Crumbs

'Crumbs' simply was one of the best sitcoms in the past few years surpassing "critical" favorites like 'My Name is Earl', 'Will and Grace' and 'The Office'. But, thanks to ABC's shoddy treatment of the series, it never got to find its audience and was evicted, which is very disappointing because this is a high caliber, strongly written, funny and sensitive sitcom with a great cast.

Everything pretty much works here from the zany opening credits to the great set design, editing and music score, it all fits in perfectly. It is a traditional sitcom but it finds ways of being fresh and inventive and its use of outdoor shots and other devices makes it stand apart from the rest.

The cast are terrific. Jane Curtin has simply never been so funny and in a year where has-beens like Debra Messing got Emmy nominations for Best Actress, Curtin should have been a lock - her performance shows a side to her that one didn't see she had on 'Third Rock from the Sun', let's just say she's as out of it as John Lithgow was on that show. Fred Savage is always welcomed and he has a great part here that on first glances looked like he wouldn't be able to do, but he shines with an excellent, controlled and sensitive performance. Together, Curtin and Savage have two of the best roles in television last season.

The rest of the cast are good too - Eddie McClintock and William Devane are solid; Maggie Lawson got more to do as the season progressed but Reginald Ballard as a barman is unnecessary and if the show were to have continued, his exit would have been inevitable. Among the guest appearances throughout the season included: Elliott Gould, Illena Douglas, Rider Strong, Teri Garr, Rider Strong and Kevin Rahm.

It's disappointing that ABC didn't see its potential but again, this is a network that is only centering on three programs as their concern, but this really could have been something special and its 12-episodes were all fantastic and a true gift, hopefully one day it will get a DVD release. Like so many short-lived shows ('Action', 'Undeclared', 'Freaks and Geeks' etc), this is another that perhaps was just too good for real tastes. The only quibble is that the 12th episode left so many unanswered questions that one can be disappointed that there will never be a resolution.

An excellent series A+

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.

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.

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.

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.