TMC
08-31-2022, 09:20 PM
https://www.looper.com/987535/the-krysten-ritter-comedy-that-was-canceled-too-soon/
This short-lived ABC sitcom was a memorable role for Ritter
The show was created by Nahnatchka Khan, who went on to make "Fresh Off The Boat" and "Young Rock." Ritter starred as Chloe, the resident of Apartment 23, who gets a new roommate, June, played by Dreama Walker. June gets drawn into Chloe's chaotic life as the duo form an unlikely friendship. Other cast members included Liza Lapira as a neighbor, Eric Andre as June's co-worker and love interest, and James Van Der Beek, who played a fictionalized version of himself reliving his "Dawson's Creek" fame.
The sitcom was initially slated to air on Fox before the channel passed, allowing ABC to pick it up (per Variety (https://web.archive.org/web/20121108062303/http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118030051?refCatId=14)). Unfortunately, the show suffered from airing issues; while ABC ordered 13 episodes for the first season, only seven episodes made it to air. Fortunately, the series was renewed for a second season, with the six additional episodes of the first season added for a 19-episode second season (via The Futon Critic (http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2012/05/11/abc-gives-second-season-to-dont-trust-the-b-in-apartment-23-96311/9775)).
ABC, however, pulled the show from its schedule only 11 episodes into the show's second season, opting to instead air back-to-back episodes of "Happy Endings" in its place (per The Hollywood Reporter (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/abc-yanks-apartment-23-schedule-414341/)). The final episodes of the show's second season were eventually released online.
The show suffered from issues during its airing as well
ABC also opted to air episodes out of order during the show's original run (via Time (https://time.com/3002175/logo-dont-trust-the-b-unaired-episodes/)), which led to confusion among many viewers as the overarching storylines of the show were left muddled. In addition, while ABC aired the short first season on a consistent weekly schedule, the second season frequently took a week's break. ABC abruptly decided to air new episodes on Sundays and Tuesdays shortly before its cancellation.
Despite ABC's mishandling of the series, "Don't Trust The B in Apartment 23" garnered praise from critics and audiences, with the first season receiving an 88% critic rating and an 85% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes (https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/don-t-trust-the-b-in-apartment-23/s01) and the second season remaining equally strong with an 83% critic rating and 82% audience rating (via Rotten Tomatoes (https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/don-t-trust-the-b-in-apartment-23/s02)).
In a 2014 interview with The Hollywood Reporter (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/james-van-der-beek-lessons-680947/), James Van Der Beek expressed a desire to do more comedy in the show's vein, saying, "You feel very safe when you're constantly destroying all those little things you keep precious as an actor. It's a very liberating feeling. I'll probably find a way to do more of it here and there."
This short-lived ABC sitcom was a memorable role for Ritter
The show was created by Nahnatchka Khan, who went on to make "Fresh Off The Boat" and "Young Rock." Ritter starred as Chloe, the resident of Apartment 23, who gets a new roommate, June, played by Dreama Walker. June gets drawn into Chloe's chaotic life as the duo form an unlikely friendship. Other cast members included Liza Lapira as a neighbor, Eric Andre as June's co-worker and love interest, and James Van Der Beek, who played a fictionalized version of himself reliving his "Dawson's Creek" fame.
The sitcom was initially slated to air on Fox before the channel passed, allowing ABC to pick it up (per Variety (https://web.archive.org/web/20121108062303/http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118030051?refCatId=14)). Unfortunately, the show suffered from airing issues; while ABC ordered 13 episodes for the first season, only seven episodes made it to air. Fortunately, the series was renewed for a second season, with the six additional episodes of the first season added for a 19-episode second season (via The Futon Critic (http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2012/05/11/abc-gives-second-season-to-dont-trust-the-b-in-apartment-23-96311/9775)).
ABC, however, pulled the show from its schedule only 11 episodes into the show's second season, opting to instead air back-to-back episodes of "Happy Endings" in its place (per The Hollywood Reporter (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/abc-yanks-apartment-23-schedule-414341/)). The final episodes of the show's second season were eventually released online.
The show suffered from issues during its airing as well
ABC also opted to air episodes out of order during the show's original run (via Time (https://time.com/3002175/logo-dont-trust-the-b-unaired-episodes/)), which led to confusion among many viewers as the overarching storylines of the show were left muddled. In addition, while ABC aired the short first season on a consistent weekly schedule, the second season frequently took a week's break. ABC abruptly decided to air new episodes on Sundays and Tuesdays shortly before its cancellation.
Despite ABC's mishandling of the series, "Don't Trust The B in Apartment 23" garnered praise from critics and audiences, with the first season receiving an 88% critic rating and an 85% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes (https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/don-t-trust-the-b-in-apartment-23/s01) and the second season remaining equally strong with an 83% critic rating and 82% audience rating (via Rotten Tomatoes (https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/don-t-trust-the-b-in-apartment-23/s02)).
In a 2014 interview with The Hollywood Reporter (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/james-van-der-beek-lessons-680947/), James Van Der Beek expressed a desire to do more comedy in the show's vein, saying, "You feel very safe when you're constantly destroying all those little things you keep precious as an actor. It's a very liberating feeling. I'll probably find a way to do more of it here and there."