Monday, September 28, 2009

Should You Watch: Accidentally on Purpose

Before I tell you why you should watch "Accidentally on Purpose," a new sitcom airing Monday nights on CBS, let me tell you if you're interested, you had better do it quickly, because this is already a candidate for cancellation.

In this series, Jenna Elfman is a movie critic who embarks on a one-night stand with a much younger guy she meets in a bar (is "embarks" an appropriate word for picking up a guy in a bar?) and gets pregnant. Yay, younger guy's sperm! Complications are sure to ensue as we follow Elfman and the baby daddy, who she is letting stay in her apartment because otherwise he'd be living out of his van. You know, despite how I'm making it sound, this show is a lot more silly than seedy.

You should watch "Accidentally on Purpose" if:

*You really like Jenna Elfman. I mean, really like her. I'm talking you taped "Dharma and Greg" on WE, even though you had seen every episode, on the remote chance that maybe you'd catch one you had never seen, and even if you wouldn't, well, you'd go ahead and watch it, anyway. "Accidentally" is totally based on Elfman, and if you don't like her, don't even try it.

*The thought of a thirtysomething woman hooking up with a much younger guy makes you go, "Mm-HMM! You GO, girl!"

*You believe that the best way to illustrate a male character's youth and emotional maturity is to establish that he owns and uses a Wii.

*You're nostalgic enough for the idea of a newspaper employing a full-time film critic that you're just happy to see it be someone's occupation on TV.

*A whole week's worth of pregnancy-related reality shows on TLC just aren't doing it for you.

*You want the show to go long enough to see the inevitable stunt casting of Lauren Graham as Elfman's sister.

*You don't want to miss the cool old movie posters on Elfman's character's wall. I saw "Gilda" and a few others in the premiere.

*The new "Melrose Place" has awoken your Grant Show Fever from remission (Show is the newspaper owner who has just broken up with Elfman's character when the pilot begins).

As for me, well, the next time I see the show, it'll be an accident and not on purpose (as opposed to the Show--you never know when ol' Grant will turn up on my TV). It's not terrible, but you can see the whole thing laid out for you by just watching a few minutes, and it's not a direction I feel like going.

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