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Hello Friday: The Ex List
Hey, so I just realized that I forgot to mention one more new television show that I actually sorta like, against all odds: The Ex List, 9pm, Fridays on CBS.
At first when I heard the concept for this series — women is told by a psychic that she has already dated the man that she is supposed to marry, so woman starts dating all of her ex-boyfriends — I was like, “Whatever, next!” ahead of time.
But lo and behold, I was on bedrest the Friday it premiered, CH was out of town, and I had watched everything that I’m allowed to watch without him on the DVR, so really I had no choice but to give this show a chance.
And it turned out to actually be good. I’ve only recycled a love interest once and it was such a bad mistake that I never did it again, so I find watching someone do it on TV fascinating. Plus, the characters and situations are wry and funny enough (for a Friday night at least). However, the show isn’t without it’s problems:
1) Elizabeth Reaser isn’t crazy skinny, but she is skinnier than any non-actress that I know — I mean toned to death without a hint of cellulite. I find it hard to buy her as a laid back flower shop owner.
2) Serious lack of diversity. One of her male friends is vaguely ethnicish, but that’s about it. I think she might be the only woman in Los Angeles with any black our Latinos in her inner circle.
But I thought that concept fatigue would be its main problem, so congrats to the shows writers for at least avoiding that pit. Still, I’m going back and forth with myself about whether to add this to the DVR list. On one hand, it’s really fun and watchable, on the other hand, I don’t know if I want to add yet another CBS show (Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother are also on the list) with no blacks or Latinos to my queue. ‘Tis a dilemma, though in BBT’s defense, they do have an Indian Nerd, and you rarely see that.
I’ll have to sit with this one for awhile, though knowing me, I’ll decide not to watch it, but then catch it in re-runs this summer when I get desperate for TV. Oh, Ethics, why do you always abandon me so thoroughly during the long, hot drought of summer?
Anyway, check out The Ex List for yourself pilot here.
I was doing some busy work at the office and watched a couple of the episodes online. Like you, I’m on the fence. I definitely think it’s going to be a challenge to keep the premise fresh. For me, the biggest problem is the lead actress is the least interesting actress on the show. Something about her personality or the character’s personality that just leaves me wanting. If it lasts to a full season pick-up, maybe she’ll get the time she needs to settle into the role a little more.
I was doing some busy work at the office and watched a couple of the episodes online. Like you, I’m on the fence. I definitely think it’s going to be a challenge to keep the premise fresh. For me, the biggest problem is the lead actress is the least interesting actress on the show. Something about her personality or the character’s personality that just leaves me wanting. If it lasts to a full season pick-up, maybe she’ll get the time she needs to settle into the role a little more.
Her vaguely ethnic friend was one of my favorite characters from Campus Ladies. He is amazing at improv and it was the greatest tragedy of all when that show was canceled (though it was clearly on the wrong network)…
Her vaguely ethnic friend was one of my favorite characters from Campus Ladies. He is amazing at improv and it was the greatest tragedy of all when that show was canceled (though it was clearly on the wrong network)…
Debra, I hadn’t thought about that, but yes, Elizabeth Reaser is dead uninteresting. I wish they had gotten a comedic talent for the role as opposed to someone who had just excelled at drama beforehand. She’s no Christina Applegate.