TRAFFIC LIGHT
Starring: David Denman, Nelson Franklin, Kris Marshall, Liza Lapira, Aya Cash
Based on Israeli TV show
Ramzor, Developed by Bob Fisher
Teleplay by Bob Fisher, Directed by Chris Koch
FOX's newest sitcom is
Traffic Light, based on an Israeli sitcom whose title is translated to mean "traffic light" as well. It centers on three longtime friends who are now in very different stages of life. Mike (David Denman) is happily married to Lisa (Liza Lapira) with a young child but he still values his alone time. Adam (Nelson Franklin) is going through the adjustment of moving in with his girlfriend Callie (Aya Cash). And Ethan (Kris Marshall) is a British and single womanizer who values his freedom. The "traffic light" symbolizes the three different levels in life they are (Mike=red, Adam=yellow, Ethan=green).
There is nothing new about this buddy/romantic comedy but yet it feels refreshing. Character development is always hard in a sitcom so one that shows this much promise in the pilot is often on a good road. The characters and writing are sharp. Unlike the similarly-themed
Perfect Couples, these characters seem like real people. A standout was Denman and Lapira's in-car conversations and games. The scene at the beginning with Adam getting pulled over and his buddies on the phone was also clever and funny. All the characters are likable. Mike, Adam, and Ethan are all funny and seem to have a good rapport with each other while the two women in the picture are good foils to the buddies.
Not everything is perfect - the clown scene/bit came off a bit weak and tired and the traffic light analogy thrown in at the end of the episode seemed a bit forced and serious for a show that had been very lighthearted up to that point. The most important thing in a pilot though is the characters and
Traffic Light seems on the right path in that department. These are believable characters who we could grow to love. It has to keep up to actually work but it's a good start. There's some promise here.
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