The Crazy Ones

I rarely notice anything on the old-guard networks, so I was completely unaware that this series even existed. After the unfortunate passing of Robin Williams I learned about The Crazy Ones and watched it.

Robin Williams had a set of characters. These were him. Just like my grandfather, he could call up an appropriate character and bring it into perspective. I'm absolutely certain that every day on the set of The Crazy Ones involved a lot of laughing, a lot of fun, and a LOT of material that couldn't possibly be used on network television. What we got was a mediocre but entertaining show.

Robin Williams as the 63 year old elder agency head is perfect because of these things, they are not faults. He's older, more mature, more experienced, definitely more jaded. The younger ones are learning at his knee, as it should be.

As a requiem for Robin Williams' career, this series is a tragic and amazingly funny summary. They're all there. There's a bit of Mork, a bit of Mrs. Doubtfire, some Adrian Cronauer, you'll recognize the Genie, and the Indian Chief, and more. Yes, Robin's career was stale and he was essentially doing the same shtick as he was doing in the 70s. But it was good. He was fast. He was an amazingly funny man, filled with heart and care. We loved him for it. Maybe the younger generation will never get Robin, but anyone over 30 should have.

If I had left behind the body of work that Robin Williams did, and that included this little unpolished gem, I'm certain I could have left this planet fulfilled. We will miss him.

I know this show will not be everybody's cup of tea. That said, I think I'll have another helping! I used to work as a copywriter at a radio station; the crazier we were, the better it was. I worked with people like Simon and Zach as well as Sydney. My 14-year old looked at me and said, "Oh, my gosh, Mom, Simon is YOU!" Sooo, I guess you know who I was in the little equation at work!

I love the relationship between the elder statesman (HA!) -- Simon -- and the young Jedi trainee -- Zach. I love the off-the -cuff repartee. I love how they think on their feet. And I love the fire-rapid dialog.

I want to get to know more about these characters. I want to see them develop.

All I am saying is: Give "Crazy" a Chance....

The pilot was really fast paced, the 20 minutes felt like 5 but I already love all the characters. Definitely Ally Mc Beal 2.0. A bunch of Crazy people with a lot of heart. Can't hardly wait to know them a little bit more and to explore their universe. All the actors have great chemistry together especially Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar. James Wolk was a nice revelation and on top of that Kelly Clarkson was hilarious. Yep, this is great TV. The show has so much potential, I hope the writers will meet my expectations. The next episodes should focus a little bit more on the father / daughter relationship. This is where, IMO, The Crazy Ones could stand out of the crowd and became a nice "dramedy".

Robin Williams is finally back to doing what he's always done best -- off-the-cuff riffing on whatever subject you put in front of him. He's brilliant. While America's sense of humor has changed a bit since Mrs. Doubtfire, Williams' ability to turn his incredible sense of humor into a source of drama (it's obvious that his characters' silliness is a response to his own desperation) shows that as an actor, he's gone from silly to serious and come back out the other side with a remarkable ability to showcase the two simultaneously and sensitively.

Sarah Michelle Gellar is perfectly cast in her role, as a foil for Williams. Her ability to (act like she can) see the serious and important sides of absurd and silly situations -- honed to a keen point in Buffy -- is exactly what Williams' character needs to have the truth of his tragicomic situation highlighted.

Also, this is the first show that I've ever seen where the unabashedly promiscuous person (Zach/James Wolk) is a guy -- and it's AWESOME! The way that everyone treats him (the line was something like "Zach, lose a layer. If it goes badly, two.") is perfect. ("To be safe, I'm going to need some meat. Zach! Vaya con queso, amigo!") I realize that Zach is theoretically supposed to be the main character of the show, and honestly, he's *almost* able to hold his own next to Williams and Gellar. Give him a few episodes, and he'll shine. He's pretty and obviously a great actor, and I can't wait to see him blossom.

This show isn't going to appeal to everyone -- it's paced like Scandal, has the emotional volatility of the Newsroom, and the pop culture references of Franklin & Bash. ("Lopez wants to be paid in diamonds, Aidelle is British...and Pink threatened me.") The problem is that it's billed as a zany comedy/Mad Men with Robin Williams, but the truth is that it's actually a very dramatic story hidden beneath zaniness, and a lot of people are going to have a problem with that.

I know critics haven't been very kind with this show but as a viewer I really find it fresh and funny.

The cast is fantastic and the father-daughter relationship between Simon (Williams) and Sydney (Gellar) seems genuine. I feel like this show allows you to see the comedic genius process that happens behind closed doors for Robin Williams. It may feel insane and extreme at times but it comes across as a real workplace.

I think this show will continue for a while as each episode feels new and there will always be a new client for them to base the episode around. It's a really enjoyable show and makes me laugh each week. I will definitely stay tuned.