The Crazy Ones

I rarely notice anything on the old-guard networks, so I was completely unaware that this series even existed. After the unfortunate passing of Robin Williams I learned about The Crazy Ones and watched it.

Robin Williams had a set of characters. These were him. Just like my grandfather, he could call up an appropriate character and bring it into perspective. I'm absolutely certain that every day on the set of The Crazy Ones involved a lot of laughing, a lot of fun, and a LOT of material that couldn't possibly be used on network television. What we got was a mediocre but entertaining show.

Robin Williams as the 63 year old elder agency head is perfect because of these things, they are not faults. He's older, more mature, more experienced, definitely more jaded. The younger ones are learning at his knee, as it should be.

As a requiem for Robin Williams' career, this series is a tragic and amazingly funny summary. They're all there. There's a bit of Mork, a bit of Mrs. Doubtfire, some Adrian Cronauer, you'll recognize the Genie, and the Indian Chief, and more. Yes, Robin's career was stale and he was essentially doing the same shtick as he was doing in the 70s. But it was good. He was fast. He was an amazingly funny man, filled with heart and care. We loved him for it. Maybe the younger generation will never get Robin, but anyone over 30 should have.

If I had left behind the body of work that Robin Williams did, and that included this little unpolished gem, I'm certain I could have left this planet fulfilled. We will miss him.

The pilot was really fast paced, the 20 minutes felt like 5 but I already love all the characters. Definitely Ally Mc Beal 2.0. A bunch of Crazy people with a lot of heart. Can't hardly wait to know them a little bit more and to explore their universe. All the actors have great chemistry together especially Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar. James Wolk was a nice revelation and on top of that Kelly Clarkson was hilarious. Yep, this is great TV. The show has so much potential, I hope the writers will meet my expectations. The next episodes should focus a little bit more on the father / daughter relationship. This is where, IMO, The Crazy Ones could stand out of the crowd and became a nice "dramedy".

I know this show will not be everybody's cup of tea. That said, I think I'll have another helping! I used to work as a copywriter at a radio station; the crazier we were, the better it was. I worked with people like Simon and Zach as well as Sydney. My 14-year old looked at me and said, "Oh, my gosh, Mom, Simon is YOU!" Sooo, I guess you know who I was in the little equation at work!

I love the relationship between the elder statesman (HA!) -- Simon -- and the young Jedi trainee -- Zach. I love the off-the -cuff repartee. I love how they think on their feet. And I love the fire-rapid dialog.

I want to get to know more about these characters. I want to see them develop.

All I am saying is: Give "Crazy" a Chance....

Simon Roberts (Robin Williams) is the wild inventive advertising icon and he's working with his organized proper daughter Sydney (Sarah Michelle Gellar). They are still working on their father-daughter relationship. Also working in the firm are the ladies man Zach (James Wolk), the nerdy Andrew (Hamish Linklater), and the flaky assistant Lauren (Amanda Setton).

It's the return of Robin Williams to TV and this role is tailor made for him. He's quite good in this where they allow him that free flowing humor that is his bread and butter. SMG does a good job as his slightly uptight daughter. The supporting cast is all there. However Robin's schtick does wear a little thin as the season went on. They added Brad Garrett late in the season to spice things up. I'm not sure it achieved anything. It got canceled after one full season. I wish the network would give Williams a little more leeway especially since he seems to have the support early on.

I watched the pilot and had a good time! I thought the writing and acting were way above what we usually get in network television shows. I usually only watch cable weekly series because the writing is smarter and has more depth than the networks. But I thought this show had pretty decent writing. Although, I am almost certain they're letting Robin have a lot of improvisational play room! So far I'm mostly liking everyone in it. I'm only having a slight problem with Amanda Setton's character, the pretty dark-haired assistant. Her repeated "fake" laughs at almost everything Robin's character says could get annoying. As far as the two leads, I think both Robin and Sarah are well-matched. They both seem comfortable and natural in their parts individually and with each other. Robin's always been very quick with his delivery, but Sarah's a smart actress and is keeping up with him fine. (BTW, I didn't see her one-season-only flop last year. But I loved her in BTVS and in all of her movies I've seen.) Besides the comic timing needed in this, it also looks like they'll be dealing with some honest real-life-like touching moments. Sarah has always been brilliant at that and Robin's acting in that department can also be very heartfelt.

I think the show's off to a pretty good start and has a decent shot at some longevity, especially with David E. Kelley as its creator and exec producer. He's had tons of success in the past with shows like Picket Fences, Chicago Hope, The Practice, Ally McBeal, Boston Public and Boston Legal. Not a bad resume! So I wish this one luck and will definitely be tuning in to see where it goes. BTW, I loved Kelly Clarkson's bitchy side in this episode. LOL! I hope they have other known celebrities making cameos in future episodes! It could keep the story lines fresh from week to week, kind of like what they're doing on Web Therapy. (OMG, I just compared a network show to a well-written cable series! Well, maybe it does have a pretty damn good chance!) I gave this pilot a rating of 8/10 stars.