CBS Fall Pilot Review: Bob Hearts Abishola - Premieres September 23 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TJ · 09-23-2019, 01:09 PM

Bob Hearts Abishola - Mondays at 8:30 PM ET/PT on CBS
Premieres Monday, September 23, 2019 at 8:30PM ET/PT

Billy Gardell is set to star in a CBS romantic comedy from Chuck Lorre! No, it's not 2010 and the day of the season premiere of Mike & Molly, it's a new CBS romantic comedy starring Billy Gardell, also from Chuck Lorre, this time called Bob Hearts Abishola. Now, no longer a police officer, Billy Gardell gets to play a sock salesman who has a heart attack and falls in love with the nurse who treated him at the hospital. But it's not going to be easy to get her to show those same feelings. Will she? Well, we kind of doubt that this series would go far if she didn't, but you'll have to watch what happens in Bob Hearts Abishola.

Rear our review here:
https://blog.sitcomsonline.com/2019/...ob-hearts.html

TMC · 09-24-2019, 04:09 AM

For a Chuck Lorre sitcom, Bob Hearts Abishola is surprising for its total and complete earnestness

"There are so many ways Bob Hearts Abishola could have gone wrong," says Carline Framke of the sitcoms starring Billy Gardell as a divorced socks salesman who falls for his Nigerian nurse, played by Folake Olowofoyeku. "It could have treated Bob’s crush on Abishola as a one-sided obsession, rendered her Nigerian family as wacky oddities, and spent all its time on basic (or flat out xenophobic) punchlines....And yet it’s laudable that the first three episodes make the most of their abbreviated runtimes to treat the rest of the story, particularly that between Bob and Abishola themselves, with more heart and nuance. Abishola is wary of pursuing a romance for completely logical, understandable reasons; Bob explicitly says that he doesn’t want to push her to do anything she doesn’t actually want to do; both are lonely in ways neither wants to fully admit. The show probably can’t keep them from a relationship for too long without stretching its premise too thin, but for now, their dynamic is a refreshingly unique one for a broadcast network sitcom." Part of the credit for that goes to Lorre having Gina Yashere, a British-born comedian of Nigerian descent, as a co-creator, executive producer and co-star. Framke adds: "It’s also frankly something of a shock to watch a CBS multi-cam comedy that can include scenes between multiple black women, each with a different point of view and experience, without making them the butt of the joke. If this is the kind of material Lorre wants to use his influence to promote in a space that might otherwise balk, it’ll be exciting to see what comes next." ALSO: Bob Hearts Abishola starts off with more heart than most hit Lorre sitcoms.

Chocolate Moose · 09-24-2019, 10:48 AM

I like it !!!!

DustyTrails · 10-16-2019, 01:43 PM

It seems like the show is making an effort to develop the characters in painstakingly detail but I plan to watch again, hopefully there will be a plot break soon, it seems like drifting last episode?

TMC · 10-24-2019, 02:34 PM

Bob Hearts Abishola really did its homework in bringing an authenticity to Abishola's immigrant story

Tambay Obenson, an American who was born in Nigeria, initially dismissed the CBS Chuck Lorre comedy. But she reconsidered after her Nigerian immigrant family members loved it. "There is indeed an authenticity to Abishola’s story that indicates Lorre did his homework," she says. "If writing about what you don’t know, it’s your responsibility as a storyteller to do your research. And wisely, Lorre did just that. He worked with Gina Yashere, a Nigerian comedian raised in the UK, on bringing his concept to fruition. Initially hired as a consultant, Yashere became much more involved in the development of the series and is credited as a co-creator."

Chocolate Moose · 10-25-2019, 09:27 AM

Gina is fabulous, huh?

DustyTrails · 10-26-2019, 09:50 PM

Is it just me or do we need to grease the rails here a bit? Story seems to bog the last couple of epi's but I plan to stick with it, still hopeful

LeeBlue · 10-30-2019, 10:13 AM

I am enjoying this show -- the characters are not the regular sitcom variety and the writing is very good -- looking forward to the next episode!

09-23-2019, 01:09 PM	#1
TJ Site Owner Administrator Forum Star Join Date: Feb 03, 2000 Location: Marietta, GA Posts: 10,656	CBS Fall Pilot Review: Bob Hearts Abishola - Premieres September 23 Bob Hearts Abishola - Mondays at 8:30 PM ET/PT on CBS Premieres Monday, September 23, 2019 at 8:30PM ET/PT Billy Gardell is set to star in a CBS romantic comedy from Chuck Lorre! No, it's not 2010 and the day of the season premiere of Mike & Molly, it's a new CBS romantic comedy starring Billy Gardell, also from Chuck Lorre, this time called Bob Hearts Abishola. Now, no longer a police officer, Billy Gardell gets to play a sock salesman who has a heart attack and falls in love with the nurse who treated him at the hospital. But it's not going to be easy to get her to show those same feelings. Will she? Well, we kind of doubt that this series would go far if she didn't, but you'll have to watch what happens in Bob Hearts Abishola. Rear our review here: https://blog.sitcomsonline.com/2019/...ob-hearts.html

09-24-2019, 10:48 AM	#3
Chocolate Moose Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 21, 2007 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 4,883	I like it !!!!
	__________________ How long a minute is, depends on what side of the bathroom door you're on.

10-26-2019, 09:50 PM	#7
DustyTrails Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Oct 11, 2019 Location: California Posts: 40	Grease please Is it just me or do we need to grease the rails here a bit? Story seems to bog the last couple of epi's but I plan to stick with it, still hopeful

09-24-2019, 04:09 AM	#2
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 124,647	For a Chuck Lorre sitcom, Bob Hearts Abishola is surprising for its total and complete earnestness "There are so many ways Bob Hearts Abishola could have gone wrong," says Carline Framke of the sitcoms starring Billy Gardell as a divorced socks salesman who falls for his Nigerian nurse, played by Folake Olowofoyeku. "It could have treated Bob’s crush on Abishola as a one-sided obsession, rendered her Nigerian family as wacky oddities, and spent all its time on basic (or flat out xenophobic) punchlines....And yet it’s laudable that the first three episodes make the most of their abbreviated runtimes to treat the rest of the story, particularly that between Bob and Abishola themselves, with more heart and nuance. Abishola is wary of pursuing a romance for completely logical, understandable reasons; Bob explicitly says that he doesn’t want to push her to do anything she doesn’t actually want to do; both are lonely in ways neither wants to fully admit. The show probably can’t keep them from a relationship for too long without stretching its premise too thin, but for now, their dynamic is a refreshingly unique one for a broadcast network sitcom." Part of the credit for that goes to Lorre having Gina Yashere, a British-born comedian of Nigerian descent, as a co-creator, executive producer and co-star. Framke adds: "It’s also frankly something of a shock to watch a CBS multi-cam comedy that can include scenes between multiple black women, each with a different point of view and experience, without making them the butt of the joke. If this is the kind of material Lorre wants to use his influence to promote in a space that might otherwise balk, it’ll be exciting to see what comes next." ALSO: Bob Hearts Abishola starts off with more heart than most hit Lorre sitcoms.

10-16-2019, 01:43 PM	#4
DustyTrails Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Oct 11, 2019 Location: California Posts: 40	It seems like the show is making an effort to develop the characters in painstakingly detail but I plan to watch again, hopefully there will be a plot break soon, it seems like drifting last episode?

10-24-2019, 02:34 PM	#5
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 124,647	Bob Hearts Abishola really did its homework in bringing an authenticity to Abishola's immigrant story Tambay Obenson, an American who was born in Nigeria, initially dismissed the CBS Chuck Lorre comedy. But she reconsidered after her Nigerian immigrant family members loved it. "There is indeed an authenticity to Abishola’s story that indicates Lorre did his homework," she says. "If writing about what you don’t know, it’s your responsibility as a storyteller to do your research. And wisely, Lorre did just that. He worked with Gina Yashere, a Nigerian comedian raised in the UK, on bringing his concept to fruition. Initially hired as a consultant, Yashere became much more involved in the development of the series and is credited as a co-creator."

10-25-2019, 09:27 AM	#6
Chocolate Moose Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 21, 2007 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 4,883	Gina is fabulous, huh?

10-30-2019, 10:13 AM	#8
LeeBlue Member Forum Regular Join Date: Nov 16, 2006 Location: NYS Posts: 871	I am enjoying this show -- the characters are not the regular sitcom variety and the writing is very good -- looking forward to the next episode!