Round Two: Romantically Challenged

Romantically Challenged: Season 1, Episode 2 “The Charade” (D+)

Okay, consider the first episode of this show a fluke. Less than half an hour into the life of this series, it becomes clear that there is no energy to these characters and they have nothing much to offer. The predominance of the horrifically annoying Shawn, played by Josh Lawson, is mysterious and unbearable. He seems like he’s supposed to be a supporting character, and he certainly should be, but he’s featured in nearly every scene and refuses to let anyone else have an opportunity to steal the scene. Kyle Bornheimer is trying hard to make Perry into a three-dimensional character by giving his performance his all, and while it’s definitely better than his one-note wrong-place-wrong-time turn in “Worst Week,” this guy should be playing a jerk, and there’s little that will convince me otherwise. No matter how much she appears on screen, it remains a mystery as to what Lisa, portrayed by Kelly Stables, thinks and does. She can’t stand a nice guy, and granted, this guy is way too nice, but she doesn’t offer up any additional hints about her character throughout the entire episode. The same is true, more or less, for lead character Rebecca, whose most memorable scenes consist of her pouring coffee for herself and having other people grab it right out of her hands. This show is dull, unnecessary, and less than alive. If it were airing during the summer when nothing else was on, it might be acceptable, but in this current climate, there isn’t much reason for it to be on the air.