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ABC pulls 'Don't Trust the B---- in Apt. 23,' will double-run 'Happy Endings'

One Tuesday comedy lives a little longer, while the other goes away

By Alan SepinwallTuesday, Jan 22, 2013 4:02 PM

Krysten Ritter in "Don't Trust the B---- in Apt. 23," which ABC has pulled from the schedule.

Credit: ABC

Well, ABC has figured out a way to air all the remaining episodes of "Happy Endings" before "Dancing with the Stars" returns in March — it just comes at the expense of the network's other Tuesday comedy, "Don't Trust the B---- in Apt. 23," which has been pulled off the schedule, effective immediately.

Both shows are pre-empted tonight by the premiere of ABC's new cooking competition show "The Taste," but starting next week, we'll get "Happy Endings" at both 9 and 9:30 each Tuesday until "Dancing" is back.

The return of "Dancing" — and the decision to back away from a planned four-comedy Tuesday bloc that was announced last spring — left ABC with more inventory of both shows than the network was going to be able to air. For a few weeks, the solution was to air additional episodes on Sunday nights (the "Happy Endings" producers talked to me about that back at press tour), but the ratings were so low that the Sunday airings were dropped. I'm told that all the remaining "Happy Endings" episodes should air by the time "Dancing" is on the air again, while there will be eight episodes of "Don't Trust the Birkenstock" in limbo. (As "Don't Trust the Bugle" co-star James Van Der Beek bluntly put it on Twitter, "We've basically been canceled.")

I won't mourn the loss of "Don't Trust the Biplane," but that's also because every time I tuned in this season, it seemed to be a leftover episode from last spring (Liza Lapira tended to be the giveaway), which meant I got very little exposure to whether the show did or didn't improve in season 2. But given its ratings, there was no way it was going to return next season, anyway. The question is whether this represents a significant sign of hope for "Happy Endings," or just Paul Lee playing favorites between the fanbases of two different doomed comedies. At a minimum, it's not bad news that Lee picked "Happy Endings" to stay on the air for the next couple of months.

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: Happy Endings, Don't Trust the B---- in Apt. 23

Alan Sepinwall Recaps & Reviews

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Paul F

Liza Lapira was actually in the most recent real S2 episode as well, which was confusing.

I'll miss the show. Not one of the best Tuesday comedies, but one I always laughed a few times at.
January 22, 2013 at 5:24PM EST Reply to Comment
Amy

I won't really miss the show, but I will miss JVDB. He was really very funny, especially in last week's dating game episode.
January 22, 2013 at 5:37PM EST Reply to Comment
- chairthrower They probably could just do a JVDB spinoff with the JVDB character and that would be a good show.
  January 22, 2013 at 9:43PM EST
LJA

I finally gave up on it early this season.
January 22, 2013 at 5:44PM EST Reply to Comment
- scoopie77 I did too, especially when they were airing out of order.
  January 22, 2013 at 5:50PM EST
- Joseph The show probably wasn't going to get a 3rd season regardless, but they really killed it by airing the episodes in an order that appeared to be decided by throwing darts at a wall. I thought the show really started improving and picking up steam at the end of the first season, but ABC killed whatever momentum it had by the way they handled it when it came back. Not only did it pretty much guarantee that any new viewers would be confused, it obviously also helped turn off returning viewers who actually liked the show.
  January 23, 2013 at 12:54PM EST
scoopie77

Well, it's time for Chole and June to hang out with Ted (as in Better Off...) in the heap of unloved ABC comedies.
January 22, 2013 at 5:49PM EST Reply to Comment
- bitchstolemyremote Ohmygosh! Netflix opportunity: Chloe and June get a job working at Veridian Dynamic!!!
  January 22, 2013 at 8:17PM EST
M

Well, the state of the union is airing in 3 weeks, so that means Happy Endings likely won't air that night. By my math that will still leave 2 eps. unaired by the time DWTS comes back.
January 22, 2013 at 5:50PM EST Reply to Comment
- Greg Wrong. DWTS Results returns on March 26 and Happy Endings was programmed to air until then. By doubling up the episodes, Happy Endings can wrap up its season on March 12.
  January 22, 2013 at 6:10PM EST
- M I thought DWTS was coming back earlier, but I see that you're right. Glad we'll at least get to see all the Happy Endings episodes. Assuming they don't get pulled too.
  January 22, 2013 at 6:31PM EST
jenfullmoon

Well, I enjoyed the show except for the whole stalker thing, so this is disappointing. The three leads did excellent jobs of playing tricky characters. Okay, so JVDB wasn't tricky, but he was fun. Bummer.
January 22, 2013 at 6:06PM EST Reply to Comment
Comedy Fan

Maybe HBO could pick up "Don't trust the B" and replace "Girls" with it.

Ah, well, I can dream...
January 22, 2013 at 6:10PM EST Reply to Comment
- Steve K
  Girls is critically acclaimed and an award winning program. It's impact is far beyond Don't Trust the B.
  
  I say this as a fan of Don't Trust the B and I'm really disappointed to see it go. Networks are becoming increasingly devoid of creative programming.
  
  With that being said your comment about Girls makes no sense on any level.
  January 22, 2013 at 7:02PM EST
- Oaktown Girl It makes sense on the level that everybody is entitled to their opinion, even if you don't agree with it.
  
  And what is the point of responding so seriously to a comment that was clearly given in a lighthearted spirit, unless you were personally offended by it?
  
  January 22, 2013 at 8:18PM EST
- Steve K
  Everyone is entitled to an opinion, and everyone else has the right to express their reaction to that opinion. Having a right to an opinion doesn't mean every opinion is worthwhile, logical, or immune to criticism.
  
  Welcome to the internet. This is how comments/discussion boards work.
  January 22, 2013 at 10:54PM EST
- Oaktown Girl And likewise, everyone is free to to express their reaction to other peoples' reactions. I believe that's the internet, too. Welcome!
  January 22, 2013 at 11:29PM EST
- April Let's get a cup if 'Joe' next week oakland girl...you're my type of gal!
  January 25, 2013 at 1:25AM EST
Dante

What a bummer. It was far from a perfect show, and airing the season 1 episodes out of order mixed in with season 2 episodes like they did certainly made for some confusing mini-DVR catch-up marathons, but it always made me laugh. In fact, it made me laugh with more consistency than half the sitcoms I watch, including "better" shows like 30 Rock and Cougar Town.

I hope they at least put it out on DVD so I can see those episodes eventually, like with Better Off Ted.
January 22, 2013 at 6:16PM EST Reply to Comment
- chuchundra I'm sure they'll burn them off in the summer or something.
  January 22, 2013 at 8:43PM EST
Dr. Gross

Weak. It wasn't my favorite show, but it made me laugh pretty consistently. I'll miss it.
January 22, 2013 at 6:24PM EST Reply to Comment
mrbilliam

I don't know that I will mourn it, but I would like to see the remaining episodes. I enjoyed it, though it looked like it probably wasn't ever going to hit a higher level (though again, because of the mixed order, it was hard to tell).
January 22, 2013 at 6:26PM EST Reply to Comment
Jim

The season 2 episodes were definitely an improvement, and last week's was probably the series' best. Liza Lapira wasn't dropped from the show, just downgraded to recurring instead of regular for season 2.

The season 1 leftovers were getting ridiculous -- I think last Sunday's was actually episode 3. I doubt the ratings would have improved but I wish they had just aired the newer episodes.
January 22, 2013 at 6:38PM EST Reply to Comment
Chitheatergirl

I will mourn your Coxian naming of this show. Like the "Scrubs" writers, did you keep a list of B words you'd already used?
January 22, 2013 at 6:54PM EST Reply to Comment
- sepinwall No, though I should have. Just pulling B-words off top of head, and inevitably being drawn to food ones first.
  January 22, 2013 at 7:09PM EST
- a I don't know if you ever did this one, but I always think of "Don't Trust the Bitca."
  January 22, 2013 at 8:06PM EST
- J When Ritter was on Ferguson, the host said it stood for "Brazilian -- That's right, ABC is airing openly racist programming."
  
  I'll miss the show as it consistently found a way to make me laugh. (Far more than 'Happy Endings,' which I hold is chock full of comic timing without being chock full of comedy).
  
  Maybe JVDB can make a guest appearance with Jennifer Grey (from 'It's Like, You Know') and JCVD (from 'JCVD') over on that Matt LeBlanc show as a renegade group of actors who specialize in playing comic versions of themselves.
  
  R.I.P., B.
  January 23, 2013 at 8:24PM EST
HateNetworks

Another effing cooking show? Don't trust the B was hilarious. Great move ABC. Another winner there.
January 22, 2013 at 7:39PM EST Reply to Comment
NeoGeo12

As a male viewer ABC clearly no longer has much of anything worth trying out. I will try and catch up with Happy Endings this summer. After Last Resort finale this Thursday. ABC will have nothing to offer me as a viewer.
This has really been a horrible season of broadcast. CBS offers nothing that peeks my interest. NBC Revolution turned int
January 22, 2013 at 9:21PM EST Reply to Comment
NeoGeo12

As a male viewer ABC clearly no longer has much of anything worth trying out. I will try and catch up with Happy Endings this summer. After Last Resort finale this Thursday. ABC will have nothing to offer me as a viewer.
This has really been a horrible season of broadcast. CBS offers nothing that peeks my interest. NBC Revolution turned into a creative dud. So only have Parks/rec and community to look foward too. Fox got Newgirl, Ben/Kate, and The Mindy Project. Fox has not had a decent drama since The. Chicago. Code. Wow it's just a terrible season for the broadcast network.

January 22, 2013 at 9:30PM EST Reply to Comment
meoskop

I'm sad. I loved B. This was a female driven show that didn't require the women to be self conscious about humor. It was sex positive, in the episode where June tries to reform Chloe she realizes that the choice to be a party girl is not inherently bad. As a woman, that s pretty radical. Men get permission to be unselfish conscious comedic train wrecks, but women rarely do. Chloe loved herself, people loved her, and she was truly awful. It was radical.
January 22, 2013 at 9:39PM EST Reply to Comment
chairthrower

Ultimately, they are going to have trouble keeping Chloe's escapades fresh. There's only so much hi-jinks she can engage in before it just seems desperate and craven. There would have to be character growth and that is often an impossible situation.
January 22, 2013 at 9:45PM EST Reply to Comment
rcade

I'm going to miss fictional James Van Der Beek. I hope we see him again somewhere.
January 22, 2013 at 10:53PM EST Reply to Comment
- Dezbot Me, too. He was the only part of the show I liked.
  January 24, 2013 at 12:51PM EST
Stormshadow4life

Damnit! I really have grown to love Don't Trust the B
January 22, 2013 at 11:07PM EST Reply to Comment
TL

Alan, please get some new material. Your need to run "jokes" into the ground has become insufferable.
January 22, 2013 at 11:22PM EST Reply to Comment
- NJMark "Smash: The Smash Williams Story" still makes me laugh.
  
  It shouldn't, but it does.
  January 23, 2013 at 6:02PM EST
- April TL...get a new site for negative comments. Your need to trash a very successful TV critic has clearly run its course. Let's see you try to watch, grade and cleverly write about many shows while taking the high road after reading discernible comments and then you can talk!
  January 25, 2013 at 1:31AM EST
Mike R

It did. I think Chloe is my favorite character on the Air right now.
January 23, 2013 at 12:41AM EST Reply to Comment
txt

It's easy to tell Don't Trust the B's Season 1 leftovers, those were less funny and had June still working at the coffee shop, or begin with the voice over about what June found interesting about New York. I will miss the show because while wildly uneven, it had its moments, when it hit all the right notes, the show was one of the funniest offbeat comedies. i think people were turned off by the title a bit, just like Happy Endings is a pretty lame title too.
January 23, 2013 at 1:16AM EST Reply to Comment
kevin M

The second season eps were much better. Much like Cougartown found itself after some time, Don't Trust The B' did too. Will the rest of the second season be available to watch anywhere?
January 23, 2013 at 1:41AM EST Reply to Comment
nath

I thought Don't Trust the B made definite improvements in its second season. More to the point, I'm just really disappointed to see such a singular show get pulled from the air. It wasn't always consistently funny, but it was audacious, daring, and capable of legitimate surprise and shock.
January 23, 2013 at 3:04AM EST Reply to Comment
Haynie

Ironically, I deleted two unwatched episodes of "DTtB" and removed it from my series manager just last week. The show just never found its legs and was only as funny as Van Deer Beek made it. Win for him, lose for the rest. Ritter was funnier when she was an OD'd corpse lying next to Jesse Pinkman.
January 23, 2013 at 2:52PM EST Reply to Comment
srpad

When Sandy took my power away for two weeks and I was catching up on TV, I trimmed away some of the fat and this was one of the trimmings. It wasn't bad but it wasn't worth seeking out when I had other TV to watch and limited time. I really hope Happy Endings gets another season though because that show I love, although this season is the weakest of the three.
January 23, 2013 at 9:43PM EST Reply to Comment
Girl Detective

Alan, any news on Happy Endings, which wasn't on this past Tuesday, and isn't showing up on our schedule at all?
February 7, 2013 at 10:07PM EST Reply to Comment

ABC pulls 'Don't Trust the B---- in Apt. 23,' will double-run 'Happy Endings'

Alan Sepinwall Recaps & Reviews

Comments

Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

Paul F Liza Lapira was actually in the most recent real S2 episode as well, which was confusing.I'll miss the show. Not one of the best Tuesday comedies, but one I always laughed a few times at.

Amy I won't really miss the show, but I will miss JVDB. He was really very funny, especially in last week's dating game episode.

chairthrower They probably could just do a JVDB spinoff with the JVDB character and that would be a good show.

LJA I finally gave up on it early this season.

scoopie77 I did too, especially when they were airing out of order.

scoopie77 Well, it's time for Chole and June to hang out with Ted (as in Better Off...) in the heap of unloved ABC comedies.

bitchstolemyremote Ohmygosh! Netflix opportunity: Chloe and June get a job working at Veridian Dynamic!!!

M Well, the state of the union is airing in 3 weeks, so that means Happy Endings likely won't air that night. By my math that will still leave 2 eps. unaired by the time DWTS comes back.

Greg Wrong. DWTS Results returns on March 26 and Happy Endings was programmed to air until then. By doubling up the episodes, Happy Endings can wrap up its season on March 12.

M I thought DWTS was coming back earlier, but I see that you're right. Glad we'll at least get to see all the Happy Endings episodes. Assuming they don't get pulled too.

jenfullmoon Well, I enjoyed the show except for the whole stalker thing, so this is disappointing. The three leads did excellent jobs of playing tricky characters. Okay, so JVDB wasn't tricky, but he was fun. Bummer.

Comedy Fan Maybe HBO could pick up "Don't trust the B" and replace "Girls" with it.Ah, well, I can dream...

Oaktown Girl It makes sense on the level that everybody is entitled to their opinion, even if you don't agree with it. And what is the point of responding so seriously to a comment that was clearly given in a lighthearted spirit, unless you were personally offended by it?

Steve K Everyone is entitled to an opinion, and everyone else has the right to express their reaction to that opinion. Having a right to an opinion doesn't mean every opinion is worthwhile, logical, or immune to criticism. Welcome to the internet. This is how comments/discussion boards work.

Oaktown Girl And likewise, everyone is free to to express their reaction to other peoples' reactions. I believe that's the internet, too. Welcome!

April Let's get a cup if 'Joe' next week oakland girl...you're my type of gal!

chuchundra I'm sure they'll burn them off in the summer or something.

Dr. Gross Weak. It wasn't my favorite show, but it made me laugh pretty consistently. I'll miss it.

mrbilliam I don't know that I will mourn it, but I would like to see the remaining episodes. I enjoyed it, though it looked like it probably wasn't ever going to hit a higher level (though again, because of the mixed order, it was hard to tell).

Chitheatergirl I will mourn your Coxian naming of this show. Like the "Scrubs" writers, did you keep a list of B words you'd already used?

sepinwall No, though I should have. Just pulling B-words off top of head, and inevitably being drawn to food ones first.

a I don't know if you ever did this one, but I always think of "Don't Trust the Bitca."

HateNetworks Another effing cooking show? Don't trust the B was hilarious. Great move ABC. Another winner there.

chairthrower Ultimately, they are going to have trouble keeping Chloe's escapades fresh. There's only so much hi-jinks she can engage in before it just seems desperate and craven. There would have to be character growth and that is often an impossible situation.

rcade I'm going to miss fictional James Van Der Beek. I hope we see him again somewhere.

Dezbot Me, too. He was the only part of the show I liked.

Stormshadow4life Damnit! I really have grown to love Don't Trust the B

TL Alan, please get some new material. Your need to run "jokes" into the ground has become insufferable.

NJMark "Smash: The Smash Williams Story" still makes me laugh. It shouldn't, but it does.

April TL...get a new site for negative comments. Your need to trash a very successful TV critic has clearly run its course. Let's see you try to watch, grade and cleverly write about many shows while taking the high road after reading discernible comments and then you can talk!

Mike R It did. I think Chloe is my favorite character on the Air right now.

kevin M The second season eps were much better. Much like Cougartown found itself after some time, Don't Trust The B' did too. Will the rest of the second season be available to watch anywhere?

nath I thought Don't Trust the B made definite improvements in its second season. More to the point, I'm just really disappointed to see such a singular show get pulled from the air. It wasn't always consistently funny, but it was audacious, daring, and capable of legitimate surprise and shock.

Girl Detective Alan, any news on Happy Endings, which wasn't on this past Tuesday, and isn't showing up on our schedule at all?

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Paul F

Liza Lapira was actually in the most recent real S2 episode as well, which was confusing.

I'll miss the show. Not one of the best Tuesday comedies, but one I always laughed a few times at.

Amy

I won't really miss the show, but I will miss JVDB. He was really very funny, especially in last week's dating game episode.

LJA

I finally gave up on it early this season.

scoopie77

Well, it's time for Chole and June to hang out with Ted (as in Better Off...) in the heap of unloved ABC comedies.

M

Well, the state of the union is airing in 3 weeks, so that means Happy Endings likely won't air that night. By my math that will still leave 2 eps. unaired by the time DWTS comes back.

jenfullmoon

Well, I enjoyed the show except for the whole stalker thing, so this is disappointing. The three leads did excellent jobs of playing tricky characters. Okay, so JVDB wasn't tricky, but he was fun. Bummer.

Comedy Fan

Maybe HBO could pick up "Don't trust the B" and replace "Girls" with it.

Ah, well, I can dream...

Oaktown Girl It makes sense on the level that everybody is entitled to their opinion, even if you don't agree with it.

And what is the point of responding so seriously to a comment that was clearly given in a lighthearted spirit, unless you were personally offended by it?

Steve K
Everyone is entitled to an opinion, and everyone else has the right to express their reaction to that opinion. Having a right to an opinion doesn't mean every opinion is worthwhile, logical, or immune to criticism.

Welcome to the internet. This is how comments/discussion boards work.

Dr. Gross

Weak. It wasn't my favorite show, but it made me laugh pretty consistently. I'll miss it.

mrbilliam

I don't know that I will mourn it, but I would like to see the remaining episodes. I enjoyed it, though it looked like it probably wasn't ever going to hit a higher level (though again, because of the mixed order, it was hard to tell).

Chitheatergirl

I will mourn your Coxian naming of this show. Like the "Scrubs" writers, did you keep a list of B words you'd already used?

HateNetworks

Another effing cooking show? Don't trust the B was hilarious. Great move ABC. Another winner there.

chairthrower

Ultimately, they are going to have trouble keeping Chloe's escapades fresh. There's only so much hi-jinks she can engage in before it just seems desperate and craven. There would have to be character growth and that is often an impossible situation.

rcade

I'm going to miss fictional James Van Der Beek. I hope we see him again somewhere.

Stormshadow4life

Damnit! I really have grown to love Don't Trust the B

TL

Alan, please get some new material. Your need to run "jokes" into the ground has become insufferable.

NJMark "Smash: The Smash Williams Story" still makes me laugh.

It shouldn't, but it does.

Mike R

It did. I think Chloe is my favorite character on the Air right now.

kevin M

The second season eps were much better. Much like Cougartown found itself after some time, Don't Trust The B' did too. Will the rest of the second season be available to watch anywhere?

nath

I thought Don't Trust the B made definite improvements in its second season. More to the point, I'm just really disappointed to see such a singular show get pulled from the air. It wasn't always consistently funny, but it was audacious, daring, and capable of legitimate surprise and shock.

Girl Detective

Alan, any news on Happy Endings, which wasn't on this past Tuesday, and isn't showing up on our schedule at all?

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