Following the success of ABC Family's original movie My Fake Fiance (nope, totally serious), the dripping with nostalgic cuteness couple of Melissa Joan Hart and Joey Lawrence are back together for a new series. Melissa & Joey finds the pair, after a rather weak excuse for coming together, in a Who's the Boss? arrangement, complete with more or less appropriately-aged kids, except that they aren't Melissa's... or Joey's.
I'll let you check out the official synopsis.
In the new ABC Family original comedy series, "Melissa & Joey," Melissa Joan Hart portrays Mel, the grown-up former wild child of a political family who is now a local politician herself. When her sister ends up in prison and brother-in-law flees after a scandal hits, Mel must take responsibility for her teenaged niece Lennox and adolescent nephew Ryder.
Spread too thin to manage by herself, help comes in the unlikely form of Joe (Lawrence) who, desperate for a job, moves in and becomes the family's "manny." "Melissa & Joey" debuts on ABC Family on Tuesday, August 17 with back-to-back original episodes, at 8:00PM & 8:30PM ET/PT. The half-hour series will air regularly on Tuesday nights at 8:00PM ET/PT.
In the second episode, "Moving On," both Mel and Joe experience issues in their love lives. While Joe is reluctant to move on after the break-up of his marriage, Mel attempts to start a new relationship, but finds it tough being a single woman with Joe living in her house. Meanwhile, Mel must jump into "mom" mode when Lennox has a difficult time adjusting to the new public school, Alexandra Hart Gilliams (Melissa's real-life younger sister) guest stars as one of Lennox's friends.
Continuing in ABC Family's grand tradition of making it difficult to peg just who its shows are for, the comedy is adult enough for older teens, a bit too adult for anyone younger, and teetering on the edge of less than interesting for anyone older. While there are many moments throughout the pilot that are at least intriguing, and certainly some that are amusing, the show has more in common with the mid-80's cutefest than the generalities of the plot.
The whole show is a throwback, not only in the style and situations, but even insofar as the layout of the house, and Joey's "Danza-fied" big-muscle cooking.
Though there is something decidedly odd about watching the show, it is not without its positives. The idea has been updated in certain ways, and it is taking things a bit further toward offering an avenue of entrance to older teens. Tomorrow's back-to-back debut may provide more insight into the show's future than is necessarily a good thing. I have some bit of hope for the strange, quirky effort, but I'm rather nervous about the number of people who don't stick around for that second episode.
If any of this sounds remotely interesting to you, it might be a pretty good bet. Let me know what you think of it.
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About Marc Eastman
Marc Eastman is the owner and operator of Are You Screening? and has been writing film reviews for over a decade, and several branches of the internet's film review world have seen his name. His reviews have brought him personal praise from the director of a major motion picture, and have been used as required reading in a course at a major University. These priceless rewards, along with just bags of cash, keep him from straying from freelance writing. He is also a member of The Broadcast Film Critics Association and The Broadcast Television Journalists Association.
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