Comedy TV Series: Spring 2012

Summer 2012 Series:

- Drama, Comedy, Reality

Other Spring 2012 Series:

- Drama and Sci-Fi

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As I did before, I've made a list of upcoming TV Series. In this Hub, I discuss the upcoming comedy shows that will premiere in Spring 2012. For each show I have included a synopsis, a preview, and a review. Finally, I’ve included a list of Do's and Don'ts.

Now that these series have premiered, you can find out here how they are doing in the ratings, and if they'll get cancelled or renewed:

“A new comedy about old friends, new beginnings, and awkward situations.” This is how NBC describes their new show ‘BFF’. When Jessica (Jessica St. Clair, Bridesmaids) gets divorced, she moves back in with her BFF Lennon (Lennon Parham, Accidentally on Purpose) in New York. They start doing all the girly BFF things they used to do before. Which is unfortunate for Lennon’s boyfriend Joe (Luka Jones), with whom she also shares her apartment. Jessica meanwhile is trying to get back on her feet as a strong, single lady. The series will premiere April 4th and will air Wednesdays 8:30/7:30c on NBC.

Now that the trailer is released, I can form my opinion. And my opinion is a positive one. I don’t really expect much from the story, it's not really a very original idea, but that’s not a problem. The best comedies have easy to digest stories, and the strength in a comedy series lies with the actors. It seems the actors in ‘BFF’ are in the right place at the right time. The concept also leaves room for development of the characters and the storyline, something a lot of new series nowadays lack. So if this series is a hit, it has the potential to continue for years.

NBC’s March series ‘Bent’ revolves around newly divorces lawyer Alex (Amanda Peet, ‘The Whole Nine Yards’), mother of eight-year-old Charlie (Joey King, ‘Ramona and Beezus’), who decides she needs to remodel her kitchen, so she hires contractor Pete (David Walton, ‘Fired Up’). Pete, however, is quite the womanizer. He somewhat ruined his career by gambling and hooking up with his clients’ wives. Alex, aware of this, makes it very clear that she will fire Pete as soon as he causes any problems whatsoever. Pete has problems of his own however, with his father, Walt (Jeffrey Tambor, ‘The Larry Sanders Show’), trying to be the greatest womanizer of all. The series was created by Tad Quill and will air on Wednesdays 9/8c on NBC, starting March 21st.

This show has a lot of potential. The divorced woman and troubled handyman angle has been done often, and has succeeded often as well. There is something about strong women who aren’t afraid to say no and confident men who don’t easily take no for an answer that makes for good comedy series. But, there is always one big problem. Will they get together and if so; how will they keep things interesting? This is a problem they will be able to avoid for a few seasons however. But there is no question about it; these people will have to get together eventually, if only to satisfy the audience.

Formerly known as “Don’t Trust The Bitch In Apartment 23” and “Apartment 23”, this show stars Dreama Walker (‘Gossip Girl’), Krysten Ritter (‘Breaking Bad’) and James Van Der Beek (‘Dawson’s Creek’). ABC announced that "Don't Trust The B--- In Apartment 23" will start airing on April 11, at 9:30/8:30c after 'Modern Family'.

The show revolves around two women, one who just lost her high-profile job and another who is a street wise con artist. They move in together, and the latter starts testing the former, by stealing her money and seducing her boyfriend. Unexpectedly, they turn out to be evenly matched.

Watching the preview, I think ‘2 Broke Girls’. How it’ll work out? Again I think ‘2 Broke Girls’; it could go either way. On the one hand, the premise could yield hilarious situations. On the other hand, the premise could also yield vulgar and/or unfunny jokes with the actors desperately trying to be funny. ‘2 Broke Girls’ turned out to be a success story, though personally I’m not really impressed. We’ll still have to see what ‘Don’t Trust The B--- In Apartment 23’ will do.

‘Veep’ is a new comedy series on HBO which will premiere on April 22nd at 10/9c. The show centers around former Senator Selina Meyer, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus (‘The New Adventures of Old Christine’). When she becomes Vice President she finds this job is nothing like she expected, but everything everyone ever warned about. Other cast members include Anna Chlumsky (‘In the Loop’), Tony Hale (‘CTRL’), Matt Walsh (‘Outsourced’) and Reid Scott (‘My Boys’).

It is hard to base an opinion on a show on so little information. Especially when the trailer contains only one shot from the series. This show is listed as a comedy show, but the trailer has a very tensive look. I have no idea what to expect from this show; it did, however, draw my attention. I will keep an eye out for this show to see if more information will be released, and of course there’ll be my review of the premiere on April 22nd.

Update: Now that a new trailer has been released, I would like to form an opinion based on more information. It seems though as if HBO really doesn't want us to know what this show is about. I still can't form an opinion about this show, although it does give us a little more information. We now know that there is apparantly an incompetent staff working for the president, who don't have everything covered, do not read everything they're supposed to and the most important one is an emotional time bomb. Slowly but surely we'll get there!

‘Girls’ is a comedy series that gives a comic look at the lives of contemporary girls in their early twenties. The show is created by and starring Lena Dunham (‘Tiny Furniture’), who is also producing alongside Judd Apatow (‘The 40-Year-Old Virgin’). The cast also includes Jemima Kirke (‘Tiny Furniture’) and Allison Williams. The first season will consist of 10 episodes.

Hannah (Dunham) has been an intern at a publishing house in SoHo for ever, Marnie (Williams) is an assistant at a PR firm and Jessa (Kirke) is a teacher, but wants to be an artist. Together, they try to figure out their lives in New York City. The feel of the show is that it is a little directionless, but that is exactly what Hannah and her quirky friends are.
Stay tuned for more info on ‘Girls’. The show premieres on April 15th, at 10:30/9:30c on HBO.

Do:

• Bent (NBC, March 21, 9/8c)

Maybe:

• Don't Trust The B-- In Apartment 23 (ABC, April 11, 9:30/8:30c)
• Veep (HBO, April 22, 10/9c)
• Girls (HBO, April 15, 10:30/9:30c)
• BFF (NBC, April 4, 8:30/7:30c)