Courtesy of ABC
We watch a lot of TV – some of it good and some of it…not so good. For the 2013 pilot season, we’re checking out a few series we won’t be writing on regularly, but may check back on throughout the season. Next on the docket: the much troubled premiere of ABC’s Super Fun Night.
Let’s bitch it out…Ye gods. You know how you hear about things that are atrociously bad and think to yourself “how bad can it actually be?” Well, in the case of Super Fun Night, that would be pretty darn bad. As most critics have highlighted, this is actually the third attempt at a pilot – the first one failed to earn a series pick-up (at which point the show moved to ABC), the second attempt produced a brand new pilot which was then shelved in favour of this supposedly less crappy episode.
Which means that we’re living in a world where there are at least two other episodes that are worse than this “pilot” kicking around.
Let’s just get it out of the way: ABC wants to be in the Rebel Wilson business because she’s a funny gal and they’re probably hoping that she eventually becomes a big movie star (a la Melissa McCarthy, who remains stuck on CBS’ Mike & Molly despite appearing in massively profitable film comedies). Whether or not Wilson’s movie career takes off, it appears that her time on the boob-tube may be short-lived…because this show is baaaaad.
I’ll admit that it’s not so bad that I didn’t laugh once or twice, but they were definitely guilty laughs. Any amusement in no way coincides with the cheap laughs the show is determined to force on viewers. Fat jokes, public exposure jokes, humiliation/fainting jokes, hyper competitive/bitchy co-worker jokes, desperate loser jokes and, of course, physical pratfalls. This sitcom has a whole series of tropes that haven’t really ever been funny, but it sure trots them out like they’re the funniest thing since sliced bread (ie: not funny).
These are not fun characters. The competitive co-worker/bitch, Kendall (Kate Jenkinson), is such a caricature that it’s amazing no one punches her in the face. The British love interest, Richard (Kevin Bishop) is a) not hot enough (petty, but true) and b) so bland that you would never believe anyone would bother. And Wilson’s friends, Marika (Linda Ash) and Helen-Alice (Liza Lapira) are just confusing: sometimes stupid, socially awkward nerds and at other times idiot savants spouting wisdom and cliches. At the center is Wilson’s Kimmie, who could be fun in a lovable loser way if you weren’t constantly wishing she would let her natural Aussie accent come out.
Super Fun Night is a mess. A hot mess. But not a fun, mockable hot mess. Just a sad, desperate, unfunny mess. Avoid this one at all costs.
P.S. Spanx jokes are not funny. They never have been, and never will be, funny. That is all.
What are your thoughts: am I off base? Is Super Fun Night worth sticking around to see if it will improve (even at the risk of more retainer jokes)? Do you care about anyone on this? Would you rather have dental surgery before watching another episode?
Super Fun Night airs Wednesdays at 9:30pm EST on ABC. We will under no circumstances be returning to check in on the show in the future. Enjoy at your own costs
I was amused at some parts, but I feel that the show is too dark. These girls don’t look like they are having fun in pushing their boundaries. And Kendall is a total bitch.
I get that Kevin isn’t the hottest guy but could he at least seem sympathetic and worthy of Rebel’s crushing over him? He just seemed so bland…