The static nature of three talking heads (even in cartoon form) is dull, and the intermittent non-studio interstitials used to illustrate the discussion fail to provide enough of a change. Watching cartoon characters laugh at one another feels recursively silly, and not in a good way.
An inspiring show all around, though perhaps not in the way Syfy wants it to be because the moment the credits roll, viewers will switch off the TV and start re-evaluating every single item in their basement.
Life is a cut above the rest because Michaels is facing major health issues every day. It might be that a near-death experience isn't enough to totally slow him down, but watching him try to apply the brakes while simultaneously revving his engine is a reality worth tuning into.
UK remakes the script in its own, veddy British image and comes up with a vibrant, layered, insightful look at how the system breaks down no matter what the metropolis.
In the end, the series itself is something fresh, welcome and a little tart -- and just like a nice citrus fruit, it'll be hard to stop with just one of these.
The pervasive "what about the children" atmosphere we live in might be exactly what makes Greg Garcia's new Fox sitcom "Raising Hope" so wryly, delightfully, honestly hilarious.
This is a show that will benefit from some fine-tuning. What it lacks in originality it should make up for in content, and in the end we all know that this is a franchise (of sorts) that has very good bones.
That's a lot of potential gothic soap, but fortunately Gates presents a surprisingly well-written, intriguing scenario with a head-swimmingly large ensemble cast.
