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PILOT REVIEW: Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23

DON'T TRUST THE B---- IN APARTMENT 23










Starring: Krysten Ritter, Dreama Walker, Liza Lapira, Michael Blaiklock, Eric Andre, and James Van Der Beek

Created by Nahnatchka Khan
Written by Nahnatchka Khan, Directed by Jason Winer

Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 is a new sitcom from ABC with an oddball premise. Midwestern girl June (Dreama Walker) moves to the city for a big hob but she's out of luck when the company is shut down by the government. Looking for a roommate, she falls for con artist Chloe's (Krysten Ritter) tricks of stealing roommate's money and then forcing them out of the apartment by being an unbearable roommate. But June hangs with her and the two even show hints of friendship. Rounding out the main cast is Robin (Liza Lapira), a neighbor with a crush on Chloe, Eli (Michael Blaiklock), a perverted neighbor, Mark (Eric Andre), a friend and co-worker of June's, and... the gimmick... James Van Der Beek as an exaggerated version of himself who used to date and is still friends with Chloe.

THE GOOD: I don't know quite what to make of this show. Like honestly, I don't - it is one of the more difficult ones to review. So I guess I'll list things I liked - I liked Dreama Walker in general. That kind of role can be done a lot (naive girl new to the city), she was believable and not annoying. It has a theme song! I always like that even if it's short. There were some funny bits in the pilot such as the roommate interviews June went on that didn't work out. James Van Der Beek was funny in the pilot but I'm not sure if his character will stay funny or if he will wear thin. Krysten Ritter was good in her role but I'll get to her later.

THE BAD: Yes, Krysten Ritter was good in her role but I'm not sure what to say about her character. It's so odd for a lead in a series to have no likable qualities. Maybe we'll get some in future episodes but I think even the most obnoxious characters have to have some redeeming qualities (think Ted Baxter, Michael Scott to name a couple). There was nothing to like about Chloe in the pilot. Even her attempt to prove that the fiance was cheating on June was done in such an odd over the top way. I like the way Ritter played the role but I'm not sure I like how the role was written. I'm not saying everyone needs to be nice, I'm just saying this character needs to be flushed out more and given something for viewers to identify with. There were a few other things that didn't work in the pilot (parents on skype, the neighbor down the hall) but that always happens with sitcom pilots.

BOTTOM LINE: I will certainly give this show another chance if only because I was so perplexed by the pilot, I need to see how it develops in the coming weeks. I could see it going the New Girl route (working out its quirkiness and becoming a great ensemble comedy) or going the 2 Broke Girls route (veering into crassness and staleness). I'll give it some time and I have a feeling ABC will too.
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Comments

  1. darciMay 14, 2012 at 6:44 PM

    So Chloe having sex with June's fiancé on top of her birthday cake in order to show her that he's a cheater is the nicest thing anybody's ever done for June? Hahaha that's all it took for me to be sold on this ridiculously hilarious/raunchy/absurd show. Extra kudos for having the song "Infinity Guitars" by Seigh Bells playing in the background the whole time.

    Also, James Van Der Beek as a fictionalized version of himself is about the funniest thing since Neal Patrick Harris in the Harold and Kumar movies (well, at least #1 and #3)

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