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'Mike & Molly' review: CBS's new sitcom has heart and humor, despite the laugh track
It's easy to get bogged down by a premise, especially when it comes to sitcoms, but CBS's "Mike & Molly" rises above the token fat jokes in its new comedy by casting two relatable leads -- who just happen to be overweight.
The series instead focuses on the awkwardness, romance and hilarity of new love, amplified by the adorable sheepishness of the title characters and told from the very beginning.
Not that "Mike & Molly" doesn't really go for it with the size issue. The couple, played by Billy Gardell ("My Name is Earl," "Heist") and Melissa McCarthy ("Gilmore Girls," "Samantha Who?") meet at an Overeaters Anonymous meeting. And that's not where the chubby puns begin or end.
The opening scene features Mike lamenting his modest lunch with his best friend, and partner in law enforcement, Carl (Reno Wilson), cracking wise about his diet. And our first glimpse of Molly is of her hunched over an elliptical machine, staring in frustration as her mother (Swoosie Kurtz) and sister (Katy Mixon) fawn over an absurdly large slice of chocolate cake. [Ed. note: You're not fooling anyone, Kurtz. That tiny frame has room for about three forkfuls.]
And it's Kurtz and Mixon that really elevate "Mike & Molly" from most couple-centric comedies. Kurtz, a veteran character actress, adds life to every project she tackles, and Mixon's under-the-radar scene-stealing can finally register with a wider audience after overlooked turns on "Eastbound and Down" and "Two and a Half Men." References about her stoner-status, however heavy-handed, deliver the pilot's biggest punchlines.
Still, size does matter. And the candidness with which the main couples' weight is addressed is likely to draw some criticism. McCarthy flourished for seven seasons of "Gilmore Girls" without one mention of her weight, so it's particularly hard to see her typecast as "the fat girl" -- even if the series offers the greatest platform of her career. As for Gardell, his weight seems to be much more of a problem than his co-star's. While McCarthy's size is a superficial issue, Gardell's seems detrimental to his health. And laughing at that could do more harm than good.
But that's a larger issue that maybe doesn't belong in conversations about this new series, which deserves a chance to address these matters on its own timetable and be enjoyed for what it is: a sweet revival of the multi-camera, laugh-track sitcom that makes you smile while tugging ever so gently at your heartstrings.
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Photo credit: CBS
The series instead focuses on the awkwardness, romance and hilarity of new love, amplified by the adorable sheepishness of the title characters and told from the very beginning.
Not that "Mike & Molly" doesn't really go for it with the size issue. The couple, played by Billy Gardell ("My Name is Earl," "Heist") and Melissa McCarthy ("Gilmore Girls," "Samantha Who?") meet at an Overeaters Anonymous meeting. And that's not where the chubby puns begin or end.
The opening scene features Mike lamenting his modest lunch with his best friend, and partner in law enforcement, Carl (Reno Wilson), cracking wise about his diet. And our first glimpse of Molly is of her hunched over an elliptical machine, staring in frustration as her mother (Swoosie Kurtz) and sister (Katy Mixon) fawn over an absurdly large slice of chocolate cake. [Ed. note: You're not fooling anyone, Kurtz. That tiny frame has room for about three forkfuls.]
And it's Kurtz and Mixon that really elevate "Mike & Molly" from most couple-centric comedies. Kurtz, a veteran character actress, adds life to every project she tackles, and Mixon's under-the-radar scene-stealing can finally register with a wider audience after overlooked turns on "Eastbound and Down" and "Two and a Half Men." References about her stoner-status, however heavy-handed, deliver the pilot's biggest punchlines.
Still, size does matter. And the candidness with which the main couples' weight is addressed is likely to draw some criticism. McCarthy flourished for seven seasons of "Gilmore Girls" without one mention of her weight, so it's particularly hard to see her typecast as "the fat girl" -- even if the series offers the greatest platform of her career. As for Gardell, his weight seems to be much more of a problem than his co-star's. While McCarthy's size is a superficial issue, Gardell's seems detrimental to his health. And laughing at that could do more harm than good.
But that's a larger issue that maybe doesn't belong in conversations about this new series, which deserves a chance to address these matters on its own timetable and be enjoyed for what it is: a sweet revival of the multi-camera, laugh-track sitcom that makes you smile while tugging ever so gently at your heartstrings.
Follow Zap2it and MikeyLikesTV on Twitter and Zap2it on Facebook for the latest TV, movie and celebrity news.
Photo credit: CBS
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I love Melissa McCarthy (she will ALWAYS be Sookie to me) (and she was so good in "Samantha Who?) so I am really looking forward to "Mike & Molly." Don't know the male lead or the sister, but also love Swoosie Kurtz...have followed her since "Sisters" and in the movie "Against All Odds" - she always brings a lot of fun to her characters!
Why does everything have to be so damn PC? We laugh weekly at Sheldon Cooper, a borderline but comical sociopathic nut-case. If the fat jokes get old or tasteless, the audience won't stick around.
Mike & Molly is terrible! The trailer made it look much better than it actually was and I thought the trailer was bad. Melissa McCarthy is awful, Katy Mixon is worse and, after a career that's lasted over 30 years, Swoosie Kurtz might never work again after this. She takes a horribly written character and makes sure that there is absolutely nothing redeeming about her.
The whole thing was worse than I ever imagined it could be. And all it does is make fun of overweight people and make skinny people seem like horrible human beings. I've never been more disappointed in a show. Thank god Biggest Loser is back tonight. Now there's a show with people I can relate to.
This show looked like it was written by a bunch of 12 year old bad boys making fun of the fat kids in the schoolyard! Very poorly written and the fat jokes were SO overdone and SO CLICHE and "old hat." I thought this show was gonna be about 2 plus size people that meet and eventually fall in love - ok an occasional chubby joke - no problem. How about some INTELLIGENT, WITTY HUMOR?? But these are 2 people going to OA and trying to do something positive about their weight and the people who love them are just ragging on them and being so UN-supportive - this sends a HORRIBLE message out to the viewers! And that "lesbo" joke by Swoozie's character was not funny at all. Again, ARE 12 YEAR OLD BOYS WRITING THIS?
I just read the comment from the poster above me. That's a good point too - it does make skinny people look horrible - like all skinny people do is go around all day making fun of fat people- which they usually don't. Maybe the 12 year olds or mean high school cheerleaders do, but MOST MATURE GROWN ADULTS DO NOT!
Anyone with half a brain knows MORBIDLY FAT is not funny. This show is gone in 6 weeks or I'll eat my words!
This show was terrible. MM deserves way better than this embarrassing crap. There was not a single funny line. You have the snarky black cop, the quippy waiter, the pot smoking sister with huge *****, obnoxious mom, and wait for it...the funny fat guy. Awful, simply awful. I give it 5 episodes at most. It's worse than Kelsey Grammer's last show, and that is saying a lot.
I love this show, Melissa McCarthy is so funny! The second show was definitely funnier. I hope people give it a chance?
If Chuck Lorre's tv shows were paintings and I was Chuck's mother, I wouldn't put his artwork on the refrigerator. That s**t belongs in the trash. I just feel embarrassed for him and the actors every time I watch his shows. Don't get me wrong, sometimes failure can be funny. Chuck Lorre, however, is not.
i like the show and will continue watching it. Im so sick of all the other crap on tv and this is so much better than watching BIGGEST LOSER. Which is the bigest load of crap. morbidly obese people lose 30-40 pounds in one week. BULLs#!t That is not healthy or right.