Review: 'Mr. Sunshine' - 'Pilot': The elephant in the room
What did everybody think of Matthew Perry's new sitcom?
Matthew Perry and Jorge Garcia in "Mr. Sunshine."
Credit: ABC
Okay, I offered up my review of Matthew Perry's "Mr. Sunshine" yesterday. Now it's your turn. What did everybody think of Perry, Allison Janney, Jorge Garcia and company?
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
News From Our Partners
-
'Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters': Jeremy Renner Never Read the Script Before Signing On
'Angry Birds' Movie Flies Forward
Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique: First Look at the Actress in 'X-Men: Days of Future Past'
-
What to Watch Tonight: SYTYCD, Awkward., and the Finales of Grimm, The Game, and DWTS
What to Watch Tonight: The Season Finales of Rectify and Hawaii Five-0 and the Series Premieres of The Goodwin Games and Motive
Mad Men "The Crash" Review: Uppers Give You Wings!
-
Crosstalk: How does Chris Brown get away with it?
For Our Consideration: What do we mean when we call music pretentious?
Interview: Michael Cera on the evolution of George Michael Bluth and working in Arrested Development’s writers’ room
-
'Star Trek Into Darkness' Takes Box-Office Crown With $84 Million
'Arrested Development' Gang: Where Are They Now?
'Star Trek Into Darkness': What's Next For J.J. Abrams And The Cast?
-
Ranking the Blockbusters with Summer Movie Scorecard 2013
RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: The Last Stand and Side Effects
Box Office Guru Wrapup: Star Trek Softer Than Expected at #1
-
'The Voice' Live Round Recap: The Top 10 Perform
Beyonce Is a 'Grown Woman' in Leaked Track
Ultra Music Festival Dates Announced, Tickets Go on Sale May 21
-
'Bates Motel' Season 2: Will Norman Go Full 'Psycho?'
FX's 'The Strain' Taps 'Alias' Star Mia Maestro as Female Lead
FX's 'Tyrant': Ang Lee Drops out of Directing the Pilot, Cites 'Life of Pi' Exhaustion
-
Heather Wagner: 'Hot In Orange County'
John Barrowman's Surprising New Role
WATCH: How A Frog Transformed Kerry Washington's Thinking
Get Instant Alerts on What's Alan Watching
Latest Posts
-
Daniel ponders a trip out of town as the terrific first season comes to a closeMonday, May 20, 2013
-
Some interesting pieces in a new sitcom from the 'HIMYM' guys, but it's a dead show walkingMonday, May 20, 2013
-
Dan and Alan also review 'Save Me,' talk about 'SNL' departures and a wacky 'Mad Men'Monday, May 20, 2013
-
A police procedural that doesn't bother with whodunnit, but doesn't replace it with anything interestingMonday, May 20, 2013
Recent Activity on Facebook
Most Popular on Facebook
Top Stories From Around the Web
Comments
Option 1
Comment instantly as a guest GuestOption 2
Option 3
Login or create a HitFix account Login Signup
February 9, 2011 at 11:06PM EST Reply to CommentMaybe it's cause I had low expectations from your review...but I thought it was good. It has room for improvement but still better than a lot of comedies.
Stef
February 9, 2011 at 11:30PM EST Reply to CommentIt has potential, but the whole time I was watching I was just thinking about how it's not as good as the West Wing, LOST, Better Off Ted OR Friends...
conrad or even las vegas [james lesure] sadly.
February 10, 2011 at 10:57AM ESTM
February 9, 2011 at 11:48PM EST Reply to CommentI liked it. It kind of reminded me of Running Wilde only not completely awful.
RP
February 10, 2011 at 12:06AM EST Reply to CommentCompared to how Cougar Town and Parks and Rec began, I thought this was a really strong start -- and has an equally strong cast/premise on which to improve. Also, THRILLED that Allison Janney is back on television!
Guest
February 10, 2011 at 12:12AM EST Reply to CommentAgreed, this show has a lot of promise. Loved the Allison Janney press conference. Hopefully the show will start with enough viewers so that it can find its voice and turn in to a great sitcom to replace Better With You so that Cougar town can come back
GS
February 10, 2011 at 12:18AM EST Reply to CommentAgreed with your review. There's talent but Janney is too lol! wacky! Also Perry and Anders are the same characters they've played before with different names, which makes it feel tired.
Hopefully it will get smoother, otherwise I'll have to wait until/if the buzz is it's really pulled a Cougar Town next year.
velocityknown
February 10, 2011 at 12:46AM EST Reply to CommentInteresting, but can wait for more buzz.
On a totally separate note, I'm wondering if anyone has heard about this supposed leak of the script of Michael Scott's final episode of The Office? It's starting to circulate online and wondering anyone has caught wind of it, real or not, etc?
captainmarvel
February 10, 2011 at 1:19AM EST Reply to CommentUnlike Matt LeBlanc's "Episodes" - which I hated - I found this to be consistently funny and well-written. I liked all of the characters. A lot of potential in this show, IMO.
Andrew
February 10, 2011 at 1:34AM EST Reply to CommentI loved this. I'm a mark for Perry, Janney and Lesure and the pilot made me laugh a whole bunch of times. Heartily. And hey, its a comedy. That's what I'm looking for. Along with the Chicago Code this ranks as my new favourite show of the new season.
Col Bat Guano
February 10, 2011 at 3:00AM EST Reply to CommentIt has some rough edges, but you can see the potential. Good cast and I've loved Andrea Anders in everything I've seen her do (yes, even Joey) so that's enough for me to keep watching.
February 10, 2011 at 3:06AM EST Reply to CommentI thought it was well made and the press conference scene was laugh out loud funny, but on the whole it was just too vanilla to hit its mark. I've always liked the witty 'lighter side of...' moments in Aaron Sorkin's dramas, but you can't take his actors and his director, throw them in a different behind-the-scenes premise, and expect that stringing those witty moments together will make a proper half-hour comedy. Even with actual Sorkonian writing, nobody watched sports night. The show needs a more aggressive slant, be it toward the dark or toward the kooky, and tailor the humor around that perspective.
Janney was fantastic. Perry was just alright - it felt a bit like he was phoning it in, which could spoil everything down the road. James Lesure and Andrea Anders are both plenty talented but need better character definition. If they can do that and hone the edge, the show should be a success.
klg19 *I* watched Sports Night.
February 10, 2011 at 11:23AM ESTCraig
February 10, 2011 at 3:26AM EST Reply to CommentDon't know if I miss Matthew since Studio 60 ended (Well before it's time) but I like the new show and hope it does well. Allison was also fantastic as his boss, as was most of the cast.
OnlyMe
February 10, 2011 at 3:31AM EST Reply to CommentThe cutesy musical zingers need to go.
Other than that, it had potential.
christy
February 10, 2011 at 8:36AM EST Reply to CommentAgree with everyone. Liked-not-loved, has potential, etc. As long as it's on after Modern Family, or really on ABC Wednesdays at all, it'd have to get a lot worse for me not to watch it. It felt pilot-y, in the sense that the characters don't quite feel comfortable in their skins yet, but generally it's solid.
February 10, 2011 at 9:32AM EST Reply to CommentI never comment, but I wanted to say that I was pleasantly surprised. I laughed many times and I even clapped laughing when Allison Janney grabbed the kid to shield herself from the clowns with axes.
February 10, 2011 at 9:39AM EST Reply to CommentMost of my LOLs came from Allison Janney. Nate Torrence's character was more pathetic than funny, though I see potential. I can't picture Andrea Anders as other than her character of Better Off Ted, but give me time.
klg19
February 10, 2011 at 11:27AM EST Reply to CommentI think I'm part of the commenter consensus: your review made me expect worse than I got. My affection for Perry, Anders, Janney, and Lesure carried me through the weaker bits, and I did laugh out loud at the stronger bits. The comparison with Cougar Town is apt, as it's the likeability of the cast will keep me coming back until (I hope) it settles in.
I will say that I thought they tried to cram a lot into those 22 minutes. Of course they had to establish every one, but Perry's character experiencing his I-could-be-a-better-person epiphany happened a little fast.
Still: I'll hang in until/unless they shake me off.
Robin
February 10, 2011 at 11:44AM EST Reply to CommentMaybe I was just in a bad mood (although I laughed alot at MF), but I thought it was HORRIBLE. I turned it off after the press conference. Every joke was predictable, every character was one-note. Maybe my expectations were too high, but even taking into account it was a pilot didn't help my opinion. I felt like yelling at the TV "ok, we get it!"
And one major nitpick -- how is it that the guy who runs the building would not know the name of the head maintenance man who has worked there for 2 years?? MP's character probably HIRED the man! And would have been in almost daily contact with him since!
Bah. Bring back Cougar Town please.
Steph
February 10, 2011 at 12:02PM EST Reply to CommentI like Allison Janney, Matthew Perry and James Lesure, but all I could think during the show was that this is what Chandler would be like if Monica left him and took the kids...all sarcasm, no charm. I didn't find much to laugh at, and I winced a lot.
Robin +1
February 10, 2011 at 1:03PM ESTLJA Exactly.
February 10, 2011 at 2:50PM ESTI thought it was worse than Alan described in his review, and my expectations were fairly low to begin with.
SpyTV
February 10, 2011 at 12:22PM EST Reply to CommentWill someone explain to me why so many sitcom characters are deathly afraid of clowns? Kramer on Seinfeld, Phil Dunphy on Modern family, and the stadium owner of this show (I'm sure I've missed several). I'm sure such a phobia exists, but I've never met any adult afraid of a clown! Definitely one of those overused sitcom cliche's.
LJA My sister is deathly afraid of clowns, always has been. You gotta admit, they are totally creepy.
February 10, 2011 at 2:55PM ESTmac My sister (age 36) is also terrified of clowns, and pretty much any mascot or other masked character including Ronald McDonald and Jack in the Box.
February 13, 2011 at 1:13AM ESTchester
February 10, 2011 at 12:35PM EST Reply to CommentC'mon Alan. This show sucked bigtime. Which is surprising because of the heavyhitters behind the camera - Tsarses and Schallame (sp?) Ridiculous plot. Unlikeable charactors. Zero depth. Don't we deserve unique premises? Like Boardwalk Empire! Like Shameless! Like The Middle! Like Modern Family! You and I could have written the Pilot during the Superbowl halftime gagging through the Black Eyed Peas!
chester
February 10, 2011 at 12:46PM EST Reply to CommentC'mon guys. The show sucked big time. No laughs. Unlikeable characters. Sophomoric plot. Haven't we seen this show before? Don't we deserve more from these guys? I mean really -- you've got jamie tsares, Perry and Schallame and this is the best they can come up with. Don't we deserve more shows like Boardwalk Empire. The Office. Shameless. Californication. The Middle. Modern Family? We have lowed our standards to...well, you get my point.
Marc uh yeah if it was only at the brilliance of that masterpeice that is Californication, yeah that's what they should be aiming for.
February 10, 2011 at 1:53PM ESTIf your standards are that Californication is the high bar Matt Perry et al should be aiming for, I think they did wonderfully
February 10, 2011 at 2:07PM ESTchester
February 10, 2011 at 12:47PM EST Reply to CommentWrite a comment...
belinda
February 10, 2011 at 1:12PM EST Reply to CommentThis is utterly shallow, but the thought "wow, Matthew Perry is NOT aging well" kept creeping into my brain while watching this.
rhys1882
February 10, 2011 at 2:03PM EST Reply to CommentIt was a bit hit and miss, but there were some good laughs in there so I will definitely give it a chance to grow.
Ben
February 10, 2011 at 4:05PM EST Reply to CommentThe show has promise. It's not there yet because they haven't gotten a good balance on the lead character yet, but the combination of interesting concept/strong cast/room for character development down the line will have me watching this one for a while. I think it can be a winner for ABC.
Alan, I have a question: Is the new MODERN FAMILY episode going to be reviewed by you or was it one for the "pass until the next show that's decent" spot?
Jacob
February 10, 2011 at 5:43PM EST Reply to CommentI enjoyed it far more than I expected, considering the reviews. Allison Janney throwing the kid at the ax-wielding clowns was pretty darn funny. Could still go either way, but I'll give it another look.
Having Joey's love interest now be Chandler's love interest was odd, though...
Big D
February 10, 2011 at 5:52PM EST Reply to CommentExceeded my expectations by a lot. Season Pass set.
February 11, 2011 at 6:54AM EST Reply to CommentAlan, I was wondering if you've seen Perry's previous show The End of Steve and what your thoughts on it were. It sounds like the two shows were pretty similar although this one's more network safe.
A
February 11, 2011 at 7:05AM EST Reply to CommentI hope they cool it with the exotic animals.