From Deseret News archives:

'Miss' is surprisingly sweet

But there isn't much 'Hope' for new sitcom

Published: Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2003 1:36 p.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
Don't let the fact that "Miss Match" is the latest project from producer/writer Darren Star, creator of "Sex and the City" and "Melrose Place," throw you. This is a surprisingly sweet new show.

Alicia Silverstone ("Clueless") stars as Kate Fox in the new NBC series, which debuts Friday at 7 p.m. on Ch. 5. She's an up-and-coming attorney who works for her father's (Ryan O'Neal) firm. But she's conflicted about what they do — they're divorce lawyers, and they're very good at their jobs.

But perky Kate has a talent that runs counter to her job. She's a natural born matchmaker, able to spot people who would be perfect for each other. Which makes her divorce lawyer by day, matchmaker by night. And provides different stories (and different guest stars) each week, making the show a land-locked "Love Boat," in a way.

"Miss Match" is intended as light entertainment. And it is.

Hope & Faith (Friday, 8 p.m., Ch. 4): I know why ABC picked up this show — Kelly Ripa is a sitcom star-in-the-making. She's bright, bubbly and possesses a good deal of natural comedic ability.

But this may not be the show that makes her a sitcom star. It's pretty bad.

Story continues below
The premise is OK. Ripa, playing off her real-life resume, plays Faith, a soap-opera diva who's fired from her show and has no immediate prospects of employment. Having saved nothing, Faith is forced to move in with her sister, Hope (Faith Ford of "Murphy Brown"), a suburban housewife and mother.

The comedy comes from Faith — who doesn't exactly know how to navigate the real world — clashing with grounded Hope. And interacting with Hope's husband (Ted McGinley) and three children.

But it's not great comedy. When the comedy climax of your pilot episode is an extended food fight, where do you go from there?

Perhaps the biggest surprise in "Hope & Faith" is that, despite its trapping as a family sitcom and its position as a lynchpin of ABC's reconstituted, supposedly family friendly T.G.I.F. lineup, a lot of the jokes are of a sexual nature. A lot of the jokes.

Ripa is talented and Ford is great. Too bad the show isn't.


E-MAIL: pierce@desnews.com

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

Image

Alicia Silverstone

previousnext

Latest comments

Health Care Reform? Yes, but not this lousy ill conceived bill. I hope...

TCU to play Boise in Fiesta Bowl

No way was the BCS going to allow another 'Utah beatdown of Bama'. Putting 2...

Don't assume that, because I'm not an Obama partisan that I support any...

The problem with the Pickens Plan is that it relies heavily on government...

Utah Jazz: Who's hot and not

Gazelle, I may miss the game tonight unfortunately not by choice but I will...

Notice they don't use "Global Warming" much more, they say "climate...

Hang in there, Republicans, unless/until "Brother" Reid can explain how he's...

Cal hopes for Best vs. Utes

I hate the utes. Always have, always will. Their streak ends this year....

U.N. climate conference opens

Evidently the AP writer doesn't pay attention to the news. A cache of emails...

I have a Christmas plate that has been sitting ON TOP of our cupboards for...

Advertisements