actaction

For me, the pilot was too Golden Girls and not enough unique voice; but the show improves by episode 03 so much that it now feels like it has its own perspective and feels like home to go back to over and over again. I think the show would be improved by being a weekly show, rather than dumping all at once, since it feels so warm to return to, but it all being dumped at once did help me see the improvement for the first few episodes (so maybe 2 at a time?). It's also a show that should have regular 22 episode seasons, as that format works better for people getting hooked onto it. I was almost hooked, but then it ended.

Putting the mother at the center of the show starting with episode 3 really improved the comedy and made the men much funnier (similar to Sofia in Golden Girls). When that character suddenly stops appearing, it upsets the balance of the show and its comedy. However, it wasn't the shows fault as the actress died in real life. I think the show handled it as well as could be.

My biggest compliment is that this show is one of the few sit-coms to actually have situations created that make the comedy. The failed Fraiser sequel struggled with this, never having a funny situation at the center of its problems. This show has had fresh and fun concepts that make the comedy spring forth from it, like the conservative Senator who is a fun riot on weekends, only to go right back to being terrible at work. That was funny. They made her relatable even if not likable. That was great writing. The Mormon guy who isn't out to his soon to be wife, that was a heavy topic which never got too serious for a comedy yet dealt with some interesting moral dilemmas. By the end of the season I was invested and enjoyed the show. While I'm not yet hooked, I would return for a second season.

I watched the Whoopi Goldberg version a lot in the 2000's and this is at least as good as that. Other reviewers seem pretty mean spirited. From the first two episodes I've known all but one of the celebs & the host. They are all well known stars, the exact level of previous versions. From tv star Drew Carrey to film character actress of 30+ years Debi Mazar, the genius political commentator Triumph the dog, film star Tiffany Haddish... all well known and all known for being smart and some are known for being great jokesters. The questions were always crazy easy.

I admit I have not seen a lot of the original game, so I can't directly compare it to that. I do think the game resembles that as well, but maybe not quite as fresh... which would make sense. Still, not a bad remake.

This show has always been good, even though I was a little disappointed about his not wanting to be a vampire I admit that it does feel correct for the character to reject it and we got a what if scenario out of it. This season was very funny, very untethered to the original dramatic backbone of the other seasons, but just because it put comedy first it didn't feel useless or labored. The endings of the show were all fulfilling, more-so that it was aware of the stigma of ending cliches and still leaned into them with full power. Overall the show accomplished its goals of continuing on and expanding the universe of the original without simply retelling the same story.