Abby's

So many good actors yet the story is so forced it's uncomfortable. I love Neil Flynn and have seen Franklin Nelson in many failed pilots. I really like him, but we can't seem to get him in a series that sticks. The outdoor setting is interesting, but when will Hollywood stop with the laugh tracks. Stop telling us when we should laugh and write something we will laugh at! I gave it two full episodes to convince me, but I don't think it's worth my time.

Maybe I'm sick of sit-coms with laugh tracks after jokes or even plain dialogue that isn't even remotely worth a chuckle, but I didn't find the show funny at all.

Abby's boasted a strong ensemble cast and a loose vibe that promised regular shenanigans. Some of said shenanigans paid off- the sprinkler chair, the bar's constitutional amendments, and Tuna Pope were just a few of the good moments- and the banter around the bar was generally worth sticking around for. If they'd committed harder to the wackiness, this show could have run for 4 or 5 seasons as a laid back, lovable, goofy, Undateable-ish sitcom.

Instead, what sunk Abby's was its focus on the boring and awkward Bill (Nelson Franklin) as the character with a story arc. That gave us insultingly predictable boilerplate plots about crushes, ex-wives, dorky white guys, and relative levels of 'woke'. This is a bad thing in any context, but when there's a perfectly good cast of misfits sitting right there just waiting to perpetrate nonsense at the drop of a hat (or a still-burning grill), it's all too obvious that the showrunners misused every tool in their toolbox. That's why this exactly-average sitcom gets a below-average rating from me.

I'll watch Neil Flynn in anything! He was great on Scrubs, but I adored him on The Middle. Natalie Morales was perfect on Santa Clarita Diet, really happy to see her get her own show. So far it's a fun, probably fluffy show. With the main character being a Vet, I'd like to see some growth there, maybe with her having a hard time getting back into society, as happens to a lot of our Vets. I really hope they give this show a chance to grow, I'll keep watching.

A fill-in show for the mid-season, from Josh Malmuth, known for New Girl and Superstore, and not much else.

The lead, Natalie Morales, has been on a number of shows and movies, some comedy, some dramas. I remember her most from the twelve episode run she had on White Collar.

It is slightly confusing, since there is another Natalie Morales, who is best known as one of the co-anchors of the Today show, and a co-host of Access Hollywood

Unfortunately, there is not a lot of humor here. They waste the talents of Neil Flynn, who deserves a show of his own.

As someone else noticed, the laugh-track is very annoying. It has the effect of underscoring that the jokes aren't that funny.

'The Orville' is a repeat again next week, so I may give the show another try.

A generous 5, hoping they will improve.

They appear to have already shot all thirteen episodes. It will be interesting if they all make it to air in this time-slot.