Worst Week

For a comedy, I usually don't have to high requirements, one being of course that it should be funny. Well, it isn't.

One major thing with comedy is timing and chemistry. Recently, the people behind forgetting Sara Marshall, knocked up,etc have surprised me by doing rather simple story's that still feels fresh even though there isn't really anything new about them, yet it still works.

This show is quite the opposite. Some rather good ideas is completely lost due to poor timing and more or less every single joke being obvious a long time before occurring. I really though it would be fun after reading about it. For me, it really isn't. Actually one of the most disappointing show's I've seen in a long time.

Melanie Clayton (Erinn Hayes) is seven weeks pregnant and she's announcing her engagement to Sam Briggs (Kyle Bornheimer) at the family gathering. In the pilot, he meets his future in-laws Angela (Nancy Lenehan) and judge Dick Clayton (Kurtwood Smith) in a diaper. He pees into the food and Dick slips on his pee. He mistakenly assumes that Dick is dead and tells the family with the distressing false bad news. The show expands with her sister Sarah (Jessica St. Clair) and her husband Chad (Hayes MacArthur), brother David (RonReaco Lee) and heart-broken Chloe (Brooke Nevin). Sam's friend Adam (Nick Kroll) comes to try to fix the painting of Dick that Sam ruined and starts hooking up with Chloe.

Through incompetence, bad luck and nervousness, Sam is the butt of all of the jokes in the show. It is very forced even more so than the usual sitcom. Every week has Sam doing something stupid. It gets a bit repetitive. Kyle Bornheimer is an OK comedic actor although his usual nervous act does get tired. It helps a lot whenever Erinn Hayes joins him in the stupidity. She needs to be more than the girlfriend trying to placate her parents and encourage her boyfriend. She needs to be as big of an idiot as Sam is.

Poor,beleaguered SAm Briggs(Kyle Bornheimer,who seems to have been born with a 'I'm screwed!'face)is about to marry the lovely Melanie(Erinn HAyes),but has the dangerous task of trying to impress her parents(KUrtwood Smith and NAncy Lenehan,both great!)and seems to wear bad luck around his neck. EAch element of their impending nuptials becomes fraught with peril,all laying out traps for our intrepid hero.

THis comedy has worked so far(At this writing,about twelve episodes deep). THe timing and reactions of all involved work well enough(Or better yet,they stay out of the way of the natural humor to develop)that this show has a true charm and appeal to it. I'm probably mincing details here,but I still cannot help but feel like naming a show "Worst Week" suggests that this show's running plot is a singular or finite problem. Since the mere nature of a TV series is,usually,to continue indefinitely,the naming of a show set around a singular worst week seems to present a bit of a problem. Or maybe that's just me.

UNless there's been a revelation as to the time constraints of this show in a previous episode(or episodes)that I've not been cognizant of,I cannot help but feel like a show with the kind of genuinely funny quality and rich potential,the producers might want to change the title. Some suggestions: "Worst Weeks"? "Another BAd Week"? "ONe Bad DAy After Another"?

Again,just suggestions. Good show,though!

This is a rare example where the American version of a TV show is better than the British original. The original was merely frustrating in its Sisyphean contrivances whereas the American is more sweet-natured and the actors are more likable. I particularly loved the scene where a stunned budgie is mistaken for a growing erection in the hapless hero's pants while he watches his fiancée's sister breastfeeding – it's more complicated than that of course but still hilarious! The fiancée's father is played by Kurtwood Smith from Dead Poets' Society and many other good movies. Unfortunately Channel 10 in Australia gave up on the show after a few episodes because of poor ratings.

My mom told me to watch this show so I finally gave it a chance. It was so funny! It's one of those shows where you're embarrassed for the guy like in move's like "Meet the Parents", "There's something about Marry" or "Super Star". I kept having to hide my face in fear of the consequences of some of his crazy mishaps he would get himself into. I was laughing aloud the whole time. So the only thing I can warn you about is those stomach cramps you get when you laugh too much. I wouldn't listen to anyone saying it's not funny. You should watch it and then take your own opinion. I'm not really into British Comedy but I might even have to look up the British version to see if it's as funny.