TV Squadder Paul Goebel reviewed the series premiere of the ABC comedy Miss Guided. He wasn't sure what to make of the show after the first airing and I must admit that I also had my doubts about this new comedy. Judy Greer is a joy to watch as guidance counselor Becky Freeley but the comedy was predictable and the cast way too beautiful to portray a real high school. However, I decided to stick with it and ended up enjoying the show's storylines and characters as well as the interview-like tidbits.
The series aired its season finale last week and is now awaiting ABC's upfronts to know if it'll come back next season or have to close the books. To help ABC make its decision, here are some reasons why Miss Guided should be renewed.
- Judy Greer is a delight and needs to stay on TV. Even though I had seen her in movies or on TV before 2003, I really noticed Greer's comedic skills when she played Kitty Sanchez on FOX's Arrested Development. Back then, I knew that she needed to get a bigger role on TV and MG offered her (and us) just that. Greer is believable as geeky Becky and I find myself rooting for the character (maybe also because I see myself a little bit in the character). Let's hope that if MG is canceled that another comedy snatches her.
- Brooke Burns needs to be on a successful show. The actress is starting to suffer from what I call "The Eric Balfour Curse" (it could also be called "The Tim Daly Curse"): starring as a lead on many, many TV series that were never renewed (Balfour was cast as a lead on Veritas: The Quest, Hawaii, Sex, Love & Secrets, Conviction, and Fearless, which wasn't even picked up). In the past years, Burns starred in North Shore and Pepper Dennis, both of which were not renewed for a second season. Her case is not a desperate one yet but if Miss Guided is not renewed, I'm afraid casting directors will start thinking twice before casting her in a lead role. Even if Burns is way too hot (I can admit it even if I'm a woman) to be a believable English teacher, the actress offers a good performance as Lisa Germain. And since some MG viewers are rooting for Lisa instead of Becky, they deserve to see her try to officially win over Tim's heart.
- Miss Guided would be a great show to pair up with Samantha Who? Let's face it, both are light comedies, both are aiming for a female viewership, both star funny ladies put in awkward situations. So why not pair them up on Monday nights when Dancing with the Stars is on hiatus to try to counterattack CBS's comedy lineup?
If you missed the series and want to give this cutesy series a try, ABC offers all episodes of the series to watch online (only available to U.S. residents). ABC is set to present its 2008-2009 schedule on May 13.
Seven greatest hand cannons in TV history
TV Squad previews NBC's new shows (part 1)
TV 101: How ESPN controls the world and what the other networks can learn from it
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-09-2008 @ 11:19AM
RC said...
I agree with the first point. Judy Greer is funny and beautiful. I would watch her in any show she did.
http://www.bitsmack.com
Reply
4-09-2008 @ 11:28AM
Cyantre said...
I definitely agree with your third point. Putting this with Samantha Who? would make a lot of sense.
Reply
4-09-2008 @ 11:48AM
Thomas said...
I think the main factor at this point is that it's not very good. Light is one thing, being unfunny is another.
Personally I like Judy Greer but that's no reason to keep a poor show on the air.
Reply
4-09-2008 @ 4:15PM
Cyantre said...
I find this show much more entertaining and humorus than Samantha Who?
4-09-2008 @ 11:57AM
K Jennings said...
I disagree completely with Thomas! I really enjoy this show.
Reply
4-09-2008 @ 12:23PM
Michelle said...
Don't forget Chris Parnell! He is fantastic on this show.
Reply
4-09-2008 @ 12:49PM
groy said...
I wish all the actors from AD all the best in future projects, but the writing was weak to ok so far. I think it can get better tho.
Reply
4-09-2008 @ 1:59PM
Gordon Werner said...
I thought this show was a lot of fun ... not serious in any way and a unique look at high-school ...
TV needs non-serious shows to counterbalance all the CSIs and Law & Orders
Reply
4-09-2008 @ 2:28PM
nattyff said...
i was really liking these show (i though that they had more espisodes left... :(
I'm not very good to LOL, when a see funny shows it's like in my head i think mmmm... that's really funny..., but i really don't know why, every time Tim sad somenting in spanish (or al least try to) it crack me up!!!, i know that is stupid, and for most people really not that funny at all, but something in the way the actor says it (and with such confidence that he was saying something right) make's me laft very hard... :) . Hope they bring it back, i really like it (plus we love the underdogs, and freely was great)
"la biblioteca esta en la playa" :)
Reply
4-09-2008 @ 5:36PM
tv junkie said...
I really enjoyed the show, Judy Greer is a great lead, and they should probably pair it up with "Samantha Who", that would make a killer hour of funny ladies.
I think producer/director Todd Holland also brought the quirkiness and the brightness from "Wonderfalls" to the show, they should seriously consider a renewal.
Reply
4-10-2008 @ 4:12AM
MERVE-THE-PERVE said...
I say cancel this boring show so they can spend millions on another boring show that they will just cancel after 1 year. Then they can spend more millions on another crappy show and so on and so on and so on..... Why dont they just start showing infomercials or 30 minutes of just advertising? It would be better than some of this garbage they are trying to get us to watch. I am boycotting all new shows. I'm done with these idiot network suits thinking they know what the hell they are doing. I just wish Nielsen would pick me to have a ratings meter. I will screw their ratings up even worse than they already are! I am done with tv.
Reply
4-10-2008 @ 5:18AM
Paul said...
Merve... good thing you're on a TV website, then. Perfect place to get away from all things TV related. :P
I really enjoy "Miss Guided", largely because of Judy Greer (who I've always loved) but also because it was cute, funny, light, and allowed the viewer to root for the underdog. Parnell is also a joy to watch.
I can't fathom there actually being Lisa fans out there, though. Sure, Brook Burns may be "hot" (though on "Miss Guided" even more than elsewhere, far too "plastic-y"), but I'd take Judy Greer over her any day, hands-down. Which is why it makes it a bit hard for me to root for the underdog, because to me I'm just astounded that anyone could NOT be attracted to Judy Greer. Haha.
Reply
4-10-2008 @ 6:04AM
Alessandro said...
This show is not bad, not at all. But from "not being bad" to "being funny" there's a lot of road. Fact is, this comedy makes you smile, but doesn't make you laugh. And that, to me, is a big issue. Judy Greer is adorable and I do sympathize with her character, but the real lead comedian in this show is Chirs Parnell. Maybe it's because I'm a huge fan of SNL and I miss him on that show. Now we have this tendency to produce comedies with no laughs track, following the big success of Scrubs and the critically acclaimed Arrested Development. But that doesn't mean that this is always a good choice. Look at almost all the comedies that premiered in the last years and got cancelled after a few episode. Producers should try the HIMYM style.
Alessandro
Reply
4-10-2008 @ 1:21PM
Max said...
If you love this show like I do, you should sign this petition to keep it on the air!
http://bringbackmissguided.wordpress.com/
Reply
4-10-2008 @ 1:35PM
Derek said...
I like Judy Greer too. The show is alright, but could use some tweaking. For instance, I understand why on a show like The Office the characters can talk to the camera, but Miss Guided isn't filmed in a "mockumentary" style. So yes, Like Judy Greer and some of the other performances on the show (like Parnell and the miserable principle guy), but lose the interviews. I feel like if you don't give me a reason to break the fourth wall, you are just messing with my head
Reply
4-18-2008 @ 5:32PM
Marguerite said...
This is Judy Greer's show, it would be a shame for it to be taken away from her and a shame for her and her show to be taken away from us. Her performance as Freely is aMAYzing!
Reply
5-07-2008 @ 8:36PM
lorraine said...
please come back it is so nice too see a show that is funny. And a show that I could let my 13 year old watch. she is not aloud to watch much tv. I did not mind this program. For her. there is not much out there that families can watch too gether. This was great for this our family would love more.
Reply