TMC
05-20-2026, 02:12 AM
https://jacksonupperco.com/2026/05/20/raining-on-the-parade-a-look-at-mr-sunshine/
Thoughts: Matthew Perry is uniquely funny. Allison Janney is one of the most gifted actresses of the 21st century. And workplaces tend to be some of my favorite setups for situation comedies. So, I really want to be able to say that I love Mr. Sunshine. But I don’t. I think it’s a forgettable show that’s more cute than funny, in large part because none of the characters are comedically well-defined. Well, let me be more specific. I think Allison Janney as the erratic boss has the sort of bold comic energy that could blossom into something if narratively focused (never mind that her politically incorrect edge is toned down after the pilot). And a lot of this cast — especially Perry, Andrea Anders, and Nate Torrence — are naturally comedic, value-adding performers. They bring presence. But their characters crave personalization, and their usage within narrative is too hazy around which to form real expectations. The best setup is Janney’s relationship with her weird estranged son, and yet the show has trouble finding more than one note to play with them. And aside from the formulaic, overly predictable love triangle between the lead, his best friend, and his best friend’s new girlfriend (with whom the lead was once friends-with-benefits), I can’t picture what the show wants to be doing in the long-term.
Thoughts: Matthew Perry is uniquely funny. Allison Janney is one of the most gifted actresses of the 21st century. And workplaces tend to be some of my favorite setups for situation comedies. So, I really want to be able to say that I love Mr. Sunshine. But I don’t. I think it’s a forgettable show that’s more cute than funny, in large part because none of the characters are comedically well-defined. Well, let me be more specific. I think Allison Janney as the erratic boss has the sort of bold comic energy that could blossom into something if narratively focused (never mind that her politically incorrect edge is toned down after the pilot). And a lot of this cast — especially Perry, Andrea Anders, and Nate Torrence — are naturally comedic, value-adding performers. They bring presence. But their characters crave personalization, and their usage within narrative is too hazy around which to form real expectations. The best setup is Janney’s relationship with her weird estranged son, and yet the show has trouble finding more than one note to play with them. And aside from the formulaic, overly predictable love triangle between the lead, his best friend, and his best friend’s new girlfriend (with whom the lead was once friends-with-benefits), I can’t picture what the show wants to be doing in the long-term.