Nikki

The first season of this show is absolutely hilarious. Some people don't like the dark ride, as evidenced by the cool reception given to the similarly-themed John Larroquette Show, but I do! The opening dance numbers were delightfully tacky, and the love story of Nikki and Dwight was sweet and sincere. I'm glad actress Nikki Cox continues on TV on NBC's Las Vegas, but it's a shame she couldn't have brought castmates Nick von Esmarch, Susan Egan, and the eternally-underappreciated Toby Huss with her (hang in there, Toby; it took *decades* for Joe Pantoliano to get his due, too). Alas, the good times ended with the second season, with Steve Valentine's exit (to Crossing Jordan), Nikki & Dwight losing their showgirl and wrestler jobs, and the re-focus of the show to the "wacky neighbors" in their apartment building. Huh??! Yuck!! Naturally the few fans the show had acquired left in droves, and the show died a quick death. I see the show has been enjoying distribution all over the world now (Portugal?!). Woe to those who have stumbled upon the later eps -- when they could have been outside watching grass grow, a far more entertaining way to pass the time.

I like this show! It's a different idea, and although it's not what one would call a realistic show, the characters are somehow believable and definately likeable. It's a good role for Nikki Cox--she shows she has personality and isn't just a pretty lady with a great figure. I think Nick is a real pro and very likeable--hard to believe it's his first show! And I LOVE Toby Huss as Jupiter--he makes the rather brash and crude character fun and endearing. I'd like to see a lot more of him. Toby does a great Sinatra impersonation, too, by the way, and does great improv--he's a talented guy. I hope this show makes it!

I started watching this show as a progression from "Unhappily ever after" which has a number of hilarious scenes. The one with the rabbit voiced by Bobcat Goldthwait and Geof Piersens "Jack Malloy" trying to leave a message on the answer machine character was hilarious. In that show Nikki Cox plays Tiffany Malloy which became a breakout character later in the show and you could argue that the "Nikki" character is a more humanized version of that character without the assumed success of the Tiffany character. Not really sure I would want to watch a TV show based around the Tiffany characters projected life path really.

The show is based around Nikki and Dwights relationship, where Nikki is a Las Vegas showgirl and Dwight is wrestler. The early episodes open with dance numbers, often in jokingly bad taste but are interesting. The Dwight character is actually quite likable, not the mindless thug one would expect and much of the humour of the show works by challenging the assumptions people would have about the characters. He delivers the line "You know that feeling when someone is screwing around with you but deep down you know they like you. Well, I'm not getting that feeling" about meeting Nikki's father in season one episode 16 "I'll kick your Ass".

I found the support characters interesting Toby Huss's character "Jupiter" has many of the mannerisms of Groucho Marx, obviously without the cigar but in the tradition of a business man/ showman with a sometimes shoddy product. Susan Egans character is a comedic femme fatal character who is cheerfully amoral but we are lead to believe has heart of gold, because although much of the show has a darker gallows humour they are likable characters. Much comedy is about laughing at the darkness.

I don't even have to write a lot to express how I feel about this show!! Actually, I have just two things to say: 1-The show is just one of the best on TV. Just so funny... 2-10 out of 10.

This is on daytime tv here in Aus at the moment, and I have to say that this show is one of the hilights of my daytime tv viewing. I am not a big fan of US sitcoms, but the actors and their characters are actually quite engaging in this one.

That is what makes a sitcom - the actors, and they really are all quite well suited to the characters here. I don't like wrestling, yet I find the wrestling situations funny in this show, I don't particularly like dancing/cabaret shows yet I also find this quite funny in this show. Definitely funny and worth watching.

and to add the lame comment at the end, there a very few actors sexier than that Susan Egan. Phwoarrr :-)