Normally the words “new network comedy” make me wince and brace myself for something uninspired or awful.
I’m glad to say that the charming “Miss Guided” is an exception to that rule. This new comedy, which stars the wildly talented Judy Greer, is terrific.
Greer (“27 Dresses”) plays Becky Freeley, who returns to the high school she attended to work as a guidance counselor. So far, the thin premise makes “Miss Guided” sound like your standard sitcom.
But “Miss Guided” has one important difference: It made me laugh.
Greer is a big reason for that. She’s a wonder at playing dorky, slightly neurotic characters who are nevertheless winning in a multitude of ways.
There really hasn’t been this much “adorkability” on display since Seth Cohen disarmed viewers in the first season of “The O.C.”One of the central jokes of “Miss Guided” is that Becky hasn’t really changed all that much since high school — she’s still a bit of a misfit and still has a crush on a seemingly unattainable guy.
This sly comedy moves along at a sprightly pace, and Greer is surrounded by a very talented cast. Chris Parnell, who’s been a frequent guest on “30 Rock,” is stellar as a pompous assistant principal who likes to punch students — “punch them … in the mind. It’s called teaching!”
‘Riches’ poor in plot
There’s always a feeling with “The Riches” (9 p.m. Tuesday, FX) that someone might be conning you. It’s appropriate, given that the drama is about two vagabond con artists who’ve stolen the identities and house of a dead lawyer and his wife.
Wayne and Dahlia Malloy (Eddie Izzard and Minnie Driver) and their three kids are trying, with varying levels of success, to fit in with the cluster of suburban McMansions known as Eden Falls. But as Season 2 unfolds, Wayne and Dahlia, who are trying to pass themselves off as lawyer Doug Rich and his wife, Cherien, realize they’re not quite on their games as con artists.
They find it difficult to deliver the coup de grace to the people they’re deceiving, even though they’re allegedly hardened grifters of long standing. They have too much heart, so they waffle.
The same indecisiveness afflicts the show, which is a shame, because there are earnest questions and excellent performances at the heart of “The Riches.” But the answers to those questions, which revolve around the quest for the American dream, are too repetitive.
———-
More Top Picks How To Reduce Eye Strain Working From Home All Day