Welcome to Pilot Perception, our feature in which we break down the first episode of each new show in order to help you decide whether it’s worth your time.
The Show: Guys With Kids, NBC, Wednesdays at 8:30/7:30c
The Pedigree: Guys With Kids comes from Jimmy Fallon (you probably know who he is), Charlie Grandy (The Office, The Daily Show, SNL), and Amy Ozols (Late Night with Jimmy Fallon). Scott Ellis (2 Broke Girls, Modern Family) directs.
The Cast & How You Know Them: The show stars Anthony Anderson (Law & Order), Zach Cregger (Friends With Benefits), Jesse Bradford (The West Wing), Jamie-Lynn Sigler (The Sopranos), Tempestt Bledsoe (The Cosby Show), Erinn Hayes (Childrens Hospital), and a bunch of adorable babies.
The Premise: It’s about guys with kids. No, really. Three male friends hang out with their adorable babies a lot, and deal with various issues around parenting, relationships, etc.
A Taste:
What Works: Dear Lord, these babies are adorable. The rest of the actors seem competent enough too. There were also a surprising number of actually funny jokes, and it was generally . . . fairly pleasant. Not my new favorite show or anything, but far from the worst new comedy this year.
What Doesn’t: I have to object on principle to anything that uses “Isn’t the idea of men taking care of their own children crazy?” as its main running gag, but this actually didn’t focus on that as much as I’d expected. It’s also not yet clear how they will treat the babies’ mothers going forward, but again, the pilot didn’t have as much “Women are all shrill and awful” as I usually expect from comedies about groups of male friends. Of course, what seems pleasant enough in a pilot can get very old very quickly, so we’ll see.
Our Favorite Line: “She just says ‘he grew inside me’ and boom! Argument’s over. He can’t watch Goodfellas with me.”
I also have to throw in this one: “And what happens at the end of the night? You hog a piece of driftwood that could easily accommodate the both of us?”
Other Items of Note: The show started with a voiceover saying that it was filmed in front of a live studio audience, which struck me as something you don’t hear pointed out like that much these days. Or maybe I’m just watching the wrong shows.
You Might Like This if you like traditional comedies about groups of friends, and/or about young families. Also, did I mention the ADORABLE BABIES?
If You’re Interested: Watch the pilot embedded above or on NBC on Friday, September 14 at 8/7c. The show begins to air in its normal timeslot on Wednesday, September 26 at 8:30/7:30c.
(Photo courtesy of NBC.)
Its a re do, on Three Men and a baby, the concept is outta gas. NBC and the other networks need to look at things they don’t do or that is in need of renewing, Airwolf, BJ & The Bear , Dukes of Hazzard. NBC had a good idea with revamping Knight Rider, but dropped it too soon. This new series will be dropped after one season.