Trophy Wife [ABC - US]

Richard Dower

Malin Ackerman looks stunning in this

http://abc.go.com/shows/trophy-wife

They say the third time’s the charm, and reformed party girl Kate is hoping that’s true when she becomes Pete’s third wife. She fell into his arms (literally) at a karaoke bar, and a year later Kate’s got an insta-family, complete with three stepchildren and two ex-wives. Diane is ex-wife number one, an intense, over-achieving doctor and the mother of twin teenagers Hillary and Warren. Diane is quick to convey her withering disapproval of Kate’s barely tapped maternal instinct. Ex-wife number two, Jackie, is mother to adopted son Bert, and can pull Pete’s strings with her special blend of neurotic, new-ageyness. Juggling all this baggage is uncharted territory for Kate, who finds support with her best friend Meg, a party-hearty singleton and the only woman Kate knows who has less experience with kids than she has.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3Wsa8DvJrU

Trophy Wife seems to spend most of it's first episode trying to convince us that it is in fact funny. The cast run rings around one another attempting to prove this and what's most surprising is that it is in fact pretty damn funny. Ackerman is one of those actresses who has always been able to deliver a laugh but here it's her psychical humor that impresses the most. She manages to make falling over funny and her drunk shtick is spot on and played for just he right laughs.

Much like Modern Family and The Neighbors, Trophy Wife has a lot of potential and like those shows it just needs to settle down a little. It's both an asset and a liability for a show to try too hard and while it's nice to see a new sitcom giving it it's all Trophy Wife's biggest liability is the manner in which the jokes and set ups are mined for every last bit of comedic value. Simple jokes such as Bradley Whitford’s inability to assemble a simple tripod is initially funny but grows tiresome as the gag is played out for way too long. Likewise is the manner in which Ackerman is seen as some klutz who can't leave a room like an adult. At first it's kinda charming but the writers can's seem to end the gag on a high, preferring to instead drag it out till all humour is long gone.

Much like with the other "new" family sitcom The Millers it's the cast that help makes Trophy Wife such an enticing prospect. Rather than employ generic stereotypes the cast play their roles with something a little unexpected. Marcia Gay Harden has the thankless role of the stern domineering ex-wife/mother but thanks to the writing she's able to do something fresh and interesting with the role. Rather than the bland TV archetype of the cold, calculating bitch she comes across as a caring and interesting character. Much the same can be said for Michaela Watkins who plays a character so New Age that you doubt she could tie her shoes without first spending ten minutes thanking nature. In most sitcoms it would be a trite and tired character but thanks once again to the performance and the writing the role is elevated into something interesting.

Trophy Wife has the potential to alongside The Millers be this seasons standout sitcom. The pilots for both are somewhat patchy but there are plenty of laughs and both shows use the writing and some great lines to hint at a history between the characters. And lets be honest, any show that can use such as simple set up as a character confusing another by filling their garden with 50 hide-a-keys to generate some genuine laughter deserves a few chances.

evilivor

Deleted User wrote: »

Trophy Wife seems to spend most of it's first episode trying to convince us that it is in fact funny. The cast run rings around one another attempting to prove this and what's most surprising is that it is in fact pretty damn funny. Ackerman is one of those actresses who has always been able to deliver a laugh but here it's her psychical humor that impresses the most. She manages to make falling over funny and her drunk shtick is spot on and played for just he right laughs.

Much like Modern Family and The Neighbors, Trophy Wife has a lot of potential and like those shows it just needs to settle down a little. It's both an asset and a liability for a show to try too hard and while it's nice to see a new sitcom giving it it's all Trophy Wife's biggest liability is the manner in which the jokes and set ups are mined for every last bit of comedic value. Simple jokes such as Bradley Whitford’s inability to assemble a simple tripod is initially funny but grows tiresome as the gag is played out for way too long. Likewise is the manner in which Ackerman is seen as some klutz who can't leave a room like an adult. At first it's kinda charming but the writers can's seem to end the gag on a high, preferring to instead drag it out till all humour is long gone.

Much like with the other "new" family sitcom The Millers it's the cast that help makes Trophy Wife such an enticing prospect. Rather than employ generic stereotypes the cast play their roles with something a little unexpected. Marcia Gay Harden has the thankless role of the stern domineering ex-wife/mother but thanks to the writing she's able to do something fresh and interesting with the role. Rather than the bland TV archetype of the cold, calculating bitch she comes across as a caring and interesting character. Much the same can be said for Michaela Watkins who plays a character so New Age that you doubt she could tie her shoes without first spending ten minutes thanking nature. In most sitcoms it would be a trite and tired character but thanks once again to the performance and the writing the role is elevated into something interesting.

Trophy Wife has the potential to alongside The Millers be this seasons standout sitcom. The pilots for both are somewhat patchy but there are plenty of laughs and both shows use the writing and some great lines to hint at a history between the characters. And lets be honest, any show that can use such as simple set up as a character confusing another by filling their garden with 50 hide-a-keys to generate some genuine laughter deserves a few chances.

I liked the pilot but the second episode was pants.

evilivor

evilivor wrote: »

I liked the pilot but the second episode was pants.

I've yet to watch the second episode but it's one of the few new shows I'm happy to give a few chances to as it's the kind of show that needs to find its feet and let all the parts settle into place.

JP Liz V1

It has got a full season pick up by ABC

mafaa

glad it is full season

Catching up on this and it really has grown into one of the strongest sitcoms in a long time. There's a constant sense of fun and even when it's relying on cheap and lazy tropes and setups it still manages to be head and shoulders above trash such as The Big Bang Theory.

iguana

I just found this show and was sorry to see it was cancelled after one series. It wasn't anything amazing or ground-breaking but it seems like a neat little show, that manages to be humorous and heartfelt without being patronising or jokes by numbers. I really like it, though watching it is bittersweet when I know it can't go anywhere.

It was a damn good little show, the kind of unassuming, easy to watch fun that's the perfect way to end a long day.