So this pretty cool show called "Men of a Certain Age" ended it's limited run on cable last week. It starred Ray Romano the "Everybody Loves Raymond" and Andre from "Homicide Life on the Streets" and the Quantum Leap dude.
Romano was the producer and writer on the show and I thought it was a quality show. it gave these guys believable problems and realistic situations. I mean Ray owns a business but he loves to gamble and had to lay off a worker because he was falling behind on his betting. Man I know a bunch of people who did the same thing. They kept chasing it until they lost their business, their homes and their families. Basically everything. A sports obsession can be a pretty bad thing because you think you know and you can bet your way out of trouble. It never happens that way. You always bet yourself into real trouble. But you almost never see a show that has these real life problems.
Andre worked for his dad in his car dealership and his old man keeps putting him down and he substitutes eating for happiness. So much so that his diabetes gets out of control. He finally goes to work for a rival dealership after his Dad puts the smarmy rival guy in charge of his dealership. He does really well and his Dad relents and brings him back. Ok not so believable but still interesting.
Finally the Scott dude from "Enterprise" plays a Peter Pan type actor guy who abandoned his much younger girlfriend to screw around on a movie set for a month. She dumps him and there is a great scene in the Starbucks like joint that she works. She takes his order and writes "Dick" on his cup. So as he tries to explain himself, the other worker who makes the coffee is shouting "Dick, there is a black coffee for Dick... Dick.. Hey Dick your coffee is here." Pretty cute.
They tie everything up a little too neatly and there are basically happy endings to all of the story lines but I guess that is Ray Romano's sitcom chops showing through. But I have to say a recognized a lot of what these dudes were going through and I just keep asking myself the same question.
When did I become an old guy!
18 comments:
I've been watching that show too, though most of it is still in the DVR. The problem was that I couldn't get the wife to watch it with me--she just couldn't get past Ray Romano using foul language.
We finally came to a concordat: I will watch Caprica with her and she will watch Men of a certain age with me.
I watched a bit of a few episodes of this show and didn't really like it.
I watch TV to get away from real life, not have it displayed is hidef and stereo. I really think this show could have been better had they read more comedy into the situations.
So when I watch and there is a specific situation I recognize and I see how these guys can laugh their way through it, then I can laugh my way through it too.
I wonder, based on the previews, if the show wasn't developed that way and the writing could keep up with the premise?
And I don't think of myself as an old guy.
Ah crap; there's that damn kid on my lawn again...
Well I kind of liked the show because it wasn't another Law and Order/CSI show with Criminal Minds who leave Bones all over the place and make you call the Meduim to be a Mentalist to solve the crime.
I like a normal show about normal people who have normal problems. Like the actor guy hooking up with the crazy chinese broad from across the hallway who won't go away. Or Andre stuffing his face on the sneak because his wife doesn't want him to get sick. Or Ray having to fire someone and everyone looking at him like he was a jerk for doing it. Well yeah he was a jerk because his gambling caused it. But sometimes it is just the economy you know and there is nothing you can do.
I don't know. I like to see normal real problems.
If I want fanatasy I just go to the internets.
You're not getting older, you're getting better.
And if you believe that I've got a bridge to sell you in Brooklyn.
I'm just Cliches-R-Us today.
"You're not getting older, you're getting wetter."
That's what Depends are for!
I like this show; Andre Braugher was great and I also liked seeing Ray Romano do something serious. Is it over? Or is there going to be another season?
Yes they were renewed for next season.
Ray is in a golf show where a "golf
whisperer" helps him with his game.
Personally--that is, if you were to ask me--I'd suggest Sam Levinson's "In One Era and Out the Other."
But since you didn't ask me, I'll just keep hugging that gem to myself, along with my memories of my paternal Grandma (God rest her soul, ye these 19-ish years ago) explaining some of the jokes, telling [yet more] of her own stories and thus hooking me onto that book, ye these 36-ish years ago.
'Tis a Feast Day in Lent, and up early am I, and so here I am, leaving this treat for you, as a bit o' celebration.
; )
I just love it when reader breezes through here Troop. You ought to actually invite her here instead of just relying on random chance.
No, he shouldn't. Why should he? The random breezing-through is the thing that works without disrupting or leading to other things. Sometimes that's what there is.**
No offense, dear Chickelit, but it's working just fine as it is; at least, I think so. : )
----
**For the record, Trooper did a great good stand-up thing, now a long time ago, by agreeing to not make me a focus. He respected that request. If anything, my drive-by stuff transgresses, and, should he deem it so, is unfair (with which I could not argue, should he choose to make that argument).
He's doing a favor by letting all that go, truth be told.
OK, Sunday's ebbing. 'Bye now.
Reader is always welcome to particpate as much as she wants. She knows that. I don't seek out people who have stopped commenting and try to hurt them...as people who remain nameless have done!
Come and stay and talk or not. This is not Malice's restaurant
The only thing that sucks is that my best work never gets any comments because I think it scares everybody. And I understand that.
Quiet appreciation works too!
The only thing that sucks is that my best work never gets any comments because I think it scares everybody. And I understand that.
Sometimes you're just too far ahead of the curve I guess.
When did you become an old guy?
It's a process. You're young, then you're youngish, then you're not-so-young any more, then you're oldish...
blake wrote: It's a process. You're young, then you're youngish, then you're not-so-young any more, then you're oldish...
Blake, you sound like you're channeling Barth: Link.
My Irish granddad once told me the "old" means when you order a double, they serve you a bran muffin with a side of prune juice.
I like the muffins, and am suspiciously eying the juice.
I'd listen to Andre Braugher reading a phone book. His role as the psychiatrist in several episodes of House this season was nothing short of brilliant. the other two guys? Eh, my neighborhood's full of them.
My Irish granddad once told me the "old" means when you order a double, they serve you a bran muffin with a side of prune juice.
Sadly I can't claim any Irish blood. And the day is coming around again when I want to be.
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