ABC:
Shifting Gears: Tim Allen is back starring on another sitcom on ABC as Matt, a stubborn, widowed owner of a classic car restoration shop. His estranged daughter played by Kat Dennings and her kids show up unexpectedly looking to move into his house, that is when the real restoration begins.
Verdict: Renewed. First things first ABC only has one sitcom (Abbott Elementary with the Connors ending as well). Between Fox only having one returning sitcom and NBC’s sitcom block being a mess it is only CBS with multiple quality sitcoms. One thing that will improve this show is no laugh track or forced laughter. Most people want to laugh only when they think it is funny. It has the same quick intro like the previous show he did which isn’t bad. The best part is the funny banter between Allen and Dennings who both can give it not just one person piling it on the other. He also likes to give his wisdom or advice to people like he did in the last show. He gives very good “hot-takes” which is what the quirky grandson calls them as he is doing a very good job at playing the old cranky man who hates the youth/how the world is now. One thing people need to forget is that this isn’t “Home Improvement” or “Last Man Standing”, so you shouldn’t be judging it harshly because it is hard to live up to two quality sitcoms. This show needs the time to breathe and grow going forward before making harsh judgments. It has its moments of when it is funny and moments of when it is clunky as do most first year shows have. They need to grow out the supporting cast more as Sean William Scott(of American Pie franchise and Dude Where is My Car?) needs more scenes as he is being wasted and same for the other mechanic in the show Darryl Mitchell(of Brothers & The John Larroquette Show) since he seems to get the funny lines.
Fox:
Going Dutch: After going on an inappropriate rant U.S. Army Colonel Patrick Quinn(played by Dennis Leary of Rescue Me & Ice Age) is reassigned to the Netherlands, where he is punished with a command position at the least important army base in the world. After serving with distinction in every warzone of the last three decades, he now finds himself in charge of a base with no guns, no weapons and no tactical purpose. Instead, it has a Michelin-star-level commissary, a top-notch bowling alley and the best (and only) fromagerie in the U.S. Army. Surrounded by a diverse group of underdogs, the colonel tries to reinstall military discipline and professionalism with the help of the base’s previous interim leader, who just happens to be his estranged daughter.
Verdict: Renewed. I think Fox has found another comedy gem like it did with “Animal Control”. It is rare to start laughing right away when watching a new show because sometimes the pilot episode can be clunky. It was instantly funny which is hard to do nowadays. There is no laugh track or studio audience so it helps to not be forced to laugh when they think you should. The show is a little odd/weird being about a military base where it is a comedy not a drama or a dramedy like “M*A*S*H” but it works well. Leary has this good dynamic at playing leaders very well and this whole father-daughter dynamic is pretty good banter because she’s the only one who really knows him underneath all of his military awards/career. There are some odd background characters like the logistics officer who gets them all of their supplies and the computer guy who looks like he wouldn’t make it anywhere else in the military. The other supporting character is an executive officer who does his job very well being Leary’s second in command. He has his own version of comedy that is funny which he did very well in the previous show he was in as Danny Pudi, is very funny in his own way. Lastly there is an actual theme song with their names and everything which is a lost art. It has been awhile since Fox has had two live action sitcoms as Animal Control has been paired with cartoons and hopefully they can keep pairing these shows for a while, and only have to use the cartoons when there isn’t room for all of them on Sundays. Maybe this will open the door for more live action sitcoms on Fox so they can keep up with CBS or ABC.
