Joseph il tenore

My opinion on this show is sort of divided. I saw just about every aired episode, but I didn't find it very memorable. In truth, I would not have watched at all if not for Nathan Lane. He was obviously the funniest and most talented one on this show. But even he could not save it.

This show, like so many, wasn't perfect when it premiered. The tone they were attempting to project was rather delicate--Joe Pinoni was rather self-centered and more than a little pompous, but not a bad person. In other words, the role was perfect for the larger-than-life persona of Nathan Lane; if anyone ever was made to carry a slightly unreal, belly-laugh inducing show, he's the one. The supporting cast was fine, especially Joan Plowright (amazing they were able to sign her), but like virtually every ensemble show, they needed time to gel into a comic team. Unfortunately for this show (and the audience), the nets aren't prepared to let shows develop. The critics tend (whether they realize it or not) to make snap judgments at the beginning of the season based on the pilot, stories they hear about set discord, and comparisons to previous shows from the same people. If a show succeeds, the early negatives are forgotten. But if the show has disappointing ratings, the early negatives harden into rejection. In most cases, negative critical reaction is something of a self-fulfilling prophecy. So Encore, Encore doesn't last the season, while Everybody Loves Raymond, a thoroughly unfunny and even repellent show, lives on.

I have worked in the wine industry for 23 years as a winemaker and I have watched shows that supposedly have to do with the industry, namely Falcon Crest, and I cringe at what the world must think of the stuck-up, self-centered characters portrayed in that show. My experience with winemakers and the people involved with creating wine from grapes is that our world is fun, entertaining and that we have the best jobs in the world. What's better is that we know that we're lucky to be here and we involve as many others as we can. More to the point the wine industry is closer to M. A. S. H. than it is to Falcon Crest and I was always hoping that someone would reflect that. Someone finally did and they got it perfectly in Encore! Encore! Nathan Lane was the perfect comic and they couldn't have cast a better straight role than Glenne Headly. Maybe the world wasn't ready for the wine business as it really is but I enjoyed every minute and I wish someone would create another show with the same format. I would give anything to consult on that adventure. In closing, if you can ever find copies of the show don't miss it. Open up a quaffable Zin or join us winemakers and open a good dark brew and enjoy the show.

I caught this show the other morning. I laughed and laughed, and thought the premise was brilliant, even though I didn't quite understand the basic storyline. I fell in love with this dysfunctional family and sympathized greatly with Nathan Lane (Joe) as the only "normal" member of his family. I just discovered that the show is 3 years old and only lasted a few weeks. I'm so sorry to hear it. I highly recommend this show (if you can catch the reruns) to anyone who enjoys "Everybody Loves Raymond". The matriarch of the family runs rings around Ray's mom. If only I'd caught the show sooner.

This was a great show which only lasted a few short episodes in the late 1990s. I have been trying to figure out if it was an act of Lane's-- namely getting a "better offer" in a Broadway show (his IMDb biography shows he did mostly children's films those years) or the fickle finger of network fate that did this show in. I keep wishing someone would release it on DVD-- especially with Nathan Lane's rising fame after coups like "The Producers" (and even Lion King), but it hasn't come out yet... great performances and typical sharp Lane humor. A rare gem in modern TV, it's a shame it is no longer available. This show is a particular delight for those who have been bitten by the acting bug... or anyone living with someone who has. Until it is released on DVD, look into another great show about the Nobel Profession: "Slings and Arrows," a great British show available from the BBC.