Comparing ‘Mom,’ on CBS, and ‘Dads,’ on Fox

[Mr. Television]

http://tv.nytimes.com/2013/09/17/art...-fox.html?_r=0

Parents Who Make No Apologies
Comparing ‘Mom,’ on CBS, and ‘Dads,’ on Fox
By ALESSANDRA STANLEY
Published: September 16, 2013


It seems obvious that a comedy about a mother-and-daughter team of recovering addicts would be harder-edged than one about meddling elderly fathers who won’t pick up a check.

Actually, “Mom,” which begins next Monday on CBS, is, for some reason, both wittier and sweeter than the new Fox show “Dads,” which has its premiere on Tuesday.

It’s not the casting, although “Mom” has a slight edge, with Allison Janney as Bonnie, and Anna Faris as her daughter, Christy. But still, “Dads” has its share of experienced comic actors, including Martin Mull as the father of Warner (Giovanni Ribisi), and Peter Riegert as the father of Eli (Seth Green).

Mostly, it’s the sensibility behind the writing.

Chuck Lorre, a creator of “Mom,” is known, among other things, for “Two and a Half Men” and “The Big Bang Theory.” Those hit comedies ostensibly revolve around immature men, but they are even more distinctive for their funny, uncommon female characters, notably Amy on “Big Bang,” played by Mayim Bialik.

“Dads” has many executive producers, including Seth MacFarlane, a creator of “Family Guy.” It turns out that the willfully sophomoric, politically incorrect humor that works in an animated series doesn’t sound as amusing when coming out of the mouths of flesh-and-blood actors. There are some funny lines, but not nearly enough. Material that is meant to be anarchic mostly comes across as obvious and boorish.

“Mom” is more genuinely provocative. Bonnie is an irrepressibly cheery and unapologetic former addict who cannot understand why her grown daughter is still so resentful. “I’ve watched you lick cocaine crumbs out of a shag carpet,” Christy says. Bonnie replies primly, “It’s not a sin to be thrifty, Dear.”

It helps that cable has already laid the groundwork for the flawed mother figure.

Shows like “The Sopranos” and “Breaking Bad” gave rise to the era of so-called “difficult men,” but cable has also radically loosened the restrictions on heroines. Homemakers are rule breakers, from the suburban pot dealer on “Weeds” to the substance-abusing title character of “Nurse Jackie.” It used to be that sitcom characters complained that their mom was crazy because she had too many hats: on “The United States of Tara,” Toni Collette played a wife and mother with multiple personalities.

Moms behaving badly aren’t a new thing, but on a prime-time show, it still feels a little transgressive. Men who act like boys, on the other hand, are so familiar that they’re almost retro. And that makes “Dads” a harder sell. Eli and Warner, best friends since childhood, have a thriving video game business aided by a small team of employees and mostly impeded by their clueless, interfering fathers. The characters are caricatures, and the jokes are often unpleasant.

Eli is whiny and unprepossessing, yet he has a revolving door of attractive women eager to be his girlfriend. When a pretty aspirant arrives for a party, she perkily says, “You must be Warner!” as he opens the door. “Yeah, don’t learn my name, it’s easier that way,” Warner replies.

The pilot of “Dads” caused a bit of a stir about stereotypes, and some advocacy groups were particularly offended when the Chinese-American employee, Veronica (Brenda Song), is instructed by Eli and Warner to dress up as a Sailor Moon-like animé character to soften up Chinese investors. Veronica, supposedly brainy, tough and confident, complies.

Mostly, the show suffers from a more diffuse lack of imagination: all the women — wives, co-workers and even cleaning ladies — are castrating scolds with little sense of humor. Eli and Warner are man-boys, and their fathers are gomer-boys.

“Mom,” which focuses on women in recovery, has a get-straight message, which may merely be a reflection of Mr. Lorre’s rather sobering experience dealing with Charlie Sheen at the height of that actor’s substance-infused public meltdown.

Like many shows today, “Dads” is far more cavalier about marijuana use. In the second episode, Warner and Veronica put Eli through an intervention to persuade him to go back on pot because they think he is more creative when he’s stoned. The dads end up consuming the pot-laced brownies: hilarity does not ensue.

“Mom” deals lightly with the serious problem of addiction and manages to be clever, not sanctimonious. “Dads” takes a minor problem — annoying parents — and makes it deadly.