The 2012-13 season was not a good one for comedies. Only two modestly rated newbies were renewed (The Neighbors, The Mindy Project) and none were all that impressive but I had to find some superlatives so here we go.
BEST NEW COMEDYGo On (NBC) - Matthew Perry made another return to sitcoms with Go On, which followed a grief support group. I thought it had the chance to be terribly unfunny or a niche comedy like Community. Instead, it surprised me as it was quite funny and had a whole lot of heart. The camaraderie between the group members and the real touching moments in the midst of humor were the best parts of this series. It had a wacky ensemble filled with very solid performances but it tugged at emotional heartstrings once in a while when it was at its best. I will not really miss Go On all that much but it was my favorite new comedy to watch this year.
The Runners-Up
Ben and Kate (FOX) - Ben and Kate certainly had its moments. It uniquely looked at the relationship between a brother and sister rather than lovers and that dynamic really helped the show feel fresh at times. The problem was that it was very inconsistent. At varying times it was downright silly, raunchy, or sweet. Some shows can manage to juggle those three effectively but it felt a little like whiplash on this show. Still, it might have found its way if it had more time.
Guys with Kids (NBC) - There was a lot of hating on Guys with Kids because it was an old-fashioned multi-camera sitcom. Some of it was well deserved because there were tired jokes and cliches. But there was also a real sense of familiarity with this show and that helped it to be an enjoyable watching experience. In a season like this one, that was enough to get it in third place on my list.
Worth Mentioning: 1600 Penn (NBC), How to Live with Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life) (ABC)
Matthew Perry, Go On (NBC) - I really want Matthew Perry to find success in his post-Friends life. He was very solid on the troubled drama Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and his 2011 ABC sitcom Mr. Sunshine was ill-conceived. But this one really had promise and Perry was very likable and endearing in the lead role. With his character having just lost his wife, the role sometimes required a dramatic performance from Perry and he delivered as he made Ryan King supremely confident on the outside yet supremely vulnerable on the inside.
The Runners-Up
Anthony Anderson, Guys with Kids (NBC) - Anderson was definitely the best part of Guys with Kids and he deserves to be on a successful sitcom somewhere. His man-child Gary was not the same type of man-child we see on other shows. He was responsible yet silly as he played an exasperated father of four boys. The over the top reactions worked for this show and he delivered them well.
Josh Gad, 1600 Penn (NBC) - I did not like Josh Gad in the pilot of 1600 Penn at all but he grew on me as I watched a few more episodes. His weirdness that was too over-the-top in the pilot ended up being pretty suited for the show and more nuanced as the episodes went on. He became a character to root for and that's always a sign of a good performance.
Worth Mentioning: Nat Faxon, Ben and Kate (FOX), Zach Cregger, Guys with Kids (NBC)
Dakota Johnson, Ben and Kate (FOX) - The "Kate" of Ben and Kate was my favorite part of this short-lived show. Dakota Johnson basically played a straight woman to the more colorful characters around her and that can sometimes be the toughest part to play. But she did it well, she was funny yet grounded and that made the show feel a little more real. She also started to get the nervous energy down right before the show was cancelled.
The Runners-Up
Laura Benanti, Go On (NBC) - Laura Benanti's Lauren was the leader of the counseling group but her own life was not all that put together. What made Benanti's performance strong was her back-and-forth with Matthew Perry as the two were sometimes adversaries and sometimes buddies. It was a strong dynamic in the show that I'm sure they were only beginning to explore when it was cancelled after one season. In some ways she was a straight woman but Lauren kept Perry's Ryan King accountable and vice-versa.
Sarah Chalke, How to Live with Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life) (ABC) - She's really only on here because I didn't have any other lead actresses I wanted to give the honor too. But she was the best part of a ho-hum series. Like some of the other actors listed here, Sarah Chalke needs to find something good. It wasn't Mad Love and it wasn't this, but she can shine with the right material.
Worth Mentioning: Reba McEntire, Malibu Country (ABC), Mindy Kaling, The Mindy Project (FOX)
Bill Pullman, 1600 Penn (NBC) - The supporting categories are pretty weak this year. In another year, Pullman would struggle to be anywhere near the top. But in such a weak year, his President Gilchrist takes the cake. Pullman was best when he was being a father to his kids and not the President of the US as that comedy sometimes fell flat. But his frustrations with his four kids, especially Josh Gad's Skip, made him a good foil.
The Runners-Up
Brett Gehlmen, Go On (NBC) - Brett Gehlmen's bizarre Mr. K was my least favorite part of the Go On pilot but over time, he became one of my favorite characters. In the pilot, I just didn't get it and there were times in other episodes, I didn't either. But there were also times were he actually made me laugh. I think Gehlmen played it well, I just think the character could have been written a little better.
Echo Kellum, Ben and Kate (FOX) - As Ben's best friend Tommy, Echo Kellum was one of the many zany black friends to appear on a sitcom this year but he played his with reality even if and Nat Faxon's Ben occasionally drifted into crazy situations. He was a good partner-in-crime.
Worth Mentioning: Brad Garrett, How to Live with Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life) (ABC), Edie Gathegi, Family Tools (ABC)
Julie White, Go On (NBC) - Again, this is another weak category because Julie White's Anne wouldn't have really be in the running in a better year. That being said, she did a nice job with her character and I liked her older, wiser role in connection to Matthew Perry's character. Like most of the other characters on the show, she also had to show some emotion and dramatic work and did a nice job with it.
The Runners-Up
Erinn Hayes, Guys with Kids (NBC) - Of the three supporting women in Guys with Kids, Erinn Hayes as Sheila was my favorite even though she was playing a stereotypical role as the exceedingly snobby yet well-meaning ex-wife of Chris. She was at her best when she was sparring with Zach Cregger's Nick. Again, not a brilliant performance but a good one.
Lucy Punch, Ben and Kate (FOX) - I don't typically like British characters but Lucy Punch ended up being pretty funny as the vulgar and strange BJ. She was sometimes annoying but sometimes very funny especially when she was going on a strange riff about any random topic.
Worth Mentioning: Tempestt Bledsoe, Guys with Kids (NBC), Elizabeth Perkins, How to Live with Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life) (ABC)
WORST NEW COMEDYAnimal Practice (NBC) - This was one of the tougher categories because there's just so much competition! But the worst of the worst was the short-lived Animal Practice. It was uniquely set at an animal hospital but it was not funny at all. When a monkey is the best part of your show (and gets the most buzz), that's a problem. Yet that happened here with Crystal the Monkey. The human characters were so dull particularly Justin Kirk in the lead role and the show was painfully unfunny. No wonder it barely made it to November.
The Runners-Up
Partners (CBS) - I get frustrated with multi-cam sitcoms like this because they seem so set in the past with a complete lack of wit and humor. Partners was a tired concept with over-the-top, unrealistic performances. Why can't there be more well-written multi-camera sitcoms out there? Too many of these make the entire genre seem dated.
The Neighbors (ABC) - I have heard that this show has gotten better and it surprised most by not only lasting the year but getting a second season. I admit I only watched the pilot but I hated that. It wasn't funny, it was corny. I only put it third because of what I heard but I can't imagine it getting better to the point where I would want to watch it.
Worth Mentioning: The New Normal (NBC), Family Tools (ABC)
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