'm always glad to see Martin Starr getting a paycheck, "Hawaii Five-0" actually made better use of him than this episode did. Sigh...

On yesterday's podcast, Dan and I were asked about the notion of whether we'd rather see a show with good actors and weak writing or a well-written show that's poorly cast. And I said that while I think writing is the more important part of the equation, writing can sometimes improve over time, whereas a bad actor almost always remains a bad actor (or a miscast actor). So I'll check back in at some point, but until/unless this show gets its act together, no point in covering it week-to-week.

What did everybody else think?

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: Alan Sepinwall, Mad Love, Jason Biggs, Sarah Chalke, Tyler Labine, Judy Greer

Roman

Not a single laugh to be had.

Martin Starr, Judy Greer and Tyler Labine in a scene together SHOULD be comedy gold. Mad Love's writing was somehow so terrible that it prevented it from being funny in the slightest.

I hope this show is canceled swiftly so the talented cast can do better things with their time.
February 22, 2011 at 12:26PM EST Reply to Comment
DonBoy

I would describe this as the inevitable second episode of this series. That is, after you saw last week, this is EXACTLY what you would expect the next one to be, and no more than that.

But I do find Labine funny.
February 22, 2011 at 12:28PM EST Reply to Comment
Zach L

Yea I'm a bit disappointed, I was hoping this show could grow into a HIMYM successor, but not sure about that now. Still holding out hope though since I like all the actors involved. Was this the show Lizzy Caplan missed out on because of Party Down by the way? If so, bit ironic that Martin Starr would show up then in just the second episode
February 22, 2011 at 12:28PM EST Reply to Comment
- sepinwall Lizzy didn't miss out on it. She didn't want to do it. She agreed to play the Greer part in the pilot as a favor to the producers, but with the understanding that she wouldn't stick around.
  February 22, 2011 at 12:29PM EST
ed w

This was the first episode of it I'd seen and it was weirding me out how much the lead male character sounded like Josh Radnor. It was a laugh-less show that like a lot of new series seems unusually generic. Greer was appealing at least, she had real presence, but she belongs in something better.

What stands out to me about these new series like Mad Love, Traffic Light, Perfect Couples is how old the characters are by tv standards. You'd think that if they wanted to mass produce a generic hit they'd notice that Friends, HIMYM and BBT started out with younger characters. Closer to early 20s than early 30s. I don't know if there's a big market out there for the love foibles of 35 year olds. Except when done more intelligently, a la Parks, but that's practically a different genre.

As to your podcast question, I agree that I'd rather see good actors and weak writing. A number of eventually good comedy shows have started out with weak writing like early Seinfeld, early Parks.
February 22, 2011 at 12:46PM EST Reply to Comment
C.K. Louis

I thought it was mildly amusing but it's troubling how hard it had to work just to make it up to that level.

This whole premise feels more suited to a British style 6 episodes per season arc rather than a 22 episode American season. For instance:

Season 1 (6 eps): Shows how Jason Bigg and Sarah Chalke characters get together

Season 2 (6 eps): Show the two characters solidify their relationship

Season 3 (6 eps): Two characters get married. Labine and Greer characters start getting together.

Season 4 (6 eps, finale): Biggs/Chalke characters have a kid. Labine/Greer characters admit love for each other get married.

Maybe writing would be a bit tighter that way.
February 22, 2011 at 12:50PM EST Reply to Comment
- jcpdiesel21 Honestly, the premise to this show sounds like it would be more successful as a movie. That way the entire story could play out in around two hours. If this show is successful, I can't see them dragging out the main storyline for multiple seasons.
  February 22, 2011 at 1:10PM EST
- ed w CK Louis, what you basically describe is the UK series Gavin and Stacey.
  February 22, 2011 at 1:18PM EST
Matt W

I think all four actors are quite talented (was a fan of "Reaper" and "Scrubs" so I like Labine and Chalke). But, there wasn't a single laugh in last night's episode. Judy Greer, who I like as well, is just annoying (though she has some good lines). The writing just seems flat.
February 22, 2011 at 1:02PM EST Reply to Comment
ZDT

Martin Starr was completely wasted here by writing that was essentially "he looks nerdy, let's make him the weirdo neighbor"
February 22, 2011 at 1:14PM EST Reply to Comment
- DougMac you're probably right, but maybe they'll bring him back for a love triangle with Greer and Labine. I doubt it, but I'd like to see Starr get more work
  February 23, 2011 at 5:42AM EST
LJA

This episode proves the writing theory. A stellar cast with bad writing still equals an unwatchable show. While I agree with your good actor theory, Alan, I don't think it will ever apply here.

Also, I didn't watch Reaper, so maybe Tyler Labine was full of charisma at some point, but he's aggressively unlikeable here. Sadly enough, so was Greer.
February 22, 2011 at 1:24PM EST Reply to Comment
Steph

I didn't enjoy it either. It's one thing to have "the goofy friends who hate each other but are going to do it at some point" characters, but usually they have some redeeming qualities as well. But really? Tyler Labine and Judy Greer are so tone deaf that they totally ruin the date, and when Greer knocks Jason Biggs into the emergency room with the swinging door they're not the least bit concerned about him, just about whose fault it was? (Um, Judy/Connie, it was yours). And also disappointed to see Martin Starr in a totally un-nuanced throwaway role.
February 22, 2011 at 1:33PM EST Reply to Comment
Ugh. I left half way through to do dishes.
But it did make me wonder why someone didn't try to do a spinoff of the Stella character from HIMYM? I really like Chalke and loved her as Stella. It seems like it's been awhile since the Networks have done a spinoff sitcom (probably because they don't work most of the time...I can't think of one that did except I personally loved "Just the Ten of Us"), but it might've worked in this instance.
February 22, 2011 at 1:45PM EST Reply to Comment
- PGP I'd of rather seen Sarah play Elliot Reid in a spin off with Elliot as a paediatrician, something Sarah wanted for Elliot. Even as a GP would of worked.
  February 22, 2011 at 1:54PM EST
paullu

I don't get how people think Tyler Labine is funny. He just doesn't do it for me at all.

And this is the first show in a LONG time where the laugh track feels weird, mostly because the show is just so unfunny that any injected laughter seems fake.

After the show was over the prevailing thought in my mind was "Just cancel this, please". Then I come here and the first commenter says the same thing. Guess I'm not alone.

And please, FREE JUDY GREER! As luck would have it, IFC was showing a rerun of Arrested Development an hour before Mad Love. It was the episode where Greer's character comes back from "sick leave" with a boob job, and the nipples were pointing in totally different directions. She was hilarious in every scene; having to watch her in this dreck is just depressing. She deserves better than constantly being cast as "dowdied up so as to not upstage the lead, noshing in the background sidekick".

February 22, 2011 at 1:54PM EST Reply to Comment
- nidhena I agree with Judy Greer being "dowdied up"...I just can't buy that she would ever want to get with Tyler Labine's character because he is so obnoxious and doesn't seem to have any redeeming qualities (even though he is supposedly the true protagonist).
  
  In other words, the writing sucks.
  February 22, 2011 at 3:00PM EST
Tom Galloway

Something I've been trying to figure out lately is why the trope of an all around good guy, often explicitly smart and competent, lead with a best friend who's obnoxious, takes advantage of the lead, and has no/few redeeming qualities has taken hold. Examples are Biggs and Labine here, Chuck and Morgan (especially first season; Morgan's character has improved), Hank and Evan on Royal Pains, etc. I keep wondering why the leads not only put up with the sidekicks, but don't seem to have any decent, competent, friends. In my experience and observation, smart competent people tend to hang out with other smart competent folk (with the occasional exception of the not-really-as-smart-as-they-think-they-are type who makes a point of trying to always be the smartest person in the room).
February 22, 2011 at 3:28PM EST Reply to Comment
Tausif Khan

I found the performances enjoyable but the writing is all cliches right now for me.

I laughed out loud at some of Tyler Labine's deliveries. I thought Jason Biggs was charming.

I still think that Sarah Chalke is in her latter day Elliot performance and hasn't really made the character original.

Judy Greer still seems bland.

I think this show can get a lot better.
February 22, 2011 at 3:49PM EST Reply to Comment
- jamiem Reply to comment...
  February 23, 2011 at 4:58AM EST
Rob

I think the season finale will have Biggs and Chalke's characters break up, while Labine and Greer hook up. Then the whole second season will play as the reverse of the first.
February 22, 2011 at 7:13PM EST Reply to Comment
Matt C

Scrubs is my favorite sitcom, but Sarah Chalke bothered me to no end from about season 5 on. I also hated her as Stella in How I met Your Mother. She seems to just always be playing Elliot, and not the fun, crazy, neurotic Elliot, but the extremely annoying trying to be cutesy Elliot.

Also, I was hoping this show would be fun as I do like most of the cast a lot, but it is not clicking.
February 23, 2011 at 11:55AM EST Reply to Comment
Nick

There's a good show hidden in here somewhere. Everybody but Biggs had their moments, and when the show isn't worrying about its plot (which, sadly, is most of the time through the first two episodes) it's decently funny. I suspect that by episode seven or eight the show will start to find its footing, any by episode twelve or so it'll be one of the better comedies on tv right now; Labine and Greer are both so talented (and Chalke isn't bad) that with even decent writing it won't be hard for this show to overachieve.
February 23, 2011 at 4:14PM EST Reply to Comment
- Nick Ok, I might have been wrong. Episode 3 was the worst yet, although the Viggo Mortensen line was good.
  March 1, 2011 at 6:11PM EST
Tyroc

Any chance you'll review Traffic Light again? It's not amazing yet, but getting better and better, and MUCH funnier than this. And did a much better job of utilizing one of the Apatow Players (being Carla Gallo.)
February 24, 2011 at 5:49AM EST Reply to Comment
W

While visiting Las Vegas this week I stopped at CBS Television City at MGM Grand and ended up in a focus group that screened the pilot for this show. When I asked why were watching it since it had already premiered the facilitator said they were studying one of the characters. Personally I was hoping they were going to do something different with Labine's character, but I was told that he wasn't the one they were studying.
February 25, 2011 at 3:23PM EST Reply to Comment

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Review: 'Mad Love' - 'Friends and Other Obstacles': First date, worst date

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Comments

Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

DonBoy I would describe this as the inevitable second episode of this series. That is, after you saw last week, this is EXACTLY what you would expect the next one to be, and no more than that.But I do find Labine funny.

sepinwall Lizzy didn't miss out on it. She didn't want to do it. She agreed to play the Greer part in the pilot as a favor to the producers, but with the understanding that she wouldn't stick around.

jcpdiesel21 Honestly, the premise to this show sounds like it would be more successful as a movie. That way the entire story could play out in around two hours. If this show is successful, I can't see them dragging out the main storyline for multiple seasons.

ed w CK Louis, what you basically describe is the UK series Gavin and Stacey.

Matt W I think all four actors are quite talented (was a fan of "Reaper" and "Scrubs" so I like Labine and Chalke). But, there wasn't a single laugh in last night's episode. Judy Greer, who I like as well, is just annoying (though she has some good lines). The writing just seems flat.

ZDT Martin Starr was completely wasted here by writing that was essentially "he looks nerdy, let's make him the weirdo neighbor"

DougMac you're probably right, but maybe they'll bring him back for a love triangle with Greer and Labine. I doubt it, but I'd like to see Starr get more work

PGP I'd of rather seen Sarah play Elliot Reid in a spin off with Elliot as a paediatrician, something Sarah wanted for Elliot. Even as a GP would of worked.

nidhena I agree with Judy Greer being "dowdied up"...I just can't buy that she would ever want to get with Tyler Labine's character because he is so obnoxious and doesn't seem to have any redeeming qualities (even though he is supposedly the true protagonist). In other words, the writing sucks.

jamiem Reply to comment...

Rob I think the season finale will have Biggs and Chalke's characters break up, while Labine and Greer hook up. Then the whole second season will play as the reverse of the first.

Nick Ok, I might have been wrong. Episode 3 was the worst yet, although the Viggo Mortensen line was good.

Tyroc Any chance you'll review Traffic Light again? It's not amazing yet, but getting better and better, and MUCH funnier than this. And did a much better job of utilizing one of the Apatow Players (being Carla Gallo.)

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DonBoy

I would describe this as the inevitable second episode of this series. That is, after you saw last week, this is EXACTLY what you would expect the next one to be, and no more than that.

But I do find Labine funny.

Matt W

I think all four actors are quite talented (was a fan of "Reaper" and "Scrubs" so I like Labine and Chalke). But, there wasn't a single laugh in last night's episode. Judy Greer, who I like as well, is just annoying (though she has some good lines). The writing just seems flat.

ZDT

Martin Starr was completely wasted here by writing that was essentially "he looks nerdy, let's make him the weirdo neighbor"

nidhena I agree with Judy Greer being "dowdied up"...I just can't buy that she would ever want to get with Tyler Labine's character because he is so obnoxious and doesn't seem to have any redeeming qualities (even though he is supposedly the true protagonist).

In other words, the writing sucks.

Rob

I think the season finale will have Biggs and Chalke's characters break up, while Labine and Greer hook up. Then the whole second season will play as the reverse of the first.

Tyroc

Any chance you'll review Traffic Light again? It's not amazing yet, but getting better and better, and MUCH funnier than this. And did a much better job of utilizing one of the Apatow Players (being Carla Gallo.)

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