The show feels like a mix of Friends, That 70s Show, and every other sitcom from the last 15 years about a bunch of cool young pals hanging out. The jokes don't always work, and the situations are on the stale side. But the characters have potential, and some of the actors are interesting, and if it lasts long enough, it could develop into something fun.
Henry is a small-town Missouri boy who's recently moved to Chicago with girlfriend Heather. But Heather's just dumped him, thrown him out of their apartment, and gotten him fired from his job (his boss was her uncle). Henry finds a new apartment in the same building, moving in with Larry; Larry needs a new roommate because Brad has just moved out to live with his fiance, Tina. Larry is horrified by this development, because Tina is a control freak who insists on dictating Brad's every move; in response, Larry adopts Henry as a personal project, plotting to "build a better Brad" out of Henry. The first step is to get Henry a job working for Larry's friend Amanda.
Unfortunately, the show's least interesting actor is at the center. As Henry, John Sloan is vaguely reminiscent of That 70s Show's Topher Grace, but lacks Grace's charisma and comic timing. The more interesting performances come from the supporting players, especially Lex Medlin as Larry and Beth Lacke as Amanda. Medlin is like a younger version of Greg Grunberg (Alias), and he conveys a certain charm through Larry's vulgarity and cockiness. Lacke puts a distinctive spin on her lines, and gets more laughs than the dialogue deserves.
I'll keep watching for at least another week or two, with a sense of cautious optimism.
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