The first round of cancelled TV shows is upon us, and—honestly—I can’t think of a more deserving crop.
Utopia: It wanted to be a high-minded Big Brother, what with a cast of 15 reality show stock character creating their own society. Sadly, that gimmick never really took off, and it just wound up being a Big Brother where we watch them spend an inordinate amount of time bitching about farming techniques and hanging out in barns. If you were tuning in hoping to see philosophical debates about the place of religion, government, and money in society you were out of luck, but if you wanted to see a group of the most unlikable people in America, Utopia was the show for you. It’s hard to say who was the most loathsome person on-screen: Red, the oblivious redneck who kept talking about secession? Weaselly pastor Jonathan? “Soldier” Aaron, whose idea of conflict resolution is threatening anyone who criticizes him? Rob the “libertarian” who never said one thing that was Libertarian? As of the last episode aired, nearly all of these people were replaced, so the show might have become more likable but still probably not more interesting. Plus, the desperate cast upheavals and constantly bringing in outside people signal that the show is open to outside manipulation and doesn’t that undermine the whole point? Grade: C-
Manhattan Love Story: The first officially cancelled show of the season, and one of the most forgettable. The central gimmick was to have the two leads narrate what they’re thinking but not saying, it’s just too bad those thoughts really weren’t that different from what they were saying…kind-of defeating the whole purpose. The “girl” was hopelessly struggling to get her act together, and the “guy” was the type of character Liz Lemon once said “could be played by a leather jacket on a coat rack…or Gerard Butler.” The “girl” had promise only when trying to survive a cutthroat first job in the NYC publishing world, but that was barely mentioned after the pilot episode. Ultimately, the show will be remembered for how unintentionally similar the two lead characters looked… Grade: C
A to Z: …AND speaking of a show where the leads look creepily similar, yikes. Andrew (A) and Zelda (Z) are both short, pale, stick-skinny, dark hair, dark eyes, toothy-grinned, and neurotic with roughly the same facial structures and twitchy mannerisms. I could never get into rooting for them as a couple since I kept thinking they really look more like siblings. The sole bright spot of this show is Lenora Crichlow, stealing scenes in the typical black sidekick role, but she—in a better world—should be the star of her own rom-com show. Grade: C
Mulaney: Mulaney is not technically cancelled, but Fox reduced their overly bullish episode order and they wouldn’t be doing that for a show that was really connecting with audiences or critics. It’s hard to fathom why this show is so bad…I mean, I like John Mulaney’s stand-up, I love Nasim Pedra (never given enough to do on SNL and definitely not given enough to do here), and who doesn’t love Martin Short? But this show just isn’t funny or engaging. People keep calling it a Seinfeld rip-off, but old Seinfeld episodes from twenty years ago don’t seem this dated. Plus, I know Jerry Seinfeld isn’t Daniel Day-Lewis, but John Mulaney might be one of the worst actors to ever headline a sitcom. For a comic, his timing is way off and the vacant stare deliveries make him look uncomfortable delivering his own jokes. Grade: D+
Bad Judge: Good riddance to this show especially. I only watched the pilot episode…sometimes once is enough. Grade: D [With the concession that all these other shows were given at least four chances, and this one may have miraculously turned watchable after the pilot…but I doubt it.]