ABC Family gave us a total blast from the past tonight with the welcome return of Melissa Joan Hart and Joey Lawrence to our screens; for a minute, it felt like we were back in the '90s.
While 'Melissa & Joey' doesn't have the inherent charm of 'Sabrina, the Teenage Witch,' 'Clarissa Explains It All' or 'Blossom,' it does have nascent promise, thanks to the two leads, who still look fresh-faced and fairly adorable. The plot is easily reminiscent of 'Who's the Boss,' which seems to be a prerequisite reference in every review, but it's obvious that a show like this will hinge on the chemistry between the two stars, who are still trying to find their footing in the pilot.
The plot deals with Hart's neurotic politician character, Mel, trying to juggle her career while taking care of her precocious niece and nephew, who have been forced to stay with her after Mel's sister and brother-in-law end up in federal prison. Lawrence plays Joe, a former commodities broker who has lost everything due to the irresponsibility of said brother-in-law and sister, and is currently living out of his car.
He inserts himself into her life at a press conference, and then turns up at her door -- because nothing says 'responsible child-carer' like a stalker who shouts "BOLIVIA" at people they've just met. But there wouldn't be much of a show if the two didn't overcome their differences and agree to work together, so Joe soon winds up as Mel's live-in manny.
Things progress with typical sitcom speed, but would a vaguely responsible aunt really entrust her nephew to a complete stranger who's been nothing but belligerent to her up until now? Especially when the aforementioned nephew is the son of the guy who caused the ruination of that stranger's entire life? Think how much juicier this whole scenario would be on HBO ...
As it is, Joe is the lovable rogue with the heart of gold, and even though he completely lies about having any experience in taking care of kids, he's not too bad at it -- if you don't count the bribery and foot-in-mouth syndrome.
The jokes are surprisingly risqué for ABC Family, which I kind of appreciated, especially niece Lennox's poem about Miss Lunt. I could live without the slapstick, however -- Hart takes a few too many pratfalls considering that she's no longer a teenage witch, while some of the dialog is less than stellar.
The laugh track isn't too distracting, although Hart seems like she's trying too hard; I'd like to see her take it down a notch, since some of her gestures seem like she's playing for the cheap seats in the back. Perhaps once the show hits its stride and the writing grows stronger, she'll need to rely on physicality less.
For now, 'Melissa & Joey' is middle of the road comedy, nothing too remarkable, but with enough goodwill towards its stars that nostalgia might carry it through until the writers find their niche.
What did you think of 'Melissa & Joey'? Will you be tuning in next week?
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