You know, when I was watching the pilots for the fall season, my reaction to Ted Danson's new show, Help Me Help You was positive overall. It had a good cast, and some of the situations the show set up were pretty funny.But I never thought it was a groundbreaking show, or appointment TV. After I saw the pilot and the second episode, this is all the enthusiasm I could muster: "I may drop back in on this one occasionally, since it's just too well-done to easily dismiss."
I didn't even do that -- I watch House at 9 -- and apparently, after Dancing with the Stars ended, neither did anyone else. But yet, episodes of HMHY are still being aired. You wouldn't know it if you watched ABC, though; they promote their big shows (Grey's, Ugly Betty, Desperate Housewives, Lost) and their promising new shows (Men in Trees, Brothers & Sisters) and even shows that need a lot of help (Big Day, Supernanny). But you won't see one ad for Danson and company.
Here's my question: why would a network abandon a show like that? They obviously would rather a show succeed than fail, but for some reason, every year, shows like HMHY get no promotional support from their networks, left to languish in obscurity, perhaps all season. I guess, we can ask the age-old philosophical question: if no one is watching, no one is writing or talking about it, and the network doesn't advertise it, does the show actually exist?
Anybody watching this show? Is it any good? Let me know in the comments.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-10-2006 @ 6:12PM
Casey said...
I watch this show every week. I think it's well written and well acted. I don't understand why it's not getting any ad time either.
In a television season that has such few comedies to begin with, it boggles my mind why a network wouldn't promote something as good as this show, especially since ABC has been trying, unsuccessfully (Accordin to Jim, Jake in Progress, that one with Heather Graham), to produce a hit comedy. I think they have one with this show, they just don't know it. I hope this show continues for at least a whole season.
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12-10-2006 @ 6:16PM
BillS said...
I want to say that HMHY is produced by Regency, owned by Fox, a direct competitor of ABC. They'd probably rather put their marketing efforts behind a show owned by Disney, or at least by someone like Sony who's not in the TV network business.
Anyway, the show is pretty much about what you thought. Fairly funny, nothing special. The group therapy is usually pretty amusing, but Ted Danson's character's attempts to get back with his ex-wife usually fall fairly flat. But I dig Charlie Finn (from his Sports Night guest spot, to his Andy Richter Controls the Universe appearances to Super Troopers, he always cracks me up) enough to keep watching.
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12-10-2006 @ 6:24PM
TedSez said...
Sounds kind of like Danson's other post-"Cheers" show, "Becker," which ran a long time without much fanfare -- or, apparently, too many viewers. (I never even noticed it when it was on.) It was a high-concept show in which Danson played a curmudgeonly, politically incorrect urban family doctor who only cared about his friends and patients, even though he wasn't very nice to them, either.
Now it's syndicated on several different channels that play it late at night. I watch it when I can't sleep, and it's not bad... every episode is kind of the same as every other one, which is comforting at 2 a.m. Still, I can't say I'd have missed much if I never saw it at all.
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12-10-2006 @ 7:08PM
Chris said...
Becker was in the top twenty for awhile since it aired after Raymond. Then it moved to Wednesdays. Then since CBS has high ratings standards it was cancelled but NBC or Fox would love to have had their ratings.
I've watched the past two episodes and enjoyed them. It has lots of potential, it won't be like Arrested Development and win an Emmy in its first year but could have a more successful second season like The Office. Its funnier than 30 Rock and I know ABC has quietly promoted it as the most watched new comedy of the the new season.
So if you're watching something else, record it if you can.
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12-10-2006 @ 7:28PM
Joel Keller said...
Actually, Chris, ABC has been promoting "Ugly Betty" as the most-watched new comedy of the season, if I remember the promos correctly. I watch a lot of ABC and haven't seen one promot for "HMHY," as I said in the post.
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12-11-2006 @ 8:58AM
willw said...
It is a great show! Anyone see the episode with the boxer? I hope ABC doesn't cancel it and instead lets it go another season.
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12-10-2006 @ 9:34PM
r.c. said...
As far as comedies go its a decient one. I think it's stronger overall than 30 rock, which is the only other new comedy worth checking out occasionally.
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12-10-2006 @ 11:27PM
SamMalone said...
"Sounds kind of like Danson's other post-"Cheers" show, "Becker,""
The difference is that this show has a strong supporting cast, each with strong enough stories behind them. Danson's character could be played as simply the string that ties them together, but he's usually painted as having similar neourosis as his patients. For now that's funny, I just hope they can keep it from getting old.
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12-11-2006 @ 12:00AM
Chris said...
Joel, wouldn't you consider Ugly Betty a dramedy? Like Gilmore Girls, Rescue Me and Desperate Housewives? Networks haven't seem to have used that word. Apparently comedy, drama, reality show, mini-series, movie and sports is all they can market.
In terms of actual thirty-minute half hour comedies its the most watched and I guess ABC only plugs the show during Big Day.
Larry Wilmore (The Daily Show's Senior Black Corespondent, television writer) and Philip Rosenthal (Everybody Loves Raymond creator) also have recurring roles with Jane Lynch (every other TV show). That gave it some credibility when I first watched it.
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