I felt compelled to make this posting after reading a couple pretty visceral postings which seemed inexplicably hateful about this rather light and funny show. Lighten up, geez! It's a brand new 30-minute sitcom on Fox that follows a cartoon! Go watch some tired old Seinfeld reruns and give the rest of us a break.
Part of why I like the show so far is that it doesn't take itself seriously, it feels playful and not so staged or forced. These people look and sound like they're having fun, and so the funny lines flow and don't feel so much like punchlines. The writing isn't afraid to go after the less-tame quirks that come with bad dates and I'm-conspicuously-over-30-and uncomfortably-single insecurity. The characters aren't as hopelessly selfish and dysfunctional as the Seinfeld quartet, and (gratefuly) they're not running around with quizzical "I'm perfect and surrounded by morons" expressions like the cast of Friends' characters always were, which frankly annoyed the hell out of me after awhile. (I still shake my head in amazement that Jennifer Anniston has since been able to redeem herself to me as a fine actor...unlike the rest of them.)
So give this kid some air, will-ya? At least the show truly comes from Boston - the writer/creators AND those famous directors are all from New England - and uptight Boston should be ready for something more contemporary than "Cheers" to see its untidy reflection in.
