What is it this fall with me reading parallels between a pilot and its protagonist? Much like Ringer and Up All Night, the strengths and weaknesses of 2 Broke Girls are closely mirrored by its leads. Max and Caroline are waitresses who—like their portrayers, Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs—deserve a far better forum to show off their talents (Max's cupcakes and Caroline's business savvy) than their current dismal surroundings (a rundown diner populated exclusively by broad ethnic caricatures) allow.
Given that the diner is set up as the show's primary location, this is a pretty substantial hurdle. It's a little baffling that a network sitcom in 2011 doesn't bat an eye at rolling out a Chinese manager from the Mickey Rooney School of Oriental Sensitivity, a greasy Eastern European chef who ought to be toting a machine gun behind Alan Rickman in a 1980s action movie, and a wizened African-American man who I guarantee will bust out at least one bona fide Magical Negro moment this season. (Also, his whole schtick consists of crazy tabloid-celebrity analogies, and that gag will surely hold up for six seasons and a movie.)
Ethnic stereotypes, of course, are a time-honored shorthand to represent "city life" to viewers who don't live in cities. It's "diversity" as that word exists in tone-deaf pitch meetings and backwards notions of political correctness, rather than diversity as it exists as an unremarkable fact of life in metropolitan environments (where something like 60% of Americans live, incidentally).
Worst of all, none of these characters were remotely funny (okay, the skeezy cook has potential). Almost nothing in the diner worked for me at all, and unless this supporting crew gets pulled back into some kind of recognizable reality—even a sitcom reality—soon, nothing will.
Now for the bright side: the leads are completely charming, the cupcake shop goal (while a mite implausible) sets up some nice forward momentum, and they own a frigging horse. No lie: that horse holds the key to 2 Broke Girls' future potential. It works as both a weird, clever piece of broad comedy (the last scene, with the ladies astride, was the funniest by far), and as a link between the two new friends and a signpost towards their quickly-established entrepreneurial dream.
The more the episode focused on Max and Caroline's tentative rapport—the training in the diner, their encounter on the subway—the stronger it was. Beth Behrs is believably bright and poised (as befitting her Wharton-alum character) without showing any signs of veering into an oblivious poor-little-rich-girl. Dennings is awesome in any setting, irresistibly wry and vibrant, and even though a lot of her dialogue here is pretty strained she rises above the material. Because it's a pilot, the script necessarily hits a lot of sitcom-y beats, but if the writing going forward shows its stars some trust, these two can elevate even average material.
Both characters are very grounded individuals in their own ways, so they'll also benefit from a dose of absurdity around the edges (see again: they own a horse). Which is what makes the diner-denizens doubly frustrating. A properly silly supporting cast, to keep things lively and to rope our heroines into ridiculous situations, would solidify 2 Broke Girls as a great sitcom. It doesn't have that yet, and the general tone-deafness I've read from showrunner Michael Patrick King on this matter is worrying. But I've got my fingers crossed that the writers can retool: let the side players evolve, lose the incessant and stale hipster jokes, and give Max and Caroline as many opportunities to bounce off one another as possible. And for crying out loud, keep that horse around.
Other notes:
- Come to think of it, even the white people are kinda ethnic stereotypes - Caroline starts off as a prototypical WASP, and Scummy Boyfriend is, as Caroline puts it, "Jersey Shore" all over.
- “Whatever that is, it does not belong in this dinner. It belongs in a show on Bravo.”
- “Are you sure we can’t get the meth addict back? She was really good at cleaning.”
- “He doesn’t realize he looks like that, and I don’t have the heart to tell him.”
- "It didn't feel pink."
- "Now divorce the ketchups."
- “She went to Wharton. And Switzerland.”
- “I don’t know what those things are called, but they make smart girls stupid.”
Filed under: 2 Broke Girls
This kept me interested for about 20 minutes, which was not quite as long as seeing how thoroughly Chuck Lorre was going to kill off Charlie Harper (he sure did a good job, albeit tasteless, but very funny), but 18 more than Up All Night, which I left at the pregnancy test.
This seems to be part of the Whitney Cummings (also Sarah Silverman) school of cute but crude women. Of course, Whitney also gets to do it herself on Thursday.
Where I thought they could have gone farther was developing the idea that Caroline was Bernie Madoff's daughter, in effect, and instead of just saying that she lost her trust fund, show how her plunge into poverty really had an effect on her, other than "I had to go to a diner in Brooklyn where no one in Manhattan would find me." Also, they could have better shown how selling cupcakes for $7 is acceptable, if people are willing to pay that. It wasn't the equivalent of what Caroline's dad did.
Jack, I agree that Caroline didn't get very much characterization, but they did cram a lot of plot into the pilot. I'm guessing (hoping) that she'll get more depth in future episodes, because you're right about the rich comic potential of her Madoff-esque backstory. I have to think the writers have something in mind for that, or why else bother introducing a roman a clef? In terms of opening up clear, interesting paths to explore with the leads, the pilot succeeded.
It had good lines at times--liked the stuff Max had to say to various guys.
Garret Morris's lines were too long--maybe a nod to Laugh In days. BUT, there is a major problem with the horse--it has foundered and it's feet need care, big time. That this was allowed , and two people were put on it, is not good. I am hoping others will see it--it is almost cruel what has been done.
I fail to understand why 2 Broke Girls is being pre-empted in Oklahoma City in favor of info mercials. I have protested to the station to no avail.