The Odd Couple

When you try to recreate something that some people are considering it a classic, obviously you are going to get bashed. How about when that something tries to recreate two "classics"? So. There is a 1968 American black comedy film written by Neil Simon,and starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. AND...a 1970 TV series starring Tony Randall and Jack Klugman! Both are considered as "classics". (Also there was a play back in 1965 and a ...cartoon with the same characters) Haven't seen the movie and I barely remember the series (except the characteristic music theme) so I'm not going to compare them with the 2015 incarnation.

It's about Felix and Oscar. Two divorced men. Felix is neat and tidy while Oscar is sloppy and casual. They share a Manhattan apartment, and their different lifestyles inevitably lead to conflicts and laughs.

Obviously such a premise is not as modern as it might looked half of a century ago but there is still enough material to create some comical situations.

In the 2015 version Thomas Lennon stars as the neat Felix and Matthew Perry as the loose Oscar. I'm now watching the 11th episode and I can say that after a slow start, it is getting better. There is some chemistry between the 2 actors but is Thomas Lennon that holds the show in my opinion. Perry is a great comedian but here is mediocre. As Oscar, the only feeling I get from him is that he cares about Felix. Otherwise the comedic elements are less prominent.

The script in the latest episodes is good. Some of the secondary characters get more plot lines and that benefits the show. Especially Lindsay Sloane who plays Emily a bartender who is in love with Felix.

There is a fake laugh track that I always consider a minus.

Overall: It's OK. Not bad. I'll keep watching. I know there is some hate but IMO don't take it into any account. It's possibly because there is the recreation of 2-5 classics and maybe because Matthew Perry has many haters. For me it is lighthearted and enjoyable.

The man is a comedy actor who simply cannot shake a depressive streak off his back. It simply plagued his other attempts at comedy series. This one, though, got the right combo to allow laughs that were not undermined by some sad backstory. It did not have the ambitus nor time to become an A cathegory series, but it reminds of Frasier, and it is an enjoyable B series, who should not have been cancelled.

It is so hard to get into this show today when you were so use to watching the original Odd Couple show. No one can be such a slob as Jack Klugman, he played that role so good. I'm not saying I hate the new show, it has it's good laughs. Matthew Perry and Thomas Lennon do a great job to be Oscar and Felix. It's hard to fill the shoes of the original cast but they do a great job. Each episode does keeps your attention because you never know what is going to happen next. If you blink you will miss some funny thing. The thing I see wrong is that they have changed Oscar and Felix since the original show. If you are going to keep the same characters then at least keep the way they live the same. Oscar Madison was a complete slob but in the new show he is not even close to that role. I really don't see this show going to much further. It's to far away from the original show.

this contains all the right elements to make a good show , including the hit play , the great actors and the writers. but it doesn't bode well for the series that the pilot was so forced . the jokes and the dialog is just too fast and cramped . the whole writing seems forced . it looks like that the no of jokes that can be included are more important than timing , delivery or in some cases , even the quality.

the plot is just all too clear and the larger story seems likely to be non existent . the places to explore from hereon seems all too predictable and all too " so what else is new ?"

i don't personally have a problem with laugh tracks ( most of my favorite comedy shows have had them) . but at least nowadays,they do not seem necessary . i mean if the audience is not getting your joke without the track telling them , then it probably isn't that great . the pairing of the perry and Lennon is good and has a lot of potential but seriously , they need to put their hearts in and not increase the no of jokes just for the sake of it.

This show had it's moments and at times I did laugh. I think my biggest problem with the show is that I remember how well Jack Klugman and Tony Randall played Oscar and Felix. They are very big shoes to fill and I am sure I am not the only one who will compare all of them. I also had problems trying to separate Chandler Bing and Oscar Madison. This happens frequently when an actor plays a part for a long time as Matthew did in friends(10 years).

The best part of this show was when Dave Foley and Wendell Pierce were at Oscar's. I was saddened to see that Dave is only in one episode though.

I believe the show has potential and given time they can do well with the show. But sometimes it is better to just remember how great some of the old shows are and make new comedies.