Unhitched, unwatchable

[Skywalker]

Unhitched, unwatchable

By BILL HARRIS


If you catch the premiere episode of Unhitched on Sunday, you may have trouble deciding who to feel more sorry for, Shaun Majumder or his character.

Majumder, of course, is the Canadian comedian and actor best known for his work on CBC's This Hour Has 22 Minutes. He now is trying for sitcom glory on Fox in the United States, but if first impressions are worth anything, Unhitched essentially is unwatchable.

And that's an odd result, since Unhitched has a decent comic pedigree. It comes from the minds of the Farrelly Brothers, who previously were responsible for movies such as Dumb and Dumber (hilarious), There's Something About Mary (pretty hilarious), Shallow Hal (not so hilarious) and Me, Myself and Irene (kind of creepy).

Unhitched, however, is shockingly lame. And the biggest humiliations are reserved for Majumder, who plays Dr. Freddy Sahgal.

In the first half-hour alone, Freddy spends considerable time under a sheet, working on his friend's monkey-violated butt; he's so naive that he believes a hooker has fallen in love with him; and worst of all, Freddy has a cheesy Indian accent that will be completely distracting to the millions of Canadians who have heard Majumder speak in his normal voice for years.


In a broad conceptual sense, Unhitched seems like something the Farrellys burped up one day after lunch. Majumder, Craig Bierko, Johnny Sneed and Rashida Jones play four newly single pals who rely on each other to navigate the goofy waters of dating in their 30s. Wow, ground-breaking, eh?

Where's Lloyd Christmas when you need him?

Following The Simpsons, King of the Hill and Family Guy on Fox, Unhitched may do okay ratings-wise on its first night.

But we can't imagine many of those viewers actively seeking out episode No. 2.

Majumder is a smart, talented, funny guy. He deserves way better than this demeaning crapola.


http://winnipegsun.com/Entertainment...83876-sun.html

[Skywalker]

Farrellys crude, but no barrel of laughs

BY DAVID HINCKLEY
DAILY NEWS TELEVISION CRITIC


Explaining what's wrong with the Farrelly brothers' new sitcom, "Unhitched," which debuts Sunday on Fox, can't be done with words like "crude" and "obvious" - because in the Farrelly universe, those aren't criticisms.

They mean "mission accomplished."

So let's say "Unhitched" just isn't very funny.

"Crude" can be clever, as it was at times in the Farrellys' hit movies "There's Something About Mary" and "Dumb and Dumber."

"Unhitched" relies too often on labored setups to mediocre gags.

When Gator (Craig Bierko) has some uncomfortable issues with his posterior, his friend Dr. Freddy (Shaun Majumder) has him lie down under a sheet in the middle of his living room to take care of them. Don't we all?

Then their friend Kate (Rashida Jones) gets up to leave and Freddy politely holds out his gloved hand for her to shake.

If that image makes you laugh so hard you spit your beer over the coffee table, congratulations. You are the "Unhitched" demo.

Combine this with lines like "You weren't the first mule in the stall tonight, if you know what I mean," and it's clear this show isn't wasting time on subtlety.

The Farrellys, of course, are just doing what the Farrellys do. They're dancing with who brung them and made them rich, and maybe they're right about what's been missing on TV, despite "Jackass" and the Spike channel: comedy delivered with a 2-by-4.

To set the scene here, "Unhitched" revolves around four friends in their 30s, all successful in their careers, all single and all searching.

Tommy (Johnny Sneed) is a little obnoxious, which may explain his three divorces. Dr. Freddy is once-divorced and Gator is almost divorced. Kate, the lawyer for all three, just got blown out of a seven-year engagement.

Once they start dating, surprise surprise, they find the oddest creatures in the pool, and the Farrellys find every shred of potential ridicule.

A drunken woman at a party doesn't spark a few wisecracks, but extended mockery usually reserved for blowup dolls. Gator's first date shows him videos of gorillas mating and then growls, "Take me like a silverback."

A line that is way more tasteful, by the way, than the show's other primate joke.

Some parts of "Unhitched" would be great as beer commercials, 30 seconds and out. The problem is that they have to fill 30 minutes, which conversely isn't enough time to develop the subtle touches of humanity that made "Mary" or "Dumber" into more than just crude laughs.

It's possible humanity will creep in as weeks go by, which would be good. Unless you're remaking "King Kong," primates just can't carry a show alone.



http://www.nydailynews.com/entertain...of_laughs.html

[Mr. Television]

I think I'm afraid to watch this show.

[Cactus Jack]

Critics suck, Im likin it so far


Rashida Jones' short boyfirend being the wacky basketball team mascot

[robyrob]

well, it was definitely unwatchable for me; they pushed everything back because of FOX NASCAR coverage, and then cut off the end of the show for local FOX news.

but I enjoyed the little bit that they showed.

[snl 70s show fan]

i thought it was so so i didnt hate it but i didnt really like it ether

[gotsmart]

It was okay. I wasn't that happy with the pilot but I think there is a decent amount of potential. Hopefully the show will pick up after a few more episodes. If after a few more, and I still can't connect with it I'll stop watching but I will definitly give it a chance.

[thetornado]

I didn't really care for the show either this is a cancelled show no doubt about that!