Round Two: The Mick

The Mick: Season 1, Episode 2 “The Grandparents” (B-)

This second episode didn’t inspire too much confidence in me for the future prospects of this show, and I’m not sure that I’m going to tune in for episode three. The start was pretty good, with Chip saying things like “Why are we in a poor person’s restaurant” and offering his little brother the $1,000 dollars that he has in his hand to lick the grill. Mickey’s decision to leave was predictable, though I’m surprised that she allowed Alba to come with her. Calling her brother-in-law’s parents to come over was a logical move in some ways, but that was where this show’s quality decreased in my mind. The colonel being in a wheelchair and totally unresponsive when Chip was looking forward to meeting his war hero grandfather was the first misstep, and the grandmother slapping Sabrina repeatedly when she talked back was a bit much. Throwing her coffee on Sabrina was a formidable response to her granddaughter’s attempt to drug her using the same trick Mickey did, and forcing her to dance was another example of excess that this already wild show doesn’t really need. Mickey returning only because she needed to get money to repay the loan shark she left with Alba as collateral was another sensible development, and naturally the whole problem would be solved by the grandmother slipping by chance and breaking both hips. If these are the kind of shenanigans that Mickey and her niece and nephews are going to get into on this show, I’m not sure that I need to stick around to watch it happen. It’s not awful, but it’s not appealing as episode one.

Pilot Review: The Mick

The Mick (FOX)
Premiered January 1 at 8pm

It’s an interesting idea – premiering a show on New Year’s Day. I think this is actually the perfect series to debut at that time. I’ve never been a fan of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” but I do like Kaitlin Olson, and this seems like a great role for her. At first, it felt like it might not be that sophisticated, but that’s someone this show and its protagonist own. Olson’s Mickey has no shame about who she is, and from the moment that she defiantly took her niece’s cigarettes when she refused to even acknowledge her request for one, she was all about her attitude and doing what was best for her. Drugging Sabrina with a number of sleep medications while she thought she was competing in a drinking contest was a clever move, and that’s not all she has up her sleeve. Even better, it was her sister and not Mickey who was most selfish and who went on the run, leaving her children behind for her sister to raise. The jokes on this show are pretty fun, and while I don’t know if I can commit to watching this on a regular basis, I’m willing to give this better-than-expected sitcom another chance to see how worthwhile it is. I feel like this is a concept that has been done before but it still has plenty to offer, and the fact that not all of Mickey’s lessons are going over so well with her niece and nephews is just a sign that there’s more fun to come.

How will it work as a series? This is a sitcom, and so as long as it doesn’t become too formulaic, it should be fine. The question is whether Mickey can continue in her current role without her past coming back to haunt her, and if when it finally does, that’s going to make it even better or decrease its quality. I think it should be harmless fun.
How long will it last? Despite mixed reviews, this show has been doing exceptionally well in the ratings, starting out strong and then doing very well in its second airing in its regular timeslot two days later (an episode I’ll review soon). A special Sunday broadcast after “The Simpsons” is a good thing, and it appears that FOX is going to invest in this show and help it do well.

Pilot grade: B+