Round Two: The Mayor

The Mayor: Season 1, Episode 2 “The Filibuster” (C+)

I think this is enough for me. This show isn’t bad, but it’s also unnecessarily repetitive and just not the kind of comedy that I feel I need to get into and watch on a regular basis. I’m sure every episode will end with Courtney learning an important lesson about how he should have known something but still managing to accomplish some version of what he needed through his unusual approach. Using his veto power rather than attending the pre-meeting and the post-meeting was a token example, since David Spade’s Ed Gunt quickly overrode his veto. I’m also not sure why Courtney came up with a great idea like taking a bit from each piece of the pie but then didn’t bother to stick around to put his creativity to use to figure out how to do it, or kill two birds with one stone by detailing in his filibuster what programs could be cut and where. Val was understandably frustrated with his inability to pay any attention to what she was saying, and she also gets to gloat occasionally about how she did in fact tell him so. That’s something I imagine will happen a lot going forward. Dina educating Jermaine about what his job really was did prove to be very roundabout, with him having no clue that all the problems he was noting were in fact his responsibility. This show might last – and it’s better than I and I imagine most expected it would be – but it’s hardly vital television.

Pilot Review: The Mayor

The Mayor (ABC)
Premiered October 3 at 8:30pm

This pilot has been available to watch online for two weeks, but of course I didn’t get around to it until it actually aired on television. In an era where political discourse has fallen apart completely, I think we’re used to seeing unconventional candidates for office. What this pilot managed to skip over was Courtney Rose’s decision to enter the race, starting instead with a debate where he was already officially declared, even though he didn’t have a clue what was involved with the job. This show could have been terrible, and while it’s hardly a home run, I’m pleased to report that the concept is actually somewhat workable. I’m relieved that there isn’t a laugh track since that would highlight the show’s weaker moments, and instead Courtney and his friends are realizing the seriousness of what they’ve gotten themselves into, like the fact that it’s a four-year job. I knew I recognized Courtney from somewhere, and that’s because Brandon Michael Hall played Julian on “Search Party.” I’m sure that “Community” fans are thrilled to see Yvette Nicole Brown back on television as Courtney’s mom in a show that features an up-and-coming hip-hop artist, like her former costar Donald Glover’s Emmy-winning series “Atlanta,” though the two have little in common beyond that. The best asset of this show, surprisingly, is Lea Michele, who was initially a great part of “Glee” and hasn’t had a perfect part since then, but she brings a dedication to this role that isn’t overbearing and fits right in where she’s supposed to be. I don’t know that I’ll continue to watch this, but this was a decent start.

How will it work as a series? He’s been elected now and he has Michele’s Valentina at his side, so it’s a question going forward of how he’ll respond to situations as they come up and whether he’ll do the wrong thing first each time before atoning and rectifying it in some grand way. It could become tired quickly, but I think it has potential.
How long will it last? I didn’t realize that this was the only new comedy ABC is premiering this fall. Airing behind three popular sitcoms, this show fared only moderately well after previewing online two weeks early. The reviews are pretty good, and I don’t think it’s anywhere near time to call this show’s future bleak just yet.

Pilot grade: B