The In-laws

Until I read a preview in a magazine (I believe it was FHM) that called this the best new comedy of the season I was not prepared to give it a chance. Thankfully I did. Dennis Farina is hilarious as Victor Pellet. His character is complicated and well-developed. I would love to see this show moved to Thursdays in lieu of the dreadful "Good Morning Miami". That would make for a night of truly Must-See TV.

I'm a big Dennis Farina fan, so when I saw the promos for the show, I couldn't wait until it premiered. The premise is very nifty. A lot of awkward situations can arise from a guy moving in with his wife's parents, especially if the father is Dennis Farina. It's hilarious to watch him react callously to his son-in-law's antics. Unfortunately, the show can use stronger writing. Farina is brilliant like always, and is the main provider of the laughs on the show, but Elon Gold is only a fairly good comedian. He has talent, but he's somewhat dull and hackneyed. The actress who plays his wife is deliciously hot. The most memorable gag on the show was during the Halloween episode, where Farina called a "meeting of the five families" in the neighborhood to discuss Halloween decorations. This of course was a witty homage to "The Godfather."

I'm not bashing the show, and wouldn't mind if it lasts a couple more seasons. I don't rearrange my schedule to come home in time for "In Laws," but if I happen to be home while it's on, I usually check it out. But with a better creator and better writers, this show could've gone a lot farther. And face it, my man Dennis deserves a lot better.

My score: 6 (out of 10)

Tonight was premiere night and I was actually looking forward to this new comedy on NBC. Jean Smart and Dennis Farina are very funny veterans and two talented newcomers seemed to be primed for success. Unfortunately, there were only moments of clever dialogue interwoven in tired old re-hashed stories with predictable outcomes. All in all, the first two episodes, which were both aired tonight, didn't leave me wanting more. I'll give it a few more shows, however I see this being canceled by the middle of the second season if not sooner unless serious revamps occur.

Why do networks show us repetitive 'comedies' such as this? How could the actors be sincere when they talked about this show in the promos? Surely they understood how bad it was?!

Hackneyed predictable storyline, and a host of the same situations seen over and over again since the 1970s....

My family and I have been watching this show since it first aired. We really love Alex (Bonnie Somerville), what a wholesome young talent. She is a first rate actress, and we hope to see more of her in the future. Look out Hollywood, she is the next Sandra Bullock.