Surviving Jack

Disclaimer up front: I find myself in similar circumstances (wife going back to school, multiple kids with HS freshman son, taking greater responsibilities at home) and remember the 90s (my late 20s) fondly. And I have been known to parent in ways similar to the titular Jack.

This show should be a huge hit. It captures 90s life fairly accurately without going to far and becoming cartoonish (hello 70s Show, talking to you). Yes, there are structural similarities. If the show had centered on Red and Eric, those cursory reviews would have a point. But it is that difference that begins the conversation.

This is a coming of age comedy. But as the son comes of age, dad has to reveal more about himself in order to form the connection with his kids (primarily the son) necessary to be the one that is "taking over the parenting" as mom goes back to school. Son Frankie has the requisite friends (if you don't recognize Mikey among your kid's friends, guess what-your kid is it) that are well cast and deliver well in support. The sister and mom are perfect. But the stories center on dad and son and they shine. This is a comedy played straight and without a laugh track, and is so much the funnier for it.

4 episodes into the run and I have a new favorite sitcom. I can't stop telling people about this show. I see that it only has a run of 8 episodes and find myself intensely nervous about its future. This show makes me laugh out loud. Consistently and often. My son actually fell off the couch laughing as Jack dropped the kids at school in episode 1. Watch this show. You will soon set the series record on your DVR so you can watch it over and over.

NOTE: This review is based solely on the pilot episode.

The basic formula for the show seems to be that you take the wistful 'looking backwards at my youth' narrator from 60's nostalgia show The Wonder Years and the family that was at the center of That 70's Show, and then set them down in the 1990's with a Top 20 period soundtrack. Then you cast Christopher Meloni (Law & Order: SVU and Oz) as Red Forman and force him to step up his parenting of his son (the narrator) and daughter while his wife goes to law school.

Surviving Jack is based on the book, I Suck at Girls, by Justin Halpern, so the titular Jack wasn't actually inspired by the character Kurtwood Smith (currently starring in Resurrection) played on That 70's Show. Of course, that wouldn't have been a bad thing, given that he was one of the best things about the show and was woefully underutilized in the early seasons. No, the character of Jack Dunlevy is based on the real life Samuel Halpern, M.D., who is Justin Halpern's father.

This is the second time that the relationship between Justin Halpern and his father has been adapted for the small screen. $#*! My Dad Says cast William Shatner (Star Trek and Boston Legal) as the father, and depicted the time when the adult Halpern was forced to move back into his father's home. Surviving Jack focuses on Halpern's high school years.

As Frankie Dunlevy, the Topher Grace role, Connor Buckley is appealing, but as with $#*! My Dad Says, it's really the father's show. Meloni's turn as Jack is closer to Smith's deadpan than Shatner's over the top hamminess, and that bodes well for the series. The writing is crisp and pretty funny. The supporting roles are all played adequately, with Rachael Harris doing an excellent job as the mother. It looks good so far, and I'm planning to watch again next week.

I love Chris! I gobbled up every episode of this show and died laughing over and over and they took it away!!!! So, tired of getting into a show only to have them yank it.

Chris is one of my all time FAVORITE actors and this roll he got to do his strong menacing along with a very sexy funny man act that I loved and couldn't get enough of. Chris and Rachael Harris were awesome together. Perfect pairing.

I couldn't have been happier with this show and I wish they would bring it back!!!!

This show got me excited about watching TV again and looking forward to each new episode every week. Meloni was perfect and conveyed the perfect dad you wish was your dad & yet are so glad he's not. Loved that it was set in the 90s at the time I was growing up, so fun to relate to. I was laughing and snarfing through every episode. When I heard they canceled the show on May 7th 2014, I was furious! Why do they cancel the best shows and then leave Vampire Diaries or whatever they are on all the time? People are crazy. Shows like this need more coverage, no one I talk to has heard of Surviving Jack, they had no clue to watch it until I showed them and they were hooked too. Get the word out to bring it back! I signed a petition, please do it too! Please go to the address posted below!

www.change.or g/en-CA/petitions/fox-broadcasting-company-renew-surviving-jack

SurvivingJack is bringing back many of my childhood/teen memories....that is a good thing! If my children were still home,we would be watching together and laughing hysterically. Love,love,love Jack's character. Such great ideas for parenting! The setup Jack planned to teach the boys the consequence of taking something not belonging to them was perfect. I actually look forward to watching each week and find myself laughing out loud, my cat even looks at me like I'm crazy. I look forward to the next episode very curiously as to what life lessons are in store for the television family. So far rating in my opinion is perfect for preteen and older to view. KUDOS to writers, staff, and actors.