I could spend all afternoon griping about Big Shots,which premiered last night in the coveted post-Grey’s timeslot on ABC. But inthe interest of not giving too much attention to a show that’s a horrible fitwith its extremely popular, female-friendly lead-in, I’ll try to limit mycomplaints to a top-five list. (And be sure to look for our critic’s official take in an upcoming issue of EW):
1) The show is inhabited mostly by characters whom I want to punch in the face: Take Christopher Titus’s Brody, ranting against theeager-to-please country-club waiter about his incorrect usage of the word"shrimps," then suddenly getting all smiley and asking if the guycould (ugh) "hook a brother up?" Or how about Dylan McDermott’s Duncan declaring men gothrough three rites of passage: losing their virginity, having their firstthree-way, and discovering their wives are cheating on them?
2) Dialog that’s equal parts forced and nonsensical: Ihad to suppress a groan when Jessica Collins (trying gamely as clingy mistressMarla) was forced to deliver the line, "What kind of man would be sodeceitful as to lie to the woman he’s cheating on his wife with?" Firstrunner-up: Duncan’sretort to his friends’ suggestion that he should re-marry his ex-wife:"Yeah, right, then sex in the wine cellar becomes ‘Don’t touch me, I’mexfoliating!’" Wha?
3) Audio and visual cues that wouldn’t be amusing, evenif they weren’t so obvious: Did you hear the cabaret singer belting "I’m aWoman" when Dontelle was leaving the country club? Or notice the way Duncan popped a cigar inhis mouth when he was regaling the boys about his encounter with said trannyhooker?
4) Joshua Malina’s go-to facial expression: You know, thepained-but-hilarious "D’oh! Look I’m stuck between my wife and my mistress!"look? Except that it’s just painful, and not hilarious at all.
5) The charismatic duo of Michael Vartan (pictured) and Nia Long gettingstuck here, instead of an actual program I’d enjoy watching.
Also, McDermott’s character talks with his mouth full,and it’s disgusting. I know, I know, that’s six things I hate about Big Shots. (AndI didn’t even get to its woeful view of womankind in general.) So dole out yourpunishment, PopWatchers. It can’t be worse than watching the show again. Eitherthat, or keep adding to my list in the comments section below.
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I usually agree with Slezak’s take on most things, but I have to completely disagree here. I absolutely loved Big Shots! I think it delivered on its promise to be the male Sex and the City. Let’s face it, the girls of SATC had a pretty messed up view about men most of the time so can we fault the men for being equally clueless about women? I think the show has a lot of potential and I will definitely be tuning in next week! My opinion might be skewed by the hotness of Dylan McD and Michael Vartan.
The blatant sexism, misogyny and rampant cheating seem to work on “Mad Men” but fail miserably here. I guess we expect men to be pigs in the 60s, but in 2007, I was hoping they’d grown up.
I haven’t gotten to watch my recorded episode yet, Slezak, but you’re hardly the only one who’s beating the heezy out of this show. I can only hope that this being the pilot, the late addition of Rob Thomas (“Veronica Mars” creator) as a consulting producer will give this “Shots” a…uh…shot. I love Thomas too much to want it to fail–he deserves success.
I agree with you Slezak, it was absolutely painful to watch. And I really really really wanted to like this show. Still, having the hot duo of Michael Vartan AND Dylan McDermott is enough for me to give it another shot.
After the supposedly clever businessman makes sure a hooker has his business card, I thought the show could not get dumber. Then I heard Vartan’s impassioned speech to the Board of Directors of AmeriMart: “The world is changing, Gentlemen.” No substance AT ALL. The writer should be removed from his union. Somewhere Aaron Sorkin is vomiting.
I agree with what was said by someone else. This show is Sex and the City only with men. The women of SATC were stupid women who had horrible views of men at the beginning of the show. They then grew over time to become rational women with healthy views of the opposite sex. Big Shots was funny, heart-breaking (the look on Michael Vartan’s face when he found out his wife was cheating on him) and just plain silly. It’s a welcome addition to this year’s TV season which seems to be taking itself WAY too seriously so far!!!
ABC had better not jerk Michael Vartan around again. After firing and rehiring him on Alias, they had the good sense to hire him again. Now all they have to do is get someone talented to write for Big Shots. The cast is fine, the premise can work; now all they need are some good scripts. Come on, ABC, you can do it. I’d watch Michael Vartan in anything, but he deserves something great.
I would follow Vaugh…artan to the ends of the earth, but this show is asking too much from me. The dialogue better improve soon or I’m just going to watch with the mute button.
Newsflash: Vartan wasn’t fired from Alias. I had an inside source at the show. Vartan wanted to go shoot a movie in Australia, and they knew this would be the final season for Alias so they created a storyline that would allow him to be away for the first half of the season.
exfoliating? Whaa? Men don’t exfoliate and if they do, I doubt they would talk about it. The last time I heard that word, I was watching a commerical for Mohegan Sun.
Graeme, your “inside source on Alias” is feeding you bogus information. Michael wasn’t even cast in “Rogue,” the movie you’re talking about, until MONTHS after he was fired from “Alias.”
Stephanie, the exfoliate comment was Duncan quoting what a woman would say to get out of sex (not that the man was exfoliating).
What a treat: Michael Vartan back on tv.
I liked Christopher Titus also, who I was not familar with. Now all they need Rob Thomas in charge.
graeme,
Who was your “inside” source? The copy boy? LOL Vartan was released from his contract and not by his choice. The guy didn’t even sign for “Rogue” until the middle of October. He didn’t leave for Australia until the beginning of November. His last day of shooting was the middle of August. Your time table doesn’t work. Better luck next time. LOL
I know, you’ll probably think I’m crazy, but I looooove Joshua Malina. Will tune in simply for him. Oh, and speaking as a female, I hate Grey’s, so don’t really care how well it fits.
Vartan was fired from Alias. The only reason he came back is because of the massive fan backlash after his departure. He was cast in Rogue about 3 months after the firing. Garner’s pregnancy was also not part of the original plotline for the final season.
I liked this show. Much better than Private Practice, which I found painful to watch.
The follow-up episodes are much better and the cast has a nice rhythm. If people will tune in for a couple more episodes they will hopefully be pleasantly surprised. That said, I thought for the most part it was decent with a few standouts. Vartan, Long and Collins all did very well with what they were given. Titus was very funny and Malina I just couldn’t not like, whatever he does I just want to pinch his checks. LOL
Call me crazy, but I loved this show. Just because something appeals to a woman, doesn’t mean it will automatically appeal to a gay man– so, while you may love Grey’s for all the same reasons I do, it makes perfect sense for me to love this show and you to hate it. I think Big Shots has a lot of potential, and I am getting a kick out of the characters. I honestly think I have dated one like each of the four guys….
There are far too many actual good shows (Life, for instance) to bother with crappy ones. I’ll be skipping this one.
i had no original intentions of watching this show but i had the tv on ABC after grey’s so i watched it. and i liked it. i wouldn’t go so far as to say LOVED it but i will be watching it in the weeks to come to see how it goes. the men casted are almost enough reason to watch.
Love Christopher Titus but if I had to listen to his character talk about Harvard Business School one more time.
Also, I work with all men/boys (some are still in school). Most of the time they forget I’m a chick and just speak very freely to me and around me. That being said, the dialogue reminded me of how a woman would write a man or describe how he speaks.
I did enjoy the scene with the marriage counselor – why did he take her to the same counselor? Loved the fact though that she agreed to “treat” them for twice the fee.
Loved it, in a soapy-operatic kind of way. The show is uncomplicated, has two good looking man to look at (maybe that’s your problem, Slezak, you couldn’t make up your mind which one you liked best and missed the plot) and most important of all, I fould it highly entertaining. Look forward to continue to see the rest of the series.
Slezak is on point,I HATED this show! Michael Vartan and Nia Long were truly the only characters I didn’t want to punch in the throat.
I did enjoy last night’s premiere of BIG SHOTS, but what’s going on with ABC? Why are thye turning PREMIERE WEEK into TRANNY WEEK??? Don’t get me wrong, I also enjoyed DIRTY SEXY MONEY’s premiere Wednesday night, but whats up with all the Tranny hooker storylines on two new shows??? As a gay man, I find it humorous, but I could see how heterosexuals who have little to no contact with that world would be turned off. I think BIG SHOTS is a male version of Sex & the City, & yeah the dialogue does need a little help, but I’m waiting for the “gay” assistant role to be filled. You don’t have THIS many alpha male characters these days without the sassy gay assistant! Look at Llyod on ENTOURAGE! His character interaction with Ari makes it all the more enjoyable! Lose the tranny (Let them keep the one on DIRTY SEXY MONEY) & get the gay assistant! Thats my only suggestion at this point. Oh and keep Christopher Titus’ wife’s face never shown! That was good!
This is a remake of the British show Manchild. It was on BBCA and was better, maybe because of the guy’s sexy accents. Why oh why do we keep getting Brit remakes. I read on EW.com that someone is remaking State of Play. Also on BBCA, so millions of Americans already saw it and know how it ends. What is next and American AbFab with Jessica Simpson and Britney Spears. (Oh wait, that sounds pretty good).
i love michael vartan so i hope he gets a better show as the sole lead (like house) if big shots doesn’t improve or get cancelled.
I may be in a minority but I’m pretty convinced this is the *worst* crop of new shows I’ve ever seen.
Not a single thing I’ve seen interests me in the slightest. (Sure I’m still in mourning for VERONICA MARS bet still). Watching these cardboard characters of super-affluent nothings (DSMoney, GGirl, BShots etc) literally makes me want to vomit.
One real show, one believable set of characters I could possibly care even slightly about. Doesn’t seem likely.
CHUCK was ok (Yay for Adam Baldwin of FIREFLY lineage) but the set up is so so so ridiculously not believable that again, I just don’t care.
if michael vartan wasn’t on the show i would stop watching. plus, dylan mcdermott’s character is way too smug, it’s obnoxious.
The Josh Malina storyline with the great wife and hot mistress becoming friends is just like Evan Handler’s story on Californication. The mind reels, however, at him having two women and someone cheating on Michael Vartan, something no one in their right mind would do to either him or his character.
Lovedog, agreed. Compared to 2005 and 2006, this fall’s starting off with a limp foot. Bionic woman looks good though, and at least Ugly Betty and Sunny in Philly have had good returns.
But how did Flash Gordon turn out so bad? And how did Cane turn out so stupid? I’m feeling really sorry for Jimmy Smits right now.
Big Shots isn’t for me though. The concept’s not my style and it irks me how tv frequently romanticizes infidelity.