Round Two: Hot in Cleveland

Hot in Cleveland: Season 1, Episode 2 “Who’s Your Mama?” (C)

I’ll admit, I got quite worried when the chance introduction of one of the main characters’ long-lost children seemed primed to happen in the show’s second-ever episode. I suppose having Joy think that she’s dating her son but not actually encounter him for a while is somewhat like playing a get-out-of-jail-free card, almost exploring some avenue too soon but in reality putting it on the back burner to come back to at a (much?) later point. What’s perhaps more of a concern is the fact that the alleged protagonist of the show doesn’t even have a plotline in this episode. It seems way too early in the show’s run to be sidelining the main character, and that could be very problematic. Still, the show isn’t grating or horrible by any means, and that’s something. Perhaps it’s wise that Melanie is the straight man, since all three of her fellow women are relatively dynamic and extravagant in their own ways. Victoria is shaping up to be quite a one-note character, concerned only with her fame and nothing else. While I’d rather not conform to public opinion, I will say that Betty White continues to perform wondrously, having a legitimate plotline in this episode and a host of funny lines, in addition to continuing her barrage of insults directed at Joy. It probably wouldn’t hurt this show to recruit a male actor full-time to inject some permanent testosterone into these women’s lives, and it shouldn’t be Joy’s son. I’d be happy if they brought back John Schneider from episode one. This show does need to show some significant improvement in the coming installment, otherwise I don’t know how much hope there is for it, quality-wise.