One Big Happy - Pilot - Advanced Preview

One Big Happy premieres on Tuesday, March 17 on NBC at 9:30/8:30c. The showrunner is Liz Feldman and the show is produced by Ellen DeGeneres. I was a big fan of Ellen’s own sitcom even before her talk show, so I was very much looking forward to this sitcom. The first episode hardly breaks new ground, however, and really feels like an updated Three’s Company. Last year’s cancelled New Normal from Ryan Murphy while annoying was fresher.

Elisha Cuthbert plays lesbian Lizzy. Cuthbert is perhaps best known for playing Jack Bauer’s daughter Kim on 24. She’s already demonstrated her comedy abilities on Happy Endings. She does the best she can with a tired script and concept, and a pretty stereotypical character. Nick Zano plays Luke, her best friend and potential baby-daddy. Zano is also a Happy Endings alum and his other credits include 2 Broke Girls and 90210. Zano is somewhat saddled with the stereotypical cute but dumb guy role. The final main character is Kelly Brook who plays Prudence. Brook’s credits include Lemon La Vida Loca, Skins, and Smallville. Brook is subjected to numerous jokes about her ample bosom.

The cast is rounded out by the usual quirky friends played by Rebecca Corry, Chris Williams, and Brandon Mychal Smith. Like any Pilot, the episode is bogged down by setting up the backstory and setting the stage for the action going forward. There is a particularly intrusive laugh track, and the show is almost too politically correct, which is an interesting juxtaposition to how many times our attention is drawn to Brook’s breasts.

The action is mostly split between the apartment that Lizzy and Luke share and The Bowl Hole. In addition to being a budding science fiction novelist, Luke owns The Bowl Hole – a bowling alley. Lizzy’s big issue is that while Luke is the artsy laid back one, she is the borderline OCD one. Prudence is the wild card thrown into their close friendship and plans to share parenthood.

My favorite line of the entire episode? “Luke is the father. No, Lizzy, Darth Vader is the father.”

The characters are likeable enough and the acting is fine. However, the writing really needs to improve for this show to really succeed. The Three’s Company, Odd Couple formulas are tried and true, but also pretty tired. I hope that the writers can bring something fresher to subsequent episodes. Don’t take my word for it, however. You can check out One Big Happy, this Tuesday on NBC at 9:30/8:30c. 

About the Author - Lisa Macklem

I do interviews and write articles for the site in addition to reviewing a number of shows, including Supernatural, Arrow, Agents of Shield, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Forever, Defiance, Bitten, Glee, and a few others! Highlights of this past year include covering San Diego Comic Con as press and a set visit to Bitten. When I'm not writing about television shows, I'm often writing about entertainment and media law in my capacity as a legal scholar. I also work in theatre when the opportunity arises. I'm an avid runner and rider, currently training in dressage.