Miss Guided

I am currently studying to be a teacher. After a hard's day of learning the negatives of the profession, I tuned into "Miss Guided." I was extremely surprised at the wit and humour all around and how much I was lifted. The cast is amazing, I don't think they could've chosen a better Becky Freely than the very talented, Judy Greer. Chris Parnell is a genius in his own right. Kris Polaha is such good eye candy and his character is sweet as well. Sadly, too often the networks are hung up on ratings and cancel quality shows, I can only hope that this network sees what a gem "Miss Guided" truly is. Judy Greer's comedic timing is perfect. The colors are vibrant and exciting. I also LOVE all the 80s references. I also found out that not only the children of the 80s, like myself, but also children of the early 90s get some of the references. I think it's great that one cute show can bring people together like that! And, most importantly, what people need to realize is that this show knows itself. It's not a masterpiece, it never pretends to be, but it is brilliant. I hope there's lots more to come!

Judy Greer and Brooke Burns turn in great comedic performances in the new Ashton Kutcher produced comedy "Miss Guided." The return to high school theme isn't exactly new, but it is funny and well executed. This was an unexpected treat. The visuals offer the physical comedy that Judy Greer does so well. Maybe it's her dance background, but she knows how to move. The dialog is quick with both obvious puns and and sarcastic wit. "Miss Guided" just proves how much of high school stays with us. In the show the high school legacy stays with Judy Greer's character more than most. Regardless of which side of the high school divide you lived through, the show has enough reality to be funny and enough irony to appreciate the other side.

This show is fresh, funny and fun to watch. It's refreshing to see something different and creative. So much of TV is the same stuff, but this is a twisted slant on ground well covered. Judy Greer is adorable and kooky. Brook Burns actually does a great job. The love triangle between Becky, Brook and Tim is cute without being mean spirited. That's a hard line to walk, especially in a comedy. They are already showing some different sides of Bruce "Terrytown" Terry, although his psycho-sadistic bent is funny - I swear I had a vice principal just like him in school. Overtime, the characters will develop and become less like caricatures, I'm sure. I'm going to stick with this one and see where it goes - I think it's growing on me.

Over the years there have been any number of TV shows about teachers. Either they go for drama or comedy. Some are clever and some are a miss. Miss Guided is as big a miss as you can get. The show features a collection of misfits who should never ever get close to a school. The humor is both cruel and unfunny. Whoever wrote this stuff must be trying to get back at a sarcastic teacher who humiliated him/her while they were a student. If this if his/her response it is a misfire, a mistake, and a misstep. Please, someone cancel this show now and let it fade into oblivion like Jezebel James. If you like humor try Two and a Half Man which takes some humorous pot shots at schools and teachers and everything else.

Network: ABC; Genre: Sitcom; Content Rating: TV-PG (some adult content); Perspective: contemporary (star range: 1 – 4);

Seasons Reviewed: Series (1 season)

The high-wattage charm and charisma of Judy Greer goes a long way in "Miss Guided". Until now Greer has been always the wacky friend, never the leading lady and while this show might not be the romantic comedy movie revenge the talented actress deserves, it is a long-awaited star-turn. Whether the show or the star came first , only creator Caroline Williams and highly publicized producer Ashton Kutcher knows.

Did I mention it was produced by Ashton Kutcher? ABC couldn't stop themselves from beating us over the head with this, and just to help out the new star, Kutcher (sorry, isn't he going by just "Ashton" now?) even guest stars as a laid-back guitar-wearing hippie teacher who all the students love. Now that that's out of the way… Judy Greer stars as Becky Freeley a high school guidance counselor with an unrelentingly cheery, sunny-side-up disposition in the face of disappointing students who don't respect her and all the while being haunted by past humiliations in that very high school. She can't get past that even as a faculty member the politics and feeling of high school remain the same. She's still jealous of the beautiful, popular girl – now an English teacher played by Brooke Burns – and pining for the attention of the shop and Spanish teacher Kristoffer Polaha. Rounding out the faculty, the principal (Earl Billings) just doesn't care, in contrast to the vice-principal (Chris Parnell) who runs his little corner with an iron fist and a silent, ever-present student officer yes-man by his side.

Chris Parnell is without a doubt the funniest thing in the entire show. Actually, his performance and this character is almost in a different universe than the rest of the show. A little bit over-the-top, a little bit cartoonish, dead-on satirical. By contrast, everything around it is so bland. Inoffensive but utterly forgettable. Anything that can be identified as "jokes" are as broad as possible, with a spotlight shown on them.

Still, "Miss Guided" is worth a casual glance for the few laughs Parnell can generate and for Greer – if only to show that this unflappably adorable supporting actress, lacking any pretension of ego, can carry a show. It's such a refreshing change of pace from a few years ago when TV was uncomfortable making a woman the butt of the joke ("Less than Perfect"), but now thanks to Tina Fey and Kaitlin Olson characters like Becky Freeley can be humiliated with the best of the guys. Unfortunately, broad humiliation comedy alone isn't enough to carry a series, and that is most of what "Miss Guided" trades in.

* ½ / 4