Although 13 episodes were produced, ABC is not planning on airing the extra 4 episodes, so we can count "Ben and Vivian" as the de facto season finale. While it isn't in the least bit season finale-y, the episode returns to the defining trait of Ben set up in the first episode, his desire to have a real relationship. He meets Vivian, played by the always great Lizzy Caplan, hooks up with her, and starts a no-strings-attached relationship, which Ben wants to become more. He tells Vivian this and she breaks up, unfortunately for Ben. But this doesn't shut him down completely, and Alice is there to encourage him to try again.
Heather didn't show up in the episode, which was fine, but Alonzo was in the episode and had a pointless plot all by himself, dealing with the mascot camping in his office. If the writers can't give him something substantial to work with, how about leaving him out like they did Heather? Crystal wasn't in the episode that much, but at least her plot was about becoming closer to Roman and rejecting a guy.
Score: 8.7/10
Showing posts with label Mr. Sunshine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mr. Sunshine. Show all posts
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Review - Mr. Sunshine Season 1 Episode 8 The Assistant
Each week, my complaints about Alice and Alonzo are less insistent, because the writers are gradually mixing them with the other character. This week, Alice actually has a couple scenes with Roman. It's not perfect, though, since I can't even remember the last time Alice and Alonzo did something meaningful with Crystal.
Like last week's episode, "The Assistant" brings up the relationship issues which had all but disappeared since the pilot. Ben inadvertently receives an email from Alice intended for Roman (I don't know the writers' intent, but it was super obvious from the beginning), leading him to believe Alice still has feelings for him. In response, Ben has Roman become Alice's assistant to spy on her and he learns that she's unhappy about Alonzo hanging out with his ex-wife. Eventually, all is well. Alice forgives Ben for prying, keeps Roman as her assistant, and most importantly, finds a good conclusion for her problem with Alonzo.
Crystal's plot was pretty funny, but largely the same as usual, Crystal being insane with a touch of sweet sincerity behind it. As the writers develop the other characters, I'd also want to see Crystal become more than she currently is.
Score: 8.7/10
Like last week's episode, "The Assistant" brings up the relationship issues which had all but disappeared since the pilot. Ben inadvertently receives an email from Alice intended for Roman (I don't know the writers' intent, but it was super obvious from the beginning), leading him to believe Alice still has feelings for him. In response, Ben has Roman become Alice's assistant to spy on her and he learns that she's unhappy about Alonzo hanging out with his ex-wife. Eventually, all is well. Alice forgives Ben for prying, keeps Roman as her assistant, and most importantly, finds a good conclusion for her problem with Alonzo.
Crystal's plot was pretty funny, but largely the same as usual, Crystal being insane with a touch of sweet sincerity behind it. As the writers develop the other characters, I'd also want to see Crystal become more than she currently is.
Score: 8.7/10
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Review - Mr. Sunshine Season 1 Episode 7 Celebrity Tennis
While "Celebrity Tennis" isn't perfect, it's certainly a step in the right direction. The two plots cross over from time to time and there is a scene where 5 characters are sitting together (I know, incredible!). Alice and Alonzo still don't talk to any character other than Ben, but baby steps are fine.
Since the first episode, Mr. Sunshine hasn't touched the relationship issues at all between Alice, Alonzo, and Ben, which is curious since Alice was billed as Ben's girlfriend. It's good to know the writers haven't let that go, and they generate a plot out of that--Alonzo somehow not knowing about Ben and Alice. In the end, Ben isn't too bad of a guy, not trying to win Alice back and telling Alonzo he should have Alice. And Ben does get what he wants in the end, affirmation that he's not bad in bed.
I still feel uneasy about Crystal and Roman because they waffle between all-out crazy to intelligently sweet all the time, and they do that several times in the episode, with Crystal continuing not to know what to do with Roman (She should have learned by now that talking to him and be upfront is the best solution.) and Roman being a general dope. The plot is quite good, however, with the lawyer hovering around to prevent Roman from suing.
Score: 8.8/10
Since the first episode, Mr. Sunshine hasn't touched the relationship issues at all between Alice, Alonzo, and Ben, which is curious since Alice was billed as Ben's girlfriend. It's good to know the writers haven't let that go, and they generate a plot out of that--Alonzo somehow not knowing about Ben and Alice. In the end, Ben isn't too bad of a guy, not trying to win Alice back and telling Alonzo he should have Alice. And Ben does get what he wants in the end, affirmation that he's not bad in bed.
I still feel uneasy about Crystal and Roman because they waffle between all-out crazy to intelligently sweet all the time, and they do that several times in the episode, with Crystal continuing not to know what to do with Roman (She should have learned by now that talking to him and be upfront is the best solution.) and Roman being a general dope. The plot is quite good, however, with the lawyer hovering around to prevent Roman from suing.
Score: 8.8/10
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Review - Mr. Sunshine Season 1 Episode 6 Lingerie Football
Six episodes into the season and I'm a little baffled by the writers' intent. The show is divided distinctly in two. On one side is the sane Ben and the insane/stupid Crystal, Roman, and Heather. Ben and Crystal always interacts; Ben and Roman always interact; and Roman and Heather always interact. In different episodes there are more crossed paths, but the three groupings are standard. And then there is Alonzo and Alice, two sane characters who are supposed to be in a romantic relationship but neither do anything romantic nor interact with the other characters on a regular basis. Frankly, you could cut them out and the main plot would be unchanged.
"Lingerie Football" is perplexing because the writers don't even try to mix the two groups thematically or physically. Modern Family splits the characters into three groups because of location, but Mr. Sunshine is about a single facility where everyone works. Alice and Alonzo don't even see, let alone talk, to the characters.
While the Roman and Heather subplot was cute, the plot about Crystal was too bizarre. The show tries to toe the line sentimentality and weirdness, but the conclusion of Crystal's ex-husband happy and Crystal becoming angry made me not care about her. It's fine if the writers want to make her character more realistic, but she really doesn't get closure in the episode so Ben's time was completely wasted.
Score: 8.0/10
"Lingerie Football" is perplexing because the writers don't even try to mix the two groups thematically or physically. Modern Family splits the characters into three groups because of location, but Mr. Sunshine is about a single facility where everyone works. Alice and Alonzo don't even see, let alone talk, to the characters.
While the Roman and Heather subplot was cute, the plot about Crystal was too bizarre. The show tries to toe the line sentimentality and weirdness, but the conclusion of Crystal's ex-husband happy and Crystal becoming angry made me not care about her. It's fine if the writers want to make her character more realistic, but she really doesn't get closure in the episode so Ben's time was completely wasted.
Score: 8.0/10
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Review - Mr. Sunshine Season 1 Episode 5 Crystal on Ice
Except for third episode where Heather's sister dates Ben, Mr. Sunshine has largely been weird for weird's sake. It's a funny show, in my opinion, with the weirdness providing some laughs, but the emotional core to offset all the unreal events is still very shaky. "Crystal on Ice" tries to push for Crystal's backstory, and it works to an extent. We understand the pathology behind her hatred for the ice Smurfs and why she doesn't care about Roman, but Crystal is still crazy to the point where her normal behavior makes little sense.
I still don't understand why Alice and Alonzo aren't more involved. It's like they're in their own universe each week. Alice talks to Ben twice in the episode about how perfect Alonzo is, but the plot is ultimately just about how Alonzo isn't perfect, without exploring anything about Alonzo's ex-wife, and the two have nothing to do with Crystal or Roman.
Roman magically becoming an accounting genius was bizarre, but it finally makes him a useful character rather than a bumbling fool. Hopefully the writers don't do a comedy reset and forget all about this.
Score: 8.5/10
I still don't understand why Alice and Alonzo aren't more involved. It's like they're in their own universe each week. Alice talks to Ben twice in the episode about how perfect Alonzo is, but the plot is ultimately just about how Alonzo isn't perfect, without exploring anything about Alonzo's ex-wife, and the two have nothing to do with Crystal or Roman.
Roman magically becoming an accounting genius was bizarre, but it finally makes him a useful character rather than a bumbling fool. Hopefully the writers don't do a comedy reset and forget all about this.
Score: 8.5/10
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Review - Mr. Sunshine Season 1 Episode 4 Hostile Workplace
I want to spend this review talking about synergy--that is, how a certain cast can invariably improve a show when it interacts. Mr. Sunshine isn't a one man show, but it's so distinctly splintered that you can't really see whether the cast works in its entirety. As far as I can remember, Ben has had almost no lines with Alice or Alonzo. Wasn't there is love triangle thing in the pilot?
"Hostile Workplace" is separated into two distinct parts, Ben trying to remember everyone's names and Crystal possibly being very racist. Both are pretty good, but one thing stands out to me. The writers don't even try to blend the two together. No glib remark from Ben to Alice or from Alice to Ben.
In many ways, Mr. Sunshine resembles Better Off Ted, another show about a wacky workplace environment. One of the main differences is that the characters talked to each other, and the bonds grew between the characters as the series progressed. Mr. Sunshine, however, is content to sit back and isolate the characters in their own plots.
Score: 8.5/10
"Hostile Workplace" is separated into two distinct parts, Ben trying to remember everyone's names and Crystal possibly being very racist. Both are pretty good, but one thing stands out to me. The writers don't even try to blend the two together. No glib remark from Ben to Alice or from Alice to Ben.
In many ways, Mr. Sunshine resembles Better Off Ted, another show about a wacky workplace environment. One of the main differences is that the characters talked to each other, and the bonds grew between the characters as the series progressed. Mr. Sunshine, however, is content to sit back and isolate the characters in their own plots.
Score: 8.5/10
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Review - Mr. Sunshine Season 1 Episode 3 Heather's Sister
So far, Mr. Sunshine has been charming enough that it;s an enjoyable half-hour of television. The jokes are occasionally good and the characters are pleasant enough. What we haven't seen, however, is any working pathos, if the writers even tried.
"Heather's Sister" begins to shape Heather in a real character we can root for. She sets Ben up on a date with her sister, who is kooky, repeating everything Ben likes as her own. In the end when Ben is fed up, Heather's sister flips out. But instead of siding with her sister and doing something as Ben expects, Heather sticks up for Ben, saying he's a great guy. Just like that, Mr. Sunshine humanizes Heather, who was just a crazy assistant until now.
The rest of the episode, with the dog show and Alice's "friend" coming to town, was woefully underdeveloped, but the main plot balanced out with it.
Score: 8.6/10
"Heather's Sister" begins to shape Heather in a real character we can root for. She sets Ben up on a date with her sister, who is kooky, repeating everything Ben likes as her own. In the end when Ben is fed up, Heather's sister flips out. But instead of siding with her sister and doing something as Ben expects, Heather sticks up for Ben, saying he's a great guy. Just like that, Mr. Sunshine humanizes Heather, who was just a crazy assistant until now.
The rest of the episode, with the dog show and Alice's "friend" coming to town, was woefully underdeveloped, but the main plot balanced out with it.
Score: 8.6/10
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Review - Mr. Sunshine Season 1 Episode 2 Employee of the Year
After two episodes of Mr. Sunshine, I'm not exactly sure what to expect from the show. The pilot focuses on Ben wanting to be a better person after Alice says she wants to be with Alonzo, and has a flimsy plot. The development for Ben is random, especially since we don't see him being too mean before his change.
"Employee of the Year," however, ignores Alice or his goal of becoming a better person so he can be with her. Rather, it focuses on Ben the employee, the one sane person among many crazies. Instead of dwelling on Ben's supposed character development, we see him operate as the straight man, running around the place to save the concert while everyone else dwells on becoming employee of the year.
Similarly, I like the use of Alice and Alonzo as two wacky characters instead of romantic partner and romantic rival, respectively. They're not stupid like Roman, but they don't exactly care about doing their jobs either, so it was fun seeing them compete against each other.
Score: 8.7/10
"Employee of the Year," however, ignores Alice or his goal of becoming a better person so he can be with her. Rather, it focuses on Ben the employee, the one sane person among many crazies. Instead of dwelling on Ben's supposed character development, we see him operate as the straight man, running around the place to save the concert while everyone else dwells on becoming employee of the year.
Similarly, I like the use of Alice and Alonzo as two wacky characters instead of romantic partner and romantic rival, respectively. They're not stupid like Roman, but they don't exactly care about doing their jobs either, so it was fun seeing them compete against each other.
Score: 8.7/10
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Review - Mr. Sunshine Season 1 Episode 1 Pilot
Mr. Sunshine has a very solid cast, consisting of Matthew Perry, Andrea Anders, Jorge Garcia, and Allison Janney among others. It has a quirky premise about this stadium where they work, which allows for random performers to show up in each episode.
Unfortunately, Mr. Sunshine also tries to do more with the main character Ben Donovan (Perry) by having him immediately change his mindset because Alice (Anders) wants a real relationship with another guy. Between the marginally funny scenes of clowns, ethnic children and an elephant, Ben is somehow changed to the point where he wants to be with Alice on a permanent basis. I have a hard time buying that, but I'll be tuning in later to see how this progresses.
Score: 8.3/10
Unfortunately, Mr. Sunshine also tries to do more with the main character Ben Donovan (Perry) by having him immediately change his mindset because Alice (Anders) wants a real relationship with another guy. Between the marginally funny scenes of clowns, ethnic children and an elephant, Ben is somehow changed to the point where he wants to be with Alice on a permanent basis. I have a hard time buying that, but I'll be tuning in later to see how this progresses.
Score: 8.3/10
