Back to You

Kelsey Grammar and Patricia Heaton, two sitcom legends teamed up in this sadly short-lived sitcom set in a newsroom.

I enjoyed this show, I thought it had real potential. Not to mention an all-star writing team, many of whom had written for Grammar previously on 'Frasier'. And look at the supporting cast they assembled - Fred Willard, Ty Burrell, Josh Gad - this show deserved to stay on the air far longer than it did.

I think it was the writers strike of 07/08 that really affected this show, and also the breaks between episodes. I wasn't keen on the recasting of Gracie midway through or the loss of Ayda Field either.

This was a well written sitcom, one that wasn't afraid to be smart and warm at the same time. It was a shame it didn't last longer.

It is interesting in this instant gratification generation that folks who saw the first show only are already on IMDb blasting this show. First episodes of 30 minute comedies are usually always a little slow. They have to develop characters so that the audience can relate to them later & then they will get better. These type of folks would have had other great ones over the years canceled.

For instance, CHEERS first episode is really no where near the quality that appeared later in the series. Seinfeld's first episode didn't even have Elaine yet, much less have it's characters fully developed. Barney Miller was very slow the first show. The list goes on, even in the 1960's the pilot to Green Acres is pretty slow. The first episode of Fraiser was nothing over the top either, but given time look where that show wound up.

This show first episode actually shows a lot of promise. It had to take time to develop the friction between the lead characters so that viewers could understand the friction between them which is sure to produce some funny shows later on. Kelsey Grammar & Patricia Heaton are both very good performers, & it shows in the first show.

There is a lot of promise here as when the scripts come along, which I believe they will, the show will get stronger. We have the situation created here where the elements of News Radio can be combined with some unique situations to become an excellent show. The supporting cast looks like they have the potential to come in & strengthen it too.

This type of situation comedy has been done before, but given time to mature, this show can be as big or even bigger than those past series. Let's just hope the instant gratification generation is not running things at FOX. This show had potential but I heard Fox has canceled it.

Network: Fox; Genre: Sitcom; Content Rating: TV-PG (for some language and sexual innuendo); Perspective: Contemporary (star range: 1 - 4);

Seasons Reviewed: 1 season

In the mist of a career nose dive, Chuck Darling (Kelsey Grammar) returns to the local news station where he got his start and former co-anchor Kelly Carr (Patricia Heaton) still holds up shop. He meets all the newscast regulars: the sportscaster (Fred Willard), the weathergirl (Ayda Field), the hung out to dry field reporter (Ty Burrell) and the geeky young news director (Josh Gadd).

It isn't long before we learn that Chuck and Kelly once, as sitcoms always so elegantly put it, "did it" and Chuck learns that this night actually led to the birth of Kelly's 10-year old-daughter Gracie. Cue the sex jokes. And keep them coming until the series finale.

"Back to You" would be disposable as another lame network sitcom. It's the sheer wattage of talent attached to it that makes the show such a disappointment. Emmy-winners Kelsey Grammar and Patricia Heaton are put together on the same set with halfway decent chemistry between them despite the glaring age difference. Mr & Mrs. Comic Timing. Behind the camera we've got serial-writer Steven Levitan ("Just Shoot Me") and Christopher Lloyd ("Frasier"). So, frankly, I just don't know what happened here. How did such a classy group of actors get buried under a pile of sitcom sex jokes? It's like the "Frasier" side of the series duked it out with the "Just Shoot Me"/"Stacked"/"Oliver Beene" side of the series and Levitan won.

The aforementioned set-up, Chuck, Kelly and their kid, becomes all "Back to You" can think about. Every single episode of the single season run orbits closely revolves around this idea. It grows tiresome quickly, never evolving, never giving the leads something else that might flesh them out. Character jokes, local news media jokes, rival anchor jokes, forget all that - Chuck and Kelly have a kid together. Chuck quickly goes from arrogant ladies man (funny) to a man serious about being a father (unfunny). He instantly falls in love with Gracie and wants the world to know it regardless of the detriment to himself, his job, Kelly or Gracie.

"Back" has a "'Till Death" formula to it. Like Fox is taking all these stars from modern classic sitcoms and using their name to pump life into an otherwise worthless show, while they slum through collecting a paycheck still able to deliver the goods giving 10% of their skill set. Grammar and Heaton are able to strain some laughs out of the material. There are a few good one liners. I can't lie. That is more than I can say for most sitcoms. Ty Burrell makes a good impression as a likable comic klutz, but "Back to You" marks a comedy first for me. This is the first time I've ever not found Fred Willard funny.

* * / 4

This television show was never given a chance. I never saw it on the air, and only picked up the first season after its cancellation. I don't have much to say about it, but it wasn't a bad show. The first few episodes were a bit ... err ... some might say "boring" but I'd say, not as entertaining as a comedy series should be. But as it progressed through, the show became funnier, and funnier, especially the episode with the fish. But, again, I say "Why must good shows, die young?" and I think its a solid question. I know, in the end, its all about money. Dollhouse was not up to scratch with its ratings, but sold the first season for MILLIONS AND MILLIONS of dollars, so it was picked up in the last minute. Another big example would be Family Guy, it got canceled, several times, and was brought back for the MILLIONS AND MILLIONS of dollars it made on DVD.

So again, I think Network's should have a two-year contract with every show it picks up, because if a show isn't its best at the first season, which most shows aren't, the Network's should realize, mistakes are made, but people learn from them. This show had so much potential, but now, its dead.

8/10

I love this show!! It's so funny, and so unlike all the other shows that are on TV right now. The two lead actors (Kelsey Grammar and Patricia Heaton) are so good together, it's the perfect pairing. They are just SO funny. Every time I watch an episode, I end up laughing my head off. Everything is so perfect, and they have such great interactions. The supporting characters are great, too. It's so refreshing to see a show on anymore that's actually funny. Whenever I think of the show (usually when I'm sitting at my desk in school) I just burst out laughing, which results in a lot of weird looks. There's such great chemistry, it's really a near perfect show.