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: Mom, CBS in the U.S. and CityTV in Canada, Mondays at 9:30/8:30c
The Pedigree: Mom is another sitcom from Chuck Lorre (Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory), along with his frequent collaborators Gemma Baker and Eddie Gorodetsky. The trio created, executive produced, and wrote the pilot.
The Cast & How You Know Them: The show stars Anna Faris (Scary Movie series) and Allison Janney (The West Wing). The cast also includes Nathan Corddry (Studio 60, Harry’s Law), French Stewart (3rd Rock from the Sun), Matt Jones (Breaking Bad), Sadie Calvano (Melissa & Joey), Blake Garrett Rosenthal (New Girl), and Spencer Daniels (Crash).
The Premise: Single mom Christy is newly sober and trying to deal with her kids, her job, and her affair with her boss when her estranged mother suddenly reappears in her life.
A Taste:
What Doesn’t: Unfortunately, this pilot was poorly written and just not very funny. I don’t think I laughed once. It wasn’t terribly offensive or anything (looking at you, Dads), but the whole thing felt outdated and stale. And I have a hard time with addiction being played for laughs and with rooting for adulterous relationships, both of which seems like they will be barriers to enjoying this show.
Our Favorite Line: “2004 was a great year for this wine. Not so much for me.”
You Might Like This if you like multigenerational comedies about dysfunctional families, or people trying to rebuild their lives.
If You’re Interested: Mom premieres tonight (Monday, September 23rd) at 9:30/8:30c on CBS and CityTV.
(Photo courtesy of CBS.)