Bunheads

Look, I'm a 22-year-old male, not exactly this show's target audience. I only caught it because I was watching the hilarious train wreck that is The Secret Life of the American Teenager (god what an awful show).

I was expecting more of the same from Bunheads (I have to echo everyone else's sentiments here: that title is terrible). Instead, I found myself totally engrossed. Sutton Foster is an incredible find -- bundles of charisma, great comedic timing and the ability to pull off the dramatic stuff without being cheesy. The conflict between her and Fanny is well pitched and comedic and should carry the show far. The teens are all great actors considering their age and the fact that this is ABC Family, and have a cute camaraderie that will be fertile ground for drama later on (you can see the writers already laying the foundation for this).

The best part, though, is the show's humor. Michelle name drops Kirsten Wiig and it's a good comparison -- manic, physical but always with intelligence and heart. The writing obviously never reaches the heights (or the grossness) of Bridesmaids, but Bunheads is honestly funnier than any network comedy not airing on NBC.

If you liked Gilmore Girls, or want a family comedy-drama, or are just bored on a Monday night, I highly recommend checking out Bunheads. Even if you're a twenty-something guy...

Most pilots aren't great, but when they are, you know that you have something special. Such is the case with Bunheads. While the title leaves much to be desired, the plot and characters, not to mention the acting fulfills a need for something witty and possibly touching.

After just one episode, you get a great sense of the story and who the characters are. After watching the pilot, you will want to see what happens next.

Michelle is a professional dancer whose career has taken a dip in recent years, and fails to amaze at yet another audition. Feeling low on herself and her lackluster life, she decides to marry a kind admirer.

Upon arrival at his small town, Michelle meets his mother, a dance instructor. After butting heads at first, they discover a common ground and seem to get along.

The ballet students seem to cover a great variety of what one might expect. The thin waif who has ease and skill with dancing, but not the motivation, a girl who wishes more than anything to be more graceful than her body type will allow, and another whose larger bust proves difficult (a challenge for any dancer.)

The final moments of the first episode set up the direction for which the show will take, and leave the viewer with chills.

I found it quirky and smart and I cannot wait for what lies ahead with this series.

5/5 stars.

With Amy Palladino and Kelly Bishop at the helm, you have a good chance that your ship is going in the right direction. Bring on the talented Sutton Foster and sail away. While the beginning had me concerned that Sutton was just another Lorelei in Broadway clothing, by the end of the pilot she sets her own character.......and does she ever. The Amy Palladino clever dialog and oblique references are still there.(Those that endeared me to Gilmore Girls which was the best comedy of the '00's). With the surprise ending of the pilot, one can only guess where the plot lines are going next, but I can't wait. Fresh and entertaining and a MUST alternative the the Bachelor and Bachelorette. Bet Lauren Graham is glued to her TV set.

I checked this out because it was created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, who did the Gilmore Girls. And if you're looking for another Gilmore Girls, Amy seems to want to give it to you, down to the lead, who is a very similar type to Lauren Graham. I maybe don't like her *quite* as much as Lauren, but that doesn't mean I won't in time.

There are a number of issues with the basic premise of the first episode, in which an admirer persuades a drunken showgirl named Michelle to marry him and move to his sleepy town. The guy woos her with presents, but he doesn't really know her, and while the show wants you to think he's this nice guy, my impression was he just fell in love with her looks. And because this is a guy she has pretty much zero interest in (I believe showgirls often have these sorts of hangers-on and are rarely impressed by them), it's surprising how when she sobers up the next day she doesn't put the brakes on, especially after getting to his house.

But the way the show is structured, the premise is ultimately not important, and what is important - a Lauren Graham-ish lead, a mother-in-law reminiscent of Lorelei Gilmore's mom (and played by the same actress), and a whole slew of Rory Gilmore substitutes in a dance school - becomes that Gilmore Girls sequel we've been craving, offering the same smart dialogue and engaging characters.

When I saw the first episode, I thought, based on my experience with the ABC Family channel, it would probably be a great show that got cancelled after one season. I was tragically correct.

I love Bunheads and I think it stands out in all the TV shows of today, I was told to keep it simple so here are reasons why you should at least give Bunheads a chance:

1. It is truly funny, we are talking quick and sassy dialog! 2. The actresses (and the fewer seen actors) are outstanding and believable, from the slightly crazy dance instructor, to the not so ballerina looking wannabe bunhead to the over-achieving nerd who waits tables.... 3. The dancers are professionally trained and don't just act as dancers 4. Sutton Foster and Kelly Bishop 5.The quirky small town setting including all the hilarious characters

If you like good dialog a pinch of drama and quirky characters you will not be disappointed!