Crumbs

After reading several reviews that were mixed about this new ABC series, I looked forward to seeing how the Pilot episode would turn out.

The writers took time to clearly point out all of the characters, and enticed this viewer into wanting to see more.

Many critics were harsh... saying this show wasn't funny and lacked substance, however I think that they have set the series up for a potential long run on ABC.

I can see the show being on the dial for sometime.

Due to ABC's ratings with "Dancing with the Stars" being so high, at least this show got a good lead-in.

The show goes up against CSI on CBS. Will ABC keep this new program up against the #1 show in America?

That would be, excuse me, crazy!

Last night I saw Crumbs taped. It was an enjoyable evening. There was quite a large number of extras involved, who appeared to be playing the role of extras even when the cameras weren't rolling. The kitchen help was stirring and mixing almost constantly. It also looks like a real stove on the set. The acting was quite good, however the writing seemed a little less than it could be. There were some good jokes and a few weak moments as well.

Ms. Teri Garr showed great class in her guest appearance. Mr. Elliot Gould was on hand and he didn't miss a beat, but appeared distracted and uninterested between takes. Jane Curtain is - well - Jane Curtain. Fred Savage is, of course, a real pro. The cast is good, they just need some better lines to recite and better story concepts for this be a really great show. As it stands, I see it as a journeyman sitcom, lacking the edge, the magic of a Frasier, Friends or Seinfeld.

Hey! It's the kid from The Wonder Years! With that out the way there's not a whole lot left to enjoy in this dysfunctional family series that was cancelled after five episodes - although there were 13 made.

Fred Savage plays a closeted gay screenwriter who returns home from Hollywood to look after his mother (Jane Curtain) who has just been released from a mental institute after trying to run over her husband, because he left her for another woman. Based on the real-life experiences of the creator/writer Marco Pennette (who co-created Caroline In The City) it's good to see a gay person portrayed on TV who isn't effeminate and overly camp, and there are some decent moments in here. However, gags about mental illness, drug use and depression might not be everyone cup 0f lithium.

It moves from attempts to get a laugh to outright schmaltz in a way that The Wonder Years got away with, but here the subject matter is a lot darker, and it's hard to tell if it really works.

I had great expectations for this show when I saw the early previews of it. It seemed like the premise was brilliant. However, after watching a few episodes, what this show suffers greatly from is the writing. It is just too lethargic. What could be done with this show is simply not being done. You have a great cast who does the best they can do with the script, but until the writing is improved, "Crumbs" is on a crash course.

The first step to improving this show is to get rid of that laugh track. My God....if your not going to film it before a live audience, then don't use fake laughter. Plus, the volume is so low it sounds like people are laughing in the next room or something. Sort of a bizarre use of canned laughter I think.

The show came across as another preachy comedy trying to be Funny. Fast-forward and it is the last couple of seasons of Roseanne. The parents are the funny ones and the kids are just their as props. The show also takes serious subject matter and adds a few comical twist and you feel offended and board at the same time. Too bad I felt like the show had potential with the cast, but they blew it with the writing. Jane Curtain is a powerful comedic actor, but she is not strong enough to hold everything together. Fred Savage needs to stick to his soft-core boy next-door image and not try to tackle serious subject matter. If the show last too much longer I will be surprised. Then again I was shocked to see Alf last as long as it did. Maybe there is something out there for everyone. Silly might be good for some people.