I must say how happy I am to have stumbled onto this series at random through aimless IMDb searching - I am a fan of each of the three main actors to some degree and they have a great chemistry together, it really does feel like they have been friends for years. Plus it makes sense given their level of recognisability is about the same: Ray Romano and Scott Bakula are both aging stars of classic TV shows, Everybody Loves Raymond and Quantum Leap / Enterprise and Andre Braugher would not become popular with this generation until the beginning of Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Though the scenes with all three of them together do stand out in quality and provide a lot of the show's best comedy, I can't fault all of their individual storylines and associated supporting characters. Actually the structure of following the three of them alone and having them meet up briefly in nearly every episode works seamlessly and the tone manages to remain consistent, and I think the writers strike the perfect balance of light-hearted comedy and poignant emotions.
The Season 1 finale rounds off the season and each main storyline excellently, each event and decision absolutely made sense now that we have gotten to know and appreciate the characters. It was incredibly satisfying to see Owen Sr., who was largely an antagonist and the source of most of his son's despair, be the one to make reparations and realise what should actually matter to him. The finale actually seemed to show the three leads each at a different stage of identifying and fixing their problems, which worked better than if all three storylines had been building to a heavy, emotional climax in this episode. With Owen actually getting his relationships and career back on track, clearly he had the least to deal with. The person on the opposite end of the scale was, as it should be, Terry, who after skipping through life and the series with very little responsibility or worry, needs to reach this point of depression to realise that he has to change a great deal about his life for it all to improve. I didn't relish seeing him covered in faeces, but I could at least appreciate the symbolism. I have only just come into my twenties, so I am partially disconnected from the mid-life worries of the characters, but that doesn't mean that I can't understand their fears and their motivations - I am certain that each case we see in the show has happened in the real world, and watching this I feel better prepared for whatever comes. I love it when television attains that intrinsic value that can be applied to life and philosophy. Surely the greatest honour for a drama set in the real world would be to actually help someone in the real world! I can see the most relatable example of this might be found with Ray Romano's Joe, whom is stuck in a rut, one foot in his old life and the other looking for higher ground. Of course it has been coming for a few episodes now, but seeing Joe face the catalyst that he needed to finally commit to his dreams and escape from gambling was extremely gratifying, yet it didn't feel forced or rushed.
I would recommend this show without hesitation to anyone looking for that 'slice of life' feeling, a good mix of comedy and drama, and especially to anyone who has ever experienced these specific situations or has ever been remotely unhappy with their life. You'd never know, but maybe watching this could help. If not, it doesn't matter, it's still a well-crafted, entertaining programme.
The Season 1 finale rounds off the season and each main storyline excellently, each event and decision absolutely made sense now that we have gotten to know and appreciate the characters. It was incredibly satisfying to see Owen Sr., who was largely an antagonist and the source of most of his son's despair, be the one to make reparations and realise what should actually matter to him. The finale actually seemed to show the three leads each at a different stage of identifying and fixing their problems, which worked better than if all three storylines had been building to a heavy, emotional climax in this episode. With Owen actually getting his relationships and career back on track, clearly he had the least to deal with. The person on the opposite end of the scale was, as it should be, Terry, who after skipping through life and the series with very little responsibility or worry, needs to reach this point of depression to realise that he has to change a great deal about his life for it all to improve. I didn't relish seeing him covered in faeces, but I could at least appreciate the symbolism. I have only just come into my twenties, so I am partially disconnected from the mid-life worries of the characters, but that doesn't mean that I can't understand their fears and their motivations - I am certain that each case we see in the show has happened in the real world, and watching this I feel better prepared for whatever comes. I love it when television attains that intrinsic value that can be applied to life and philosophy. Surely the greatest honour for a drama set in the real world would be to actually help someone in the real world! I can see the most relatable example of this might be found with Ray Romano's Joe, whom is stuck in a rut, one foot in his old life and the other looking for higher ground. Of course it has been coming for a few episodes now, but seeing Joe face the catalyst that he needed to finally commit to his dreams and escape from gambling was extremely gratifying, yet it didn't feel forced or rushed.
I would recommend this show without hesitation to anyone looking for that 'slice of life' feeling, a good mix of comedy and drama, and especially to anyone who has ever experienced these specific situations or has ever been remotely unhappy with their life. You'd never know, but maybe watching this could help. If not, it doesn't matter, it's still a well-crafted, entertaining programme.
