What I’m Watching: Trying (Season Finale)

Trying: Season 3, Episode 8 “The End of the Beginning” (A-)

This was a pretty wonderful finale, not that I would expect any less from this reliably great show. I love that Nikki expressing that she had hopes for a lot of things including a wedding was enough to inspire Jason to take immediate action and make an unforgettable wedding happen while they still had the kids, who were very sweetly so excited. Asking for funeral flowers because they were cheaper but failing to sell the cover story convincingly was entertaining, as was letting the kids pick out the clothes. I’m a big fan of Karen’s and appreciated that she knew how to distract Nikki from being upset that she was giving her earrings that she had stolen from her with a request for her to be a godmother and an ultrasound photo to go with it. Freddy made a beloved big gesture by paying the difference for the ring Jason wanted, and he even used the money he has to buy the flat so that they don’t have to move. Even Scott chipped in, shorting the publishing company so that he could get revenge and earn a profit for his new brother-in-law. But best of all was how, after some humorous objections in a non-trial setting, Nikki was able to appeal to Bev and then sought to include her by introducing her to everyone. The only better news is that this show has been renewed for a fourth season. I can’t wait - this show is a true delight and I’m eager for whatever comes next.

Season grade: A-
Season MVP: Esther Smith and Rafe Spall as Nikki and Jason

What I’m Watching: Trying

Trying: Season 3, Episode 7 “What a Banker” (B+)

It’s good to see that the fallout from the previous episode ended up not being so bad, with Nikki humorously avoiding talking to Jason while he prattles on about surge pricing and Nikki realizing that the only way she could get through to him was to call for a car and have him pick her up as the driver. His constant mentions of “shorting” funds shows he has absolutely no idea what that means (neither do I), and they were ultimately able to have a great conversation through the helpful setup of not having to look at each other. After Jen proved herself to be highly irresponsible by giving Tyler coffee while babysitting and shrinking his clothes in the wash (which turned out to be quite helpful), Nikki was finally able to talk to her in the same way. She took it surprisingly well, and then her follow-up chat with Tinkle went even better, getting intense enough to force Nikki to look away. Karen came through in a big way for Scott, opting to collect all the snacks he had apparently paid for and encouraging him to get five pages done a night to keep him motivated. It turns out she’s also a skilled writer, which will hopefully only serve to encourage him and not make him think that he’s incapable of anything. The impending loss of the flat and the adoption pronouncement give the finale the potential for devastating developments, but I have a feeling things will end up working out somehow.

What I’m Watching: Trying

Trying: Season 3, Episode 6 “Feelings are the Worst” (B+)

And there we have it, the truth coming out in the worst possible way, with Jason’s decision to invest the money with Scott leading to multiple terrible outcomes. He should have known that, friendly as she seemed, it was a bad idea to confide in Bev about his deepest secrets. They’re on unstable enough footing as it is, and now there are multiple legitimate reasons that they may not be able to be the best parents for Princess and Tyler. Getting an offer accepted on the flat and being told to vacate is very bad news, since now they’re totally out of options. Fixing a broken lamp won’t do much when they need to find somewhere new to live and have to contend with someone else who thinks she may be able to provide better for the children. Nikki did also finally express her frustration with Karen complaining about being pregnant, and it came at a perfect time since she had legitimately shoplifted a bunch of clothes from the store with same security guard she had insulted, and Karen was ready to feign pregnancy problems to get her out of trouble in the most fantastic way possible. Scott got a harsh reality check from his new editor, played by the always terrific Denis O’Hare, as he found out that everyone had interpreted his autobiographical book as a satire of the most ridiculous typical man, but he understands how important being stable for his forthcoming child is and is ready to put his ego aside to sell his product the way they want - as a Christmas toilet book.

What I’m Watching: Trying

Trying: Season 3, Episode 5 “Pick a Side” (B+)

There are a number of unresolved issues at play here, and it’s also always impressive how this show manages to bring things back from seemingly out of nowhere and make them relevant again. Nikki was absolutely crushed when Princess asked her to sit at a faraway table at another restaurant, and her only source of comfort was the fact that another woman was kind to her and helped her feel better about the situation. She did manage to bond with Princess when she made fun of the security guard who was ready to get Princess in trouble for what she took, but then she found that photo of that same woman with Princess and Tyler. While I think that might make her scared that she’ll lose them, I also think that she’s incredibly empathetic, and will seek out a way to find a solution for everyone that gives someone else the sense of completeness she feels having them in her life. That will at least give her something to do to put off Jen continuing to think that she’s good enough at her job to merit a promotion and having the eventual family newsletter-banning development of getting fired from that dream job. Jason nearly caused more damage by bringing Tyler to a bar but ended up taking care of his head bump and sports allegiance in a perfect way, even getting Tyler to call him dad. Karen turning to Scott for support after earlier telling him he needed to wait in the hall was sweet, and it’s fun to see Freddy turn into a nice guy as he realizes that the kind of people who might show up to a group called Assholes Anonymous really aren’t all that capable of change.

What I’m Watching: Trying

Trying: Season 3, Episode 4 “Little Steps” (B+)

I love when Nikki and Jason have to try to prove that they know something very well or are particularly good at a skill that they don’t have. They always overcompensate, and it was fun to watch Jason indicate that Nkki that she was being overenthusiastic and citing statistics that weren’t relevant to the conversation. Asking their case worker Noah if his grandmother was okay after he had just said that she died wasn’t a great start, but Jason’s inappropriate ringtone going off for what felt like forever was much worse. Penny getting a promotion is good for her but not as much for Nikki and Jason since Noah isn’t nearly as warm or encouraging, but they at least do appear to be doing okay aside from the whole invested-money thing that Nikki doesn’t know about and Jason doesn’t know how bad it’s actually done. Nikki was understandably a bit thrown off by Karen’s news - as she herself was - and it wasn’t a surprise that Scott didn’t even bother to let her share it before noting that his blog might be picked up and therefore he was ready to quit a job he had just started. She did a great job of rallying the kids and saving the day at the party that Nikki and Jason hadn’t quite fully thought out, and it was fun to see her go take out some aggression on Scott that turned into a very sweet miming reveal of her pregnancy that it took him a minute to get. It looks like he’s already driving her crazy, but at least she’ll have his enthusiastic support. I also liked the episode-ending shout-out happy birthday message on the radio.

What I’m Watching: Trying

Trying: Season 3, Episode 3 “Capture the Flag” (B+)

It’s funny to think of Jason as the fun one since it feels like he’s always full of quips and negativity, but Nikki was flailing trying to figure out how to get Princess to really relate to her. Telling her she could bring one thing with her on their kayak outing was nearly a trap since Princess wanted to pick Jason, but she ended up doing quite well when they went out and she pretended to see sharks. Jason, on the other hand, got in his head after being forced to be the serious one without Nikki there and grapple with Tyler’s very real questions about the world. It was endearing to hear Nikki profess that no one’s ever not liked her and witness her Jason impression, which prompted him to share his philosophy on life. The whole family getting into capture the flag was great to see, and I’m sure this episode was fun to film for the cast. Unfortunately, their luck is soon going to run out thanks to the miserable downturn in their riskily-invested funds that Scott just witnessed. He’s also likely not to be much help since Karen will probably be panicking about the news that she’s pregnant and potentially keeping that from him. Freddy’s search for companionship took him to the least appropriate of places where he totally dominated by confessing all the bad stuff he’s done, which was awkward but entertaining, and now he’s on his way towards being a better person by donating meager amounts to help those in need.

What I’m Watching: Trying

Trying: Season 3, Episode 2 “The Circle” (B+)

There is nothing Jason won’t do in service of his family, whether that means dressing up with Freddy to pretend to be government scientists to protect Tyler from embarrassment or figuring out a way to afford being able to stay in the flat that has only recently become a home for their two new children. Unfortunately, he’s chosen to go about it in a dishonest way, meeting Scott for some help with a risky investment that he didn’t want to tell Nikki about it, saying that it was his father who was lending him the money instead. I’m anticipating the discomfort of that moment when she does thank Vic and then she expresses legitimate, sweet confusion about why Jason would have told her something that isn’t true, whether or not it ends up paying off the way it needs to for them to not have to move. Trying to get his dad to put asbestos into the flat to lower the cost was a creative plan that was ultimately not going to be particularly effective. Nikki is dealing with her own tricky situation at the moment, enlisting her work best friend Jen in a secretive operation to help boost productivity at work only to realize that her being distracted with a special assignment solved all the problems since she’s the one who’s the weak link. Jen has always been an entertaining presence on the show, so I hope that, even if we don’t have to witness the awkward firing, we do get to see her again in some capacity.

What I’m Watching: Trying (Season Premiere)

Trying: Season 3, Episode 1 “Home” (B+)

I really love this show, and I’m so happy that it’s back for its third season in just about three years, a rare feat for series these days and especially during the pandemic. Things started on such a high with the two kids present and ready for the perfect day, something both Jason and Nikki put a lot of pressure on given that they thought this was going to be it. Jason putting on a vest to feed the penguins made for one of the funniest scenes when he tried to answer questions from onlookers with the most basic and incorrect of facts, assisted by some light heckling from Nikki. The advice that both parents gave to their kids was both sweet and humorous, and I love that Tyler ended up repeating some of it back to the social worker who came to take him away. Wrapping up everything in the kitchen to make sure it was childproof and safe was an entertaining exercise that definitely felt excessive, and I like that Nikki’s parents were already outside when she called them to ask them to make food since she didn’t have any in the house. Vic rallying the entire family to come show their support was a wondrous and unexpected gesture, and I like that they just marched from house to house to do it. I also enjoyed that Vic reported having found Scott’s fedora in the bushes, something she was not happy to have revealed since she was evidently trying to get rid of it without him finding out.

What I’m Watching: Trying (Season Finale)

Trying: Season 2, Episode 8 “I’m Scared” (B+)

I’m so grateful that I knew that this show had already been renewed for a third season before going into this finale (that happened way back in March). There’s just so much about it that’s wonderful, and I want to have so much more time to dwell on all the supporting characters and see what they’re able to do when given a chance in the spotlight. One great example was Karen’s insistence that she didn’t want to pay for professional music and instead would just play a Spotify playlist on her phone, even if that meant awkward interludes where commercials suddenly interrupted the flow of the party. It was also great to see Vic and Sandra dancing after a slow start, and I really enjoyed the completely cluelessness of Erica’s new boyfriend, which included asking Freddy if he knew what her favorite book was. The whole design of the wedding was very sweet with the secret garden, and I enjoyed that Scott acknowledged just how boring he was in a way that forced Karen to cut him off during the ceremony. Jason’s proposal was pretty wonderful, but there was barely even time to process that before Penny arrived to frantically interrupt things and give them the shocking news that they might get Princess after all if they made a decision within one minute. Her brother sneaking into the trunk was another surprise but a welcome one, and I’m so ready to see where this show goes now that Nikki and Jason are entering a new chapter of their lives.

Season grade: A-
Season MVP: Esther Smith as Nikki

What I’m Watching: Trying

Trying: Season 2, Episode 7 “Lift Me Up” (B+)

I wouldn’t have imagined a happy ending for pretty much everyone when this episode started, and it turns out there may be even more exciting things on the horizon. Nikki getting the call about the promotion at the same time as Jason got the call about the kids threatened to make the outlook of this episode dismal, but Jason was very sweet to point to their kids in the distance and pretend that Nikki was too short to see over the horizon. Working on their manager points was also fun, and they had the bachelor and bachelorette parties to focus on and keep their minds occupied. Erica finding Scott’s mostly blank mad libs and him finding Deven’s cup in the trash weren’t positive catalysts for a great time, and they both seemed incredibly distracted by the activities that weren’t altogether suited to their interests, aside from the go-karting that Karen seemed to love. Having both Karen and Erica convey earth-shattering secrets to her as they were about to drive off made Nikki understandably agitated, and it’s good to see that both of those got sorted. It was nicest that Scott overheard Jason telling Freddy that love was peace, which inspired him to go home and do something selfless before acknowledging his unbelievable – and often incomprehensible – pretentiousness. Harper was so unfazed by Freddy breaking up with her that she found a younger man in literally the same room, and though his issues with Erica haven’t been fixed, getting to focus on being better for her should be good for him. Vic even got to try something new! As if this episode couldn’t get any more satisfying, Nikki forcing Jason to pay her back was followed up by the very sweet shot of Jason staring at the ring that he’s going to use to propose. How wonderful!

What I’m Watching: Trying

Trying: Season 2, Episode 6 “A Long Way Down” (B+)

There was something so hopeful about the construction project making it possible for Nikki and Jason to take both kids, and all those dreams were shattered when they realized that the residents of the impossibly fancy home they visited were the rival applicants who were likely going to adopt them instead. That did lead to some entertaining antics that were reminiscent of Nikki secretly paying someone to take Jason’s bike so that he wouldn’t be able to risk hurting himself anymore. I think my favorite part was the husband running out with a hammer and the two of them reacting, only to learn that he was just a contractor and it was perfectly logical that he would be shopping with the wife. Jason proved that he was just as bad as Nikki at playing it cool when he got discovered while on FaceTime with Nikki at the hardware store, and that was another entertaining moment. The fact that they ended up having to call Scott to help them out of the treehouse because they couldn’t reach anyone else couldn’t have happened at a worse time, but you have to wonder what Scott is thinking when he said that his writing and Karen are equally important to him and that she was getting “her wedding.” What he could possibly feel that she’s done to betray him when the only interest he expresses in her is to give her condescending book recommendations is a mystery. Freddy being told by his new girlfriend to eat more yogurt was a humorous catalyst for him to end up hooking up with Erica again, something that hardly seems like it will make everything that happened okay but is sure to have rocky and complicated consequences.

What I’m Watching: Trying

Trying: Season 2, Episode 5 “Maddest Sweetest Thing” (B+)

I was wondering the same thing that finally got brought up in this episode – why couldn’t Nikki and Jason just take both kids? Nikki manifested that idea very quickly and bluntly in a way that didn’t quite feel realistic for Penny, but I like that it wasn’t the end of it. As soon as I saw Philip Davis as Jason’s father in an episode earlier this season, I recognized him from “Vera Drake,” a film in which he plays the husband of the title character, who happens to be portrayed by Imelda Staunton, who stars as Penny here. It was fun to see the two of them get to share a scene together in which she helped him to realize that he needed to pay more attention to his wife’s needs and desires, which seems to have worked. The way that he wanted to come over and constantly be handy was very relatable, and I like that Jason tried to get him to stop but then just legitimately had him fix things that weren’t in great shape. It was very sweet that he divided the bedroom in two so they might be able to consider taking both kids. Touring an apartment that seemed perfect but then ended up being only for one room was an unfortunate misstep along the way. After Jen’s terribly awkward interview in which she revealed that she had been telling customers for a year and a half that the company didn’t pick them up and somehow managed to keep her job, Nikki did much better, and hopefully the promotion she’ll definitely get won’t pose a problem for the time she wants to invest in being a mother.

What I’m Watching: Trying

Trying: Season 2, Episode 4 “Helicopters” (B+)

As someone who enjoys biking and used to zip through the streets of Manhattan every day on my way to and from work, I appreciated the very calm and slow approach Jason took to using his bike that still managed to result in a major accident on the very first day that he rode. Nikki was clever in how she was able to deduce that he was lying, though she didn’t really think through the possibility that he’d run into the woman she paid to take the bike, resulting in Jason paying much more to get it back and being very mad at her. Things returned to an equal playing field when she discovered that he had been writing letters to her all along as a girl from Honduras, but she eventually realized just how sweet that was and even got him bike gear to encourage his new endeavor. While it’s devastating to learn that there is a family that will be able to take both Princess and her brother, that’s a problem for the next episode, and I’d like to take a moment to focus on how funny it was that Nikki and Jason needed to come up with a detailed backstory for what kind of surveyors they were supposed to be, and Nikki even put on a fake American accent to talk to Princess, something she really shouldn’t have done. Erica making her terrible date do push-ups so that she could leave him at the table was pretty terrific, and while I’d argue that maybe “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” might be more appropriate reading for a young child than a young adult, it’s definitely not a good thing that Freddy’s new girlfriend likes the same books as his daughter.

What I’m Watching: Trying

Trying: Season 2, Episode 3 “Big Heads” (B+)

This show always launches its drama with a bit of comedy, like Jason getting a text from his mom that “Gran is a dude” before she managed to turn off the autocorrect and clarify that she was dead. There wasn’t much sentiment for the woman who was no longer among the living, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t grief and awkwardness to be found in that house. Nikki’s bubbliness – and her milk mustache from her ice cream – weren’t all too welcome, but she isn’t one to just be ignored and let things happen if she doesn’t think they’re happening in the right way. Taking out her frustration with Princess and her brother having to be separated on the shed was a helpful way for everyone to be able to open up and vent their anger through some physical smashing of an unnecessary structure. On a lighter note, it was very entertaining to see Jason work up stories in his mind about how he might be the father to his ex-girlfriend’s son with a very big head, a possibility that was quickly put to rest when she revealed that she cheated on him very often. Nikki scratching out Sky’s initials and carving her own in was a nice way to bid farewell to this little vacation. Back at home, Karen does not seem to be happy with Scott, and the mutual interest she and a student’s father are expressing in each other is likely to derail that impending wedding, which may ultimately be the best thing if they’re not meant to be together.

What I’m Watching: Trying

Trying: Season 2, Episode 2 “The Sun on Your Back” (B+)

I enjoyed the opening description of Jason as not a cartoon character but someone who needs more than one outfit for work now that he’s a manager, though it didn’t help him much since he struggled considerably to get everyone’s attention and then promptly lost it when he couldn’t stop looking at his phone. Getting management advice from a typically smug Freddy was obviously useless, but his American girlfriend turned out to be much more helpful, and she’s infinitely more intelligent and put-together than expected, though Freddy is hopeless to keep up with her. Nikki was not the center of attention as she went wedding dress shopping with her mom and sister at the store that was hilariously operated by a husband who didn’t know what to call sleeves and was startled by the price of the garment that he was selling. That was a fun and dramatically effective outing, punctuated by her mom commenting that she’s always been happy and that she just wanted Karen to smile. Penny’s bad news burst a bubble of overinvestment that included her drinking out of a mug labeled James, and the park event might have changed all that had the comic delays with the wrong park and the tourists on the bus not caused them to miss it entirely. But Nikki seeing the one girl who didn’t want to go and finding her princess wish in the trash was almost better, and it looks like hope may be on the horizon. On a more humorous note, I enjoyed Jason’s defense of his having forgotten most of his martial arts moves: that his opponents wouldn’t be able to see them coming if even he didn’t know what he was doing next.

What I’m Watching: Trying (Season Premiere)

Trying: Season 2, Episode 1 “A Nice Boy” (B+)

I’m so happy that this show is back since it was absolutely one of my favorites in 2020 and seems to fly way too under-the-radar given its quality and charm. This opener wasn’t actually all that much about Nikki and Jason’s relationship but instead about how they were watching their best friends be torn apart, dueling even during the baptism itself and coming up with new names for their baby son on the fly. I enjoyed that they went with the priest’s name since it was a neutral compromise, but that was about all they were able to agree on until the end of the episode and Erica jumping in to the water to save the plant made things suddenly seem a lot less contentious. Freddy was being the worst as he expected Nikki and Jason to drop everything to go pick up all of his stuff when Erica wasn’t home and then complained to them that they had forgotten one item. Jason did manage to put him in his place, but Nikki just seemed so floored that they were able to simply move on after a heated argument. Nikki declaring the entire male gender unsalvageable because they might turn into Freddy, Jason made a decent case for how they could turn out okay, and they may well be on track to getting this boy that Penny told them ahead of time would be available. Let’s just hope that his sneaking olives is just that and not a metaphor for a more significant yearning for something he doesn’t presently have.

Top 20 New Shows of 2020: #13

My annual TV Awards, the AFT Television Awards, are given out during the summer. It’s always nice to check in midway through the television season to reflect back on all the calendar year introduced us to. As 2020 closes out and 2021 begins, here’s a look back at the best new shows of the year.

#13: Trying

On the surface, there isn’t all that much to this British comedy about a couple that wants to be parents but isn’t having an easy time of accomplishing. It was highly relatable and entertaining, and its best asset is actress Esther Smith, whose sweet nature and genuine desire to be kind makes her extremely sympathetic. A second season should be on the way soon. Watch season one now on Apple TV Plus.

Best Episode: “Tickets for a Queue”
Pilot Review | Episode Reviews

What I’m Watching: Trying (Season Finale)

Trying: Season 1, Episode 8 “We Know the Way Out” (B+)

It wasn’t clear how things were going to end when a clueless Freddy was demanding groceries while apparently planning to stay in their spare room forever, but fortunately the focus was much more on the happy couple’s quest for their child. Erica was also very stressed but immediately switched over to boosting her friend’s confidence when she realized just how excited and nervous she was about the panel. We haven’t spent too much time with Penny, but it was sweet that she was so invested in this, going to bat for them and then giving Nikki the pep talk she needed about how she should stay strong. Jason did seem too casual when he first spoke, and Nikki’s mention of badminton aimed at one particular panelist went a bit off-course when she answered a simple question wrong. Jason jumped in to say that he took the promotion when they raised concern about their finances, but his dismissal of them not being married because a bit of paper from the government shouldn’t prove anything didn’t exactly help. Claiming that Hitler’s son, or maybe his nephew, did a lot of great things was not Jason’s best point, but he came through in the end with a passionate defense of how Nikki has made him a better person just by being with him. Invoking how their own journey began with lass and that they know pain, Jason really won them over. It was an affirming and wonderful end to a great first season, and I was so happy to learn that the show has apparently already been renewed for a second year. I’ll definitely be watching.

Season grade: B+
Season MVP: Esther Smith as Nikki

What I’m Watching: Trying

Trying: Season 1, Episode 7 “Good Old Family Map” (B+)

I like that this episode started comically and ended the same way, reaffirming that they’re going to make it, even if that mark made in the very last scene isn’t going to end up giving them a child to adopt. Nikki was genuinely confused when Jason told her he was running, and she waited until much later in the episode to address the concerns that she had about the message she saw. I thought there might be trouble when Erica pointed out that her worry likely had to do with the way that her own relationship with Jason apparently started, though fortunately we didn’t delve into that at all since they were able to resolve things much more easily. After all the tension at the party, it seemed like Jason was completely ready to agree that there was another woman and that it had been going on for a long time. Hilariously, he was only confirming what Freddy did, thinking that she understood that, and what a formidable show of loyalty to her friend she delivered in the terrifying way she threatened Freddy. Karen pushed her to say what she really felt about Scott, and that’s likely going to continue to come between them even though we’re well aware that Nikki is totally right. I enjoyed seeing Penny ask the same restaurant customer to get her first a glass of water and then a fork, and it was nice that she only wanted to help Nikki when she confessed that she was secretly slurping up her noodles while she was in the bathroom so that her inability to use chopsticks wouldn’t count against them.

What I’m Watching: Trying

Trying: Season 1, Episode 6 “Show Me the Love” (B+)

After an episode that allowed them to partner and show how they could work together to take care of someone else’s kids, this one demonstrated that they’re really not aligned on certain things. Telling him that she needed him to take it seriously didn’t go over all that well, and he performed rather poorly during the exercise when he was supposed to be comforting the child he purported not to want to coddle. She missed his request not to be abandoned when they went to eat, but it’s probably for the best that they were separated. She got to connect in a way that he would have mocked, and he got a reality check when he mistakenly suggested that this scenario was much worse than it might actually be. Deciding to go out with people from work – including the woman who’s been flirting with him a bit too overtly – was a mistake, and though Nikki didn’t seem bothered to be eating dinner by herself at home, the text that came in after is going to make his diversion seem much worse than it was. She already responded poorly to Karen telling her that she got engaged by asking who it was, and he received some surprising news from Freddy about how he cheated on Erica. Adopting a kid together is a big deal, and right now this couple seems like they’re in crisis, and they’re going to need to get back on the same page before they continue to move forward with a process that is very much accelerating.