Well, I liked it. I didn't LOVE it, but I'm
definitely on board. I got a lot of good laughs out of this episode, especially during the interactions between
Christine and her ex-husband, and Christine and the rich ladies at her son's school. And, I love how she found out
about her husband dating a younger woman named Christine.There are sitcom-y (no, that's not really a word) lines in the show that Julia doesn't really deliver. For instance, the line early in the episode when she told her son to tell people he's "1/16th Native American" didn't really feel comfortable. It was a one-line zinger and she's better than that. However, a little later, when dropping her son off at school and feeling out of place, she nailed the line, "They're already looking at us like the project family the church sent over." So, hit and miss with the funny lines.
I appreciate Julia Louis-Dreyfus' ability to perform physical comedy. She's so expressive with her entire upper body and her head that she can always get a laugh out of me. What I didn't like was the stupid run-and-trip thing she did as she left her son's school. That was so dumb and obviously done for laughs. It made her more of a cartoon character and less of a real, live person. That said, the final scene with her son in the car, where he tells her he likes his new school, allows her to shed the cartoon and become human.
As far as the story goes, I was very thankful that the writers did not have Christine get someone to pretend to be her lumberjack boyfriend in order to one-up her ex-husband, who had a new, young girlfriend named Christine. That's something they would've done on Friends. Instead, the episode was a great set-up about who Christine is and what her relationship is to her ex-husband. I liked how the writers kept it simple. The sitcom starts at a place in Christine's life when things start to change, but it's not all thrown at us in a desperate attempt to get us to like her!
So... what did ya think?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-14-2006 @ 3:55AM
Randy said...
I had no idea that this was even on at all.
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3-14-2006 @ 5:34AM
Thomas said...
Not seen it yet, it's waiting to be watched when I get home from work, but I'm worried by the name. It seems wordy and the fickle public may be put off by that as well as the mention of old and new adventures, probably conjures up images of a totally different kind of show.
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3-14-2006 @ 10:26AM
Gig said...
At least by showing two episodes on one night it is guaranteed to run twice as long as 'Emily's Reasons Why Not."
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3-14-2006 @ 10:26AM
steve in chicago said...
I kept comparing her to Elaine...I couldn't help it.
I hope the writers can develop her character into something that can run for 6+ years....
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3-14-2006 @ 10:40AM
Claire! said...
Eh. It was ok. I only watched this episode and not the other one. I'll give it another chance. The son was the one that really bothered me. I hate when shows have kids who are WAY to smart and eloquent for their age.
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3-14-2006 @ 10:43AM
BobMac said...
Since my DVR will only record two shows at once, we had to decide what two shows at 9:30 my wife and I will watch. Between 24, The Apprentice, and now TNAOOC, we decided to ditch The Apprentice and start watching Ellen...err, Christine. We both enjoyed the comedy and the heart, while Donald's show has just been the same as all the previous seasons.
Donald: 0
Julia: 1
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3-14-2006 @ 12:21PM
rjlawrencejr said...
Well, I really enjoyed the show. My only real disappointment was the abscence of Wanda Sykes, whom they continued to show in promos over the weekend and throughout KING OF QUEENS.
I do partially agree that little Richie is definitely a too old for his own good kid, however I found him mostly realistic since he is I am guessing a brighter than average child - hence the reason he was accepted to an exclusive West LA private school. Plus his character was redeemed in the final scene when he was so engrossed with his Game Boy he had no idea what his mother was talking about.
While I am glad to see the relationship between Christine and her ex-husband Richard is amicable, I would prefer more conflict. Christine could still be polite, but maybe in a forced way for her son's sake. I don't want to see them at each other's throats, but right now, they are one big happy family and it doesn't ring as true as I think it could. Maybe if there was more backstory about how they have become friends in the past two years, I could accept their relationship more.
Personally, I don't mind if there's a little bit of Elaine Benes in Old Christine (I don't recall her last name), much in the same way I didn't mind Bob Hartley becoming Dick Loudon or George Jefferson becoming Deacon Frye. The similarities are practically inevitible. However, think of the irony. SEINFELD ended its run in the spring of 1998, just shy of eight years ago. Little Richie is approximately eight-years-old (3rd grader). Is it a coincidence? Maybe. But I don't mind at all if this new show is, in some respeects, the new adventures of old Elaine, sans Jerry and the gang.
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3-14-2006 @ 6:23PM
Ed said...
I TIVO'd both episodes. And didn't like either of them. I didn't like Julia's character badly lying - I didn't find it funny as obviously the laugh track did. The laugh track is annoying also. I wish her character showed some positive qualities. I'm not watching anymore.
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3-21-2006 @ 1:56AM
Brian said...
I really, really enjoy this show. It does have a few elements that would usually send me running for my Arrested Development DVDs (See:"overused laugh track" or "precocious TwoAndAHalfMen-esque child"), but there's something about Julia Louis-Dreyfuss's ability to play awkard that just keeps me wanting more. Keep the great guest stars and bad dates comin'! By no means is 'Christine' television's next great comedy but I give it more kudos than 'Sons & Daughters.'
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3-23-2006 @ 2:46AM
Carol said...
All the actors are so funny. And really good guest stars too.
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