Screener Girl Checks Out Welcome To The Captain
Photo: Michael Yarish/CBS ©2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.
I had the chance to see CBS's Welcome to the Captain, and I have to be completely honest. I didn’t hate it. Sure, that’s not exactly a glowing review, but compared to what I’ve seen on other sites, and in various magazines about the show, it’s actually one of the better ones.
The story follows Josh (played by Fran Kranz of The TV Set) who breaks up with his girlfriend of a long time and needs a place to live. He makes plans to move back to NYC, but his best friend Marty (played insanely by Chris Klein), convinces him to take the open apartment in The Captain, an apartment building where everyone knows everyone’s name and business. Along for the ride is Josh’s new love interest, acupuncturist-in-the-making Hope (Reba’s Joanna Garcia, and the heart of the show). He meets her on the first night, and it’s typical sitcom love at first sight. Jeffrey Tambor (in a role that he wishes was George Bluth…but isn’t) plays Uncle Saul, former writer for Three’s Company, or T. Co., as he calls it. He and his best buddy Jesus (pronounced like the savior, because he likes how that sounds) knows everything about everyone in the building and are constantly there, listening in. Raquel Welch really doesn’t need to be in the show, playing the older woman in building that everyone worships, most specifically, Uncle Saul, to whom she won’t give the time of day.
There are some things that work, like Chris Klein’s over the top delivery of just about every line he’s given. He does comedy well (loved him in Election), and I wish he was given better material to work with. Fran Kranz has horrible hair and that’s all I could think as I watched his Josh get into crazy situations. He’s funny, but I’m distracted. He had great chemistry with Joanna Garcia, though, so that’s a good casting decision! Al Madrigal (Jesus) is trying to hard to be that quirky side-kick, and I think if he relaxed in the role it would be better and less annoying. The show had truly funny moments where I surprised myself by laughing out loud. But there were other, truly horrible, typical sitcom moments.
CBS will probably give the show a chance to find its footing, and if they clean some of the boring and typical stuff out of the script, I’ll probably tune in again, at least until the strike is over…..
Welcome To The Captain Premieres On CBS Monday, February 4th – 8:30-9:00 PM, ET/PT
