Where’s the Comedy?

What’s it about?

Whitney,put simply,is a formulaic American sitcom. A group of friends,their quirks and the different situations they get into every day. The only differentiating factor here is its cast,comprising largely of renowned humourists,including Whitney Cummings who plays the protagonist. It is based on her real-life experiences and her comedy routines around the house. The show deals with her life and equations with various people — her live-in partner Alex,her mother and a gang of friends.

Who’s in it?

Whitney Cummings plays the title role on the show. The series follows her around,as she portrays a fictionalised version of herself,and her very supportive live-in boyfriend,Alex,played by stand-up comic Chris D’Elia. Three-time Golden Globe winner Jane Kaczmarek (Lois of Malcolm in the Middle) plays Candi,Whitney’s mother. Rhea Seehorn plays Roxanne Harris,an over-the-top divorcee and Whitney’s friend who later becomes her boss. Comedian Dan O’Brien (editor of popular online magazine cracked.com) plays Mark Murphy,Alex’s best friend and Zoe Lister Jones plays Lily Dixon,a good friend of Whitney.

What’s hot?

The show,although pitched as a situational comedy,hardly has anything to write home about. The concept is possibly the only saving grace here. At the beginning of the show,an announcement states that the show is performed in front of a live audience. A big pat on the back for the makers of the show for thinking of a concept like this and presenting it in fiction format. Whitney is the only good actor of the lot,while others have occasional cinematic moments.

What’s not?

It tries hard to be Friends. The show indulges a lot in physical comedy: Whitney dropping her phone every now and then,Whitney and Alex falling off the bed while trying to get intimate and so on. There is not a single character in the show we can root for or empathise with. Whitney’s lines are badly written though she tries hard to match them with her expressions. Sitcom cliches are in abundance too — Candi has a shrill voice,has had multiple divorces and wants her daughter to marry so she can bag a huge alimony when she eventually separates. Roxanne is too over-the-top and on most occasions,you want her to disappear off the screen as soon as she can. Alex is your regular goofy character and lacks nuances. Mark,Alex’s best friend,tries hard to be Barney from How I Met Your Mother but ends up being irritating as opposed to endearing.

Should you be watching it?

You could well watch the re-runs of Friends and Everybody Loves Raymond.