Pilot Review: Super Fun Night

Super Fun Night (ABC)
Premiered October 2 at 9:30pm

Some people really like Rebel Wilson. I don’t happen to be one of those people. When I first saw the trailer for this show back in May, I thought it looked terrible, and the pilot episode did nothing to dissuade me from that opinion. This is essentially a compilation of fat jokes and very basic, immature storylines about two very different women vying for the same buffoon of a British guy at work. Wilson, who created the show, is impossibly irritating, and much of the show’s appeal will have to do with whether viewers like her or not. It’s always interesting to see the series that Liza Lapira, who was a recurring guest on “NCIS” for a while, chooses, and she’s much better than the material she’s working with here. I’m especially unimpressed with Kimmie’s number one rival, because she seems to try to so hard and feels like a pale, pale imitation of Becki Newton’s Amanda from “Ugly Betty.” In many ways, this show fits right in to ABC’s Wednesday night comedy block, but it doesn’t have anywhere near the potential of the other shows in it. Wilson fancies her character to be sympathetic and endearing, but that’s far from the case. Rooting for her is more important than liking her, but that doesn’t help matters much since she doesn’t possess many good qualities. This is a show that I know I don’t need to revisit, since it’s done a good job of indicating just how high its humor is going to aim.

How will it work as a series? Its title references the name of the activity that Kimmie and her friends voted on to end up at karaoke night, which means the show could endlessly revolve around their evening outings. Much of it will likely take place at Kimmie’s work, and I suspect that her new nemesis isn’t going anywhere soon. That doesn’t soon at all appealing to me.
How long will it last? Numbers were decent for the pilot, and premiering after “Modern Family” gives it an automatic edge, as long as it does well. Wilson is popular enough, and even if reviews aren’t great, I think this is going to be a durable part of the ABC Wednesday night lineup, at least for now.

Pilot grade: F