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My take on 'GMM' and the future of it. Does it have a chance?

posted 21 years ago by abyoussef
3 replies | jump to latest

(by dane youssef)
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"We're not re-running episodes of "GMM" this season because of the lack of interest. We can air an all-new "GMM" or an old-re-run of "Wil & Grace" and it's the "Will & Grace" that the viewers will all tune in to watch."--Jeff Zucker, NBC.

Well, there's no arguement there. I think it's a good thing that they took "GMM" off of Thursday night Must-See-T.V. It's... well, it's NOT Must-See-T.V.

The problem with "Good Morning, Miami" in episode one----

It was originally in the first season the awful weather nun and cuban co-anchor (Brooke Dillman and Bessie Santiago, two very strong talents saddled with awful characters and non-existant material).

As well as the normally talented Ms. Suzanne Pleshette as Jake's horny, crotchety, preachy grandmother---a horny, foul-mouthed, crusty, preachy little old lady. Oh, there's a novel and intriguing character.

The characters--all of them--are directly from the bottom of the bargain bin at the inspiration shop. Characters with more than their fair share of mileage on them. Vey, very, very familiar sit-com types.

The boorish, pompous blowhard of an anchorman. The bumbling, goofy, self-depricating, prat-falling sidekick. The horny, swearing, crusty and dirty little-old lady. The lazy, bitter, sarcastic and insulting gen-X geek secretary who keeps her job and does nothing but hurl out insults and slow down productivity. The empty-headed object of affection. The normal guy at the center of it all---trying desprately to keep his sanity. All as old as the history of the sit-com itself. Perhaps older.

Of course, originality alone is not enough to make a good sit-com. Take for example Feuerstein's disasterous first lead, "Conrad Bloom.' A truly orignial and intriguing premise ruined by a flat, slow and uninspired execution.

As for the nun, co-anchor and grandma--the crap of the crop-- the three are now
gone.

Now it's not really so much what's on the show that's the problem---it's what's not there.

This could be a rare opportunity for the creators and writers to punch up the characters--elaborate on these cliches.'

But these old thin stock-types have now been, in season two, replaced by fresh ones. That's right, fresh cliched', trite' characters.

Instead of fixing the ones they have, their pulling out OTHER stocktypes to introduce to Miami. This is not the way to go.

We've seen these characters many, many, many times before. Usually with much more depth, humanity and insight. Much more interest. Every single sequence and story-line is right out of the old sit-com playbook, run-into-the-ground. Every single character's feelings and reactions all are at serice of the plot or for the sake of a cheap, easy, trite' joke---usually either bombing or landing with a thud.

Jake embarasses himself repeatedly, even when Dylan is NOT around. But it doesn't feel really like Jake is doing it because he's dub-struck by love or because he's goofy. He's just doing what the plot and the easy-set up of a really old and lame joke require him to.

This guy is supposed to be a hot-shot producer who has people all over bidding for his Midas-touch to TV!!!

But he seems more like a gofer. A little prat-falling, self-depricating sidekick who has the position of gofer and comic relief.

That CAN maybe work, if this guy WAS the side-kick. But hell, he's the lead! This guy here is the headliner.

The leading man and instead of being so much of a straight-man, he's really more of a punching bag for everyone else. He does not so much humiliate himself for Dylan, or Penny, or Gavin, or Claire... or hell, even Victoria.

He just humiliates himself period, becuase the Jake character is not developed enough AS a character to do anything else! Which makes it boring and disapointing... when it's not annoying.

Instead of having the characters all tear into each other (which would be really funny and entertaining), they all just tear into Jake. They all push him over and steamroller over JUST him.

While something like that COULD, once again, BE funny---it's not here because Jake is just too easy a target. He's a sitting duck. He's just a big push-over. It's funny to take away a character's dignity IF THEY HAVE IT.

But if just no challenge, it's just NOT FUNNY. It's just bullying. And comes off as kind of cruel.

Humilating Jake is basically just like shooting dead fish in a shotglass.

Mark Feuerstein has been dubbed by wags as "the murderer of a thousand sit-coms" and "batting for Tom Arnold's record," as well as " a stale ham sandwich on rye."

After watching the show, perhaps his spotty track record may not have been ENTIRELY his fault.

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Dylan, I'm afraid, is just as bad.

Now I love Ashley Williams, I really do. I am only 4 years her junior. I want to be fair here.

There are many who refer to her as "beautiful and sexy."

I think this is somewhat inaccurate. As one of her biggest fans, I find her to be cute and adorable. Yes, cute and adorable. That seems like the best way to describe her. Like a puppy or a teddy-bear. She's got those chipmunk-cheeks.

But her character Dylan is just a bore. It's not that she's by means annoying and grating as the hispanic co-anchor and the nun, she's just boring. Dylan is just boring. Like a piece of untoasted, untouched plain white bread. Poor Ashley, after her sint on "As the World Turns," is given the character with all the depth of a cardboard cut-out.

As a matter of fact, they could have gotten a cardboard prop to serve her job of the show. She exists soley to keep Jake there and for him to make a babbling goon out of himself whenver she walks in. WHY does Jake have feelings for her, maybe it is just a crush.

Oh right, he has to have interest in this woman becuase... well, than there IS no show. There's nothing else in Miami to hold our interest (at least not on this show!)

Then again, HIS character isn't very interestng either.

Occasionally, SHE makes fun of Jake, too. And others, but not much, really. No wonnder Ashley's character smiles all the time when she's on. Otherwise, she falls into the back-ground---she's just so uninteresting.

"Smile, Ashley, smile! So they know you're there!"

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I would love to see Jake grow some huevos and dignity--all well as some depricating wise-cracks for the rest of the staff who pisses him off, Dylan

Like I said before, all the characters are all-stocktypes and the jokes and plot-points and themes are all cliches.' I've seen the character of Penny played before. The surly, lazy, insulting office-secretary who's a walking, living, breathing technical difficulty. And dresses... well, "eccentrically" at best. Kathy Griffin on "Suddenly Susan"... Beth on 'NewsRadio"... Vickie on "Larry Sanders..." etc.

But it's obvious why the actress, Constance Zimmer has her own fan-base from this show. Her character is the most interesting and developed. And Constance herself is something of a cuite. She does manage to get quite some mileage out of the character, despite the limitedness of the Penny character overall. She gives the thin and limited Penny some spark.

As for the on-air anchorman, he as well is made much out of what could have been a character that was pure plot-device, like the leads. The arrogant, foppiash blowhard is well-played by Leschter. He perhaps gives the strongest performance on the show. Leschter has played roles like this before, paticularly in his break-out role Captain Love in "The Mask of Zorro." Leschter miks and works Gavin for all it's worth. He has some funny banter and back-and-foths with Jake.

Or at least, he could. The show's best moments come from the back-and-forth between Jake and Gavin. Or at least they did. When the two snarl, gnash teeth and butt-heads, it's really funny. But the show mutes those moments. Almost as if it doesn't want to develop that much. As if it's too afraid to move past it's clcihed' and level-one status. Is the REAL PROBLEM with "GMM" that it just doesn't have the balls?

Max and David have remarked that they came up with the idea for this show when they were working as producers of an awful talk-show which was like "Regis & Kathie Lee' at ground-zero. That was their inspiration from this show. And the character of Jake Silver is somewhat directed at Jeff Zucker, the hot-shot producer who came into the dying Today Show and made it a hit. The humiliation of Jake is just a case of Max & David chewing on the hand that feeds it. That's all well and good, but many of us at home don't know who Jeff Zucker is, nor have we at home actually met Jeff. The folks backstage at NBC behind-the-scenes get to have a few giggles, but we're kind of left in the dark here. It's an INSIDE joke and we're out HERE.

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Dylan at times speaks an articulate theory and has moments of poetic truth and then becomes a babbling, drooling idiot whenever the plot seems to require her to. Her knowledge and idiocy both seem scripted--at service of the plot and story. She's not a real person, but then again, neither is anybody else here.

Who will RE-VAMP "Good Morning, Miami"? Who will save it? I don't think it would hep to have Jake leave, but clearly this is a show in danger. Who will save it?

It's a really mediocre show that needs re-vamping ABOUT a mediocre show that needs re-vamping. Is this delibarite? Perhaps. Perhaps Max, David & NBC are just lazy. I sort-of enjoyed the first show and thoguht it had promise. Almost every single show after that, "GMM" was breakning it's promise.

HERE, I WROTE THIS LETTER TO NBC, PLEAING THEM TO IMPROVE THE SHOW AND HOW. TAKE A LOOK:

Hello, NBC and crew of "Good Morning, Miami"

(And especially you, Mr. Jeff Zucker)---

I'm a long-time viewer of "NBC." This is my first time writing to the show. You can all rest assured that this letter, I am merely writing my suggestions to the show and not a voicing some kind of angry letter. I have been a viewer of "Good Morning, Miami" ever since it's T.V. debut. My attention for this show really picked up when it was revealed that the Penny character (Constance Zimmer) had feelings for the male lead (Mark Feuerstein). As well as a lot of the attention of a lot of other viewers.

I have been a viewer of your show "Good Morning, Miami" since it's debut. Many have proclaimed it to be ROCK-BOTTOM. It was filled to the brim with stock-type sit-com characters, time-weary plots and obvious banter. In my opinion, the show STARTED at rock-bottom.

But the show really DOES seems to be improving. I don't know if you plan on answering this letter personally or maybe taking some of this under real consideration, but I do have some real suggestions for the show and how to keep improving the show. I made numerous comments on the unofficial "Good Morning, Miami" website about the show and gave a lot of advice. I register on the username: "surfur." I've made more than a few suggestions to improve the show and surprisngly... some of them have been coming true. I don't know if this is just luck, coincidence or if you guys have been going to those sites to see what the viewing public feels. But either way, i thought just to make sure my opinions get across, I'd e-mail you DIRECTLY.

That said, I really do think you'll find some interesting ideas here...

It's true, the show did get some truly awful reviews--from both the press and the viewing public:

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NEGATIVE REVIEWS FOR "GOOD MORNING, MIAMI"

---"But most every character on Good Morning, Miami is underdeveloped and clichéd. What makes the exaggerated characters in Will & Grace funny is that they're written as parodies of stereotypes, the nelly, arrogant gay best friend, and rich, alcoholic bitch. On Good Morning, Miami, the characters don't mock the stereotypes (crusty but wise grandmother, self-centered tv anchor, gen-x punk); they are the stereotypes." --- Michael Abernethy popmatters.com

---"What did the poor folks of Miami do to deserve this unfortunate honor? Mark Feuerstein plays a hot young producer sent in to rescue the worst-rated morning show in the country, but not even Katie Couric could rescue this ratings stinker. Despite springing from the groundbreaking minds behind Will & Grace, the station ensemble is so cookie cutter, it's cringeworthy: A wisecracking nun "weathergirl", a groveling station manager, and a Cuban-American co-host who seems to be taking style tips from the Chiquita banana lady. Ick.

Watch-37% Pass-63%

Bottom Line: Say good night, Miami, and don't bother taking a bow."--E! Online

---"This show has basically the same premise as NewsRadio. Even the characters are suspiciously similar! The show is about a TV producer who travels to Miami to revamp a morning show. NewsRadio was about Dave Nelson, who travels to New York to become WNYX's new News Director. Both shows are from the perspective of that one individual. Both shows have a lazy assistant (Beth on NewsRadio, Penny on Miami), and Miami even goes so far as to cast an Andy Dick clone (Jere Burns) who is constantly in ridiculous situations and hospital incidents (the dart in the arm episode). He's not even that far from looking like Andy Dick's character! You could say that Gavin is close to Bill McNeal of WNYX but he pales in comparison to the late, great Phil Hartman. The only thing that separates the two is that there's a love them on Miami, with Jake fawning over Dylan. This show either needs a massive revamp, or to be yanked off the air and scolded as the pretender it is." Aaron Knowlton IMDb

---"A train-wreck of a show...

This show is lame, lame, lame. I doubt it will last the rest of the current season. A brutally horrible show - that became clear in the first several minutes of the pilot episode. This show deserves to die a horrible death. Every lame sex-joke cliche one can think of. Even Jere Burns is not funny here. Suzanne Pleshette is downright embarrassing (and she was so good on the Bob Newhart show)

The one bright spot: Ashley Williams, the love interest. She is just so cute and perky - with a smile that can light up a room. We will undoubtedly hear more from/about this little sweetheart...." Jeff FenwayIMDb

--"TV at its worst!

Okay, the producers (who also produce Will & Grace) have obviously flexed some powerful muscle at the network to even get this past the pilot stage. It is the most annoying lame sitcom ever with possibly the worst writing in history. The cast (except poor Suzanne Pleshette), are totally boring and uninteresting especially the inane moronic nun. I could not believe my eyes and ears when this first aired (after Will & Grace, of course) and am even more shocked that its still on the air! Television hits an all time low with this."-- catchyj IMDb

--" Built-In Flaw

The two leads are appealing enough, but there's a built-in flaw to this show: Since the premise is Jake's unspoken crush on Dylan, the weekly plots won't waver too much from one contrived effort after another to keep them apart. This can only happen so many times before we get sick of it-especially when there are no other supporting characters to sustain our interest.(The "weather nun", in particular, is an embarrassment) Why does Dylan's boyfriend have to be such an insufferable jerk? Doesn't this devalue her? Beyond that, the show is trite and unfunny. I can't imagine why an old pro like Suzanne Pleshette would consent to do this series. She deserves better. So do we. "-- luvuwildbill IMDb

--" Hope it doesn't last or gets a makeover

Booth troy made note of all the shows starring Jewish guys and Gentile chicks. I thought I was the only one who noticed this. He forgot "Ed." I'm guessing the reason is because this the fantasy for many Jewish director/producers in Hollywood.

There is some funny dialogue in this movie. But I can't overlook its flaws:

*Suzanne Pleshette as Fuerstein's GRANDMOTHER?

*The caricature of a Hispanic woman. I hear they are firing her, but it would be ridiculous to have a show based in Miami with only WASPs and one Jewish guy. I hope they at least replace her with a less stereotypical character.

*The male lead is not someone you WANT Dylan to fall in love with. He's pretty boring and not as good looking as her.

*There isn't a lot of chemistry between Dylan and the male lead.

If they're not canceling this show I hope they at least improve or revamp these aspects. Of course, these complaints go to the heart of what the show is all about."-- Jelly-4 IMDb

--"Simply horrible

NBC has done it again. While they frequently create fantastic, likeable, original shows like "Ed", "Law and Order" and "Friends", they also create generic, dull flops like this show, which rely on jokes and situations that have been beaten to death and beyond in previous sitcoms. I hope they end it and end it soon."-- Thepatriot45 IMDb

Well, enough already, right? You get the idea. I'm sure you guys read the panning that this show got. But anyway, my point is....

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While it can be safely said that when the show first started out, it was actually kind of mediocre. The show was panned and assaulted with bad reviews--by both the critics and the viewing public. But the show seems to be really developing now. I know that you have been considering cancelling "Good Morning, Miami" in favor of some new, fresher shows. And while the viewer response to "GMM" isn't nearly as strong as the response to the other, more-popular "Must-See-TV" Thursday line-up's like "Seinfeld", "Friends" and "Will and Grace," hit-shows are quite hard to come by. Don't throw away what could be another real ratings-topper so early.

Yes, the first couple of episodes were pretty awful due to numerous and obvious problems: The cookie-cutter characters (the blowhard and pompous anchorman, the lazy, obnoxious and insulting secretary, the crotchety little old-lady who's also filled to the gills with one liners and also is a romantic advice-dispenser, and finally, the pratfalling office idiot) with formulaic and overdone sit-com plots and jokes that felt like they were written seprately and just shoved into a script regardless of how unnatural they sound in this context or how they don't fit the situation.

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But it seems to have evolved--moving upwards---since then. The viewer praise has been a real firestorm

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[–] abyoussef 21 years ago

(by dane youssef)

--"Who Could Ask for Anything More?

I find that GMM is one of the best new comedies out there, in a time where all that is offered is crappy reality TV. The writing is just as fresh as Will & Grace was in its early days, and I love the mixture of comedy with a mini soap opera between Jake and Dylan. This makes it so interesting, and it makes me want to tune in every week. I hope that this show has a long run, and I recommend it for anyone who is a fan of NBC's Thursday night line-up."--Peaceoutsz IMDb

--" Good Morning Miami, Funny

This show is funny, i enjoy watching it. Yes, going into the tv show i knew that jake wouldn't get his true love right away or ever. But look at Rachael and Ross on friends - they still aren't together and yet viewers still watch it, and personally Good Morning Miami has something about it that makes me keep coming back. It's not just the perfect actors and their interestingly strange qualities their characters have, theirs just something else i can't explain. I happen to love the show and so does the rest of my family we all watch. I hope they don't end the show after this season, i would be very disappointed. Dawn"--loveanimals71 IMDb

--" soooooo cute

it's sooo good!!! and everyone one there is really cute and funny! i hope they renew the show when time comes!!! because i'm so attached to this show now! but the whole penny and dylan thing..... hmm... i wonder...."--victoriali20 IMDb

--" two thumbs up!!!

Im so sad when people put down this very funny, very great show. Being a fan of love and romance Good Morning Miami keeps me waiting in anticipation for the next episode. What will happen with Penny and Jake? Will Jake give up his feelings for Dylan to be completely devoted to Penny? Will Dylan and Gavin? I cant wait each week to hear the witty conversation between Jake and Clair. the one liners and sarcasm keep me laughing the whole way through. I think the people who don't like it so far should give it a chance. Ill admit...the first season of friends i didnt like either, but now im a loyal viewer. If you just stick with it this season Im sure it will get better". --scruggles2001 IMDb

--"I can't help but this show. You've got the hot guy, his perky love interest, the annoyingly full of himself anchor man, the smart-alec assistant, the sort of crazy guy, the trampy yet amusing co-anchor, and the funny nun. What more could you want? Two very enthusiastic thumbs up!"-- Kira ([email protected]) IMDb

Now, I know there's been a great deal of talk about cancelling the show to make way for a new and fresher group shows. But before you decide to actually go down that road... you guys ran re-runs a little early and there was a huge gap in the series at one point where you just quit with "GMM" and just ran a bunch of "Friends" and "Will & Grace" reruns. I assume it's becuase you were afraid to put all that effort into a show that would inevidably get cancelled.

After all, the reviews WERE terrible and Feuerstein has two-failed sit-coms on his resume.'

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I know that Mark Feuerstein had made numerous guest-starring apppearances on shows like "Caroline in the City" and "The West Wing." You have tried valiantly to make him a regular on some show of yours (The vastly underrated "Fired Up"--which became a cult hit on the USA network in reruns, "Conrad Bloom"--which lasted less than half a season).

The response to Mark on "Caroline in the City" was pretty popular for fans of the show and NBC regulars (myself included), I was surprised you guys didn't try to keep bringing him back. He could have been like the amusing and continuing David Puddy character on "Seinfeld." He would have done wonders for the ratings--toying around with the whole younger man/on again-off again theme with dating relationships on the show. Oh well, "CITC" is over.

But "GMM" might still have a chance. I know that you guys seem to like Mark and keep hiring him. And ever since the show, he's been turning a lot of women's heads. Wouldn't it be nice for this guy to have a show that doesn't go belly-up like a blaoted goldfish? Not for his sake, but for YOURS. All those chances you gave Feuerstein-shouldn't they have been for something?

Guys, you just seem to be doing not much more than embarassing the Jake Silver character. You know, just Feuerstein embarassing himself and getting pushed around nad crapped on by every one in sight for an entire series...

Guys... that's the very reason your "Conrad Bloom" show failed, remeber?

And what about poor Constance Zimmer?

She has some walk-on roles in independent roles and some guest TV spots. Also plenty of off-broadway. C'mon! This woman could use some steady work. Don't put a halt to her carrer so soon either.

And it IS nice to see Jere Burns play something besides the swaggering playboy Kirk Morris on "Dear John" or his usual role as some kind of sleazebag. Nice to see him stretching.

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There were some laughworthy moments:

* Usually Jake and Gavin playing off one another (Feuerstein and Leschter seem to have perhaps the strongest chemistry on the show).

* Penny trying to advise Jake to give up on Dylan becuase she loved Gavin, the scenes where Penny played-off of Claire in "About A Ploy."

* When the women in the office were talking about all the men they found to be hot (Dylan refused to answer how she felt about Jake, Sister Brenda going on about the UPS guy, Penny making a joke about finding Frank attractive and him overhearing her and misconstruing, etc).

* Some of the chemistry between Suzanne Pleshette and her real-life husband Tom Poston (The "Claire-Lenny" stuff has some potential there to maybe equivelent some of the Vivian Vance and William Frawley. Or at least Doris Roberts and Peter Boyle on "Everybody Loves Raymond" C'mon, give it a chance! What the hell else is Tom doing right now?)

* Penny tooting her own horn ("I'm smoking! I'm friggin' hillarious! I'm a slut with skills!")

* Jokes about Gavin's non-exsistent carrer and his status as an alcoholic.

* Jokes Gavin made that Jake being gay and wanting him.

* Jokes about Claire's insecurity with her age and looks.

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But there were a lot of PAINFULLY unfunny ones, too:

* Almost anything with the awful Sister Brenda in it.

* Moments where Jake was babbling while Dylan was in the room (for some reason, it feels as if the character is embarassing himself on purpose--he's just too easy a target somehow. He

NEVER seems to be trying to retain ANY dignity).

* The whole "bonk vs. boink" thing with Claire.

*Watching Frank humiliate himself before anyone else can get a chance to!

* Any scene where anyone is humilating Jake and he doesn't seem to be putting much of a fight---any scene where he sets himself up WAY too easy. ("You haven't heard my Tony Soprano", "I'm a player-and a player's got to play!", etc.)

* Jake snaps his fingers immitating "West Side Story" (Penny comes into his office, catches him and mocks him).

* A lot of scenes with Frank's obsession with his weight.

(It's very funny to watch the characters play-off of one another like the way they did in "About A Ploy." But lately all the characters just seem to be playing-off of Jake. Why? Is it becuase he's such an easy target? Kinda takes a lot of the challenge out, doesn't it? Not to mention a lot of the humor. It's funny when Gavin gets hoisted on his own petard because he's such a BLOWHARD! It's funny when a man's dignity is taken away from him in a clever and witty context. If the man HAS no dignity... then there's no joke. And there's no funny. Let the characters try to tear into one another like starving lion's over that one bone with the scrap of meat left. Give Jake some edge. It's just funnier that way! And try to humiliate some of the other characters. Besides Frank, I mean! Once again, dignity is the key....)

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And some moments that have inspired some real tears. Real convincing drama:

* The infamous break-up of Jake and Penny (you guys should've waited a while for THAT one).

* Jake painfully wanting so much to confess his feelings for Dylan--but always watching something about her and Gavin stand in his way.

* Penny wanting to tell Jake of her feelings while she sadly watches the man she loves chase a woman Penny feels that Jake is better off without.

* Penny give Jake her "I Love You, I'm Leaving, I Quit" speech.

* Jake and Penny talking about what might have been (and maybe what could still be?)

* When we see that Gavin isn't the ego-tist and self-loving man he tries to make himself out to be.

* When every character their talks about their kind of love.

* The kiss between Penny and Jake.

* When one character gives adivce and emotional support on serious problems that a character is dealing with (Jake a friend to Gavin, Penny a friend to Frank, Penny as a friend, etc.)

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MY SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO IMPROVE "GMM" AND KEEP IT ON THE TRACK IT'S ON:

We see Jake, Dylan, Gavin and Penny all trying to resolve their feelings for one another privatley while trying to keep a strictly professional office enviorment--instead of simply watching these characters bumble all over the place. Especially Jake! C'mon guys, it's worn through.

Jake's height goofiness and Jake making fun of Gavin's alcoholism and unknown status. I want to see some more of that! MUCH MORE! And Claire and Penny were hilarious and well-played off together in "About A Ploy," where the two were trying to get their stories straight after getting rear-ended in the parking lot. These women can tweak Jake (in my opinion, way too easily), but to watch them go against him womano-a-womano was nearly priceless! More of THAT, too! And I'd love to see more scenes where we get to find out more where we peel back the layers of who Claire and Frank really are. More than the stocktype characters they started out as and could have wound up being permanent one-notes. That's my take.

Feuerstein and Leschter have perhaps the strongest chemistry on the damn show. Why don't we see enough scenes where they're taking shots at one another? And I almost hated Dylan for breaking it up and chewing Jake out for duking it out with Gavin. What a whiner! Like Gavin isn't encouraging these fights? Yes, yes, I'm sure she does it because she's trying to be protective of the recovering alcoholic, but she's deadening some of the show's best moments. And she's getting kind of boring herself, so it's not like she can pick up a lot of the slack. Maybe if we saw more than just smiling and terminally-friendly Dylan. Like I said in my earlier message, picking on Jake (and Frank) is too easy which ruins a lot of the impact the humor has. He needs to be more insulting and wise-cracking and edgy himself. Give this guy some real good insults and put-downs and some more confidence and style so it'll be funnier when he's challanged. One good put-down is not nearly as funny as a back-and-forth like a trained vaudeville team!

As a straight man, he seems to be trying too hard. The more dignity this guy has, the funnier it'll be when he gets petard-hoisted. Turn him into a sitting duck from a point-blank distance and who cares about his embarassment? And who's really laughing that much? We laughed when Gavin got HIS because he's such a blowhard.

One thing I would like to see more of is maybe a co-dependant relationship between Gavin and JAKE! I don't think Gavin really LOVES Dylan, he just needs a crutch to lean on. And I'd like to see some more mano-a-mano between these two. Thier chemistry is so strong, perhaps even stronger than Jake and Penny's! And I would also like to see Jake become much angrier, edgier and more insulting. I'd like to see him be more willing to trade shots with the rest of the cast. Gavin can make fun of his height and Jake can take some shots at Stone about his alcoholism (like he did on the first show which was side-splitting! LOL!) I want to see more of that, GMM! And when he took some shots at Claire's "seniority."

And now that Dylan knows of Jake's feelings and Jake is starting to find out that she might feel the same way... well, there surely are big things to come. Big chances to take.

Maybe Gavin and Jake could be GREAT as confidants. Not friends, well... not yet.

I would like to see Frank evolve some more, too. He can be more than just the prototypical workplace Kramer.

I myself have recently said in one of my on-boards posts at this site that David Hyde Pierce (Niles Crane on NBC's "Fraiser") and Matt Leschter are dead ringers for one another. And suggested that David should make a guest apperance on "GMM" as Gavin's pompous, foppish, blowhard of a brother who's an anchorman---and a much more successfull one at that. He has a demeaning, condesending and attitude towards his brother Gavin. And becuase of the resemblence that Jere Burns has to Andy Dick (not to mention the resemblence that "NewsRadio" has to "GMM"), I think Andy should make an appearance, too. Also, I'd like to see some of Feuerstein's buddies from his efforts like "Conrad Bloom" and the underrated "Fired Up" pop up here, too. Or is there a chance that bringing these guys back together---the same failure will repeat itself? Well, after"Fired Up" was cancelled on NBC, it became a cult-hit on the USA ntetwork.

The first couple of episodes in the first season where a character is going to confess their feelings to another and they see the one they love kissing someone else... and they feel that their chance must be over... (First Jake to Dylan, then Dylan to Jake, then Penny to Jake and finally Jake to Penny...). It's only season one and this scene has pretty much been played out completely. It may be time to give up on this little gimmick and move on.

And what would happen if Jake tried to stop putting his energy into Dylan and tried to put his own life back together. Maybe we could see some of Dylan's pain after the end of her life and her self-searching and soul-discovery as well. Was she Gavin's lover or enabler? I'd love to see the show examine some of this.

A episode where Jake goes to a bar to comtemplate his current position and his life and the way it is now--gets *beep*-drunk and acts like Dennis Hopper on a mad bend. He goes into work after lunch and verbally abuses everyone there. Claire is aghast. Dylan is horrified. But Gavin sees all this--knows the signs and what's going on. He shows Jake what horrible road he's going down. Gavin has always resented Jake because he was jealous and threatened that this new kid on the block was the new wonderboy at "GMM" and the new-star and he still has a strong career ahead of him. Gavin drank his career away. Will Gavin try to save Jake from making the same mistake?

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One of the problems with "GMM" is that a lot of the times, the characters are kept at arms length. We'd like to get to know Jake better, but all we see is a guy tripping over his own feet while he pines for love. We never see much of Gavin outside his boorish and blowhard demeanor--we should see more of Gavin trying to put his life back together and find something to fill up his life with now that he's done with alcohol and Dylan's gone. Dylan was never so much Gavin's girlfriend as his CRUTCH, his co-dependant enabler after alcohol. Maybe Gavin should realize that he's just looking not for love, Dylan, or Penny--but just another enabler. Even though Jake does have feelings for Dylan and we now kow that the feeling is mutual, he decides to try to make a relationship with the woman of his dreams--Dylan Messenger.

So far everyone on "GMM" has just been pretty much one-note. But the best moments have come when the characters break through their incredibly limited stereotype personas. Jake as a friend and as a smart, compassionate human being and not just a love-sick boob. Gavin as more than just an anchorman with enough ego for two drama queens. Frank as more than just the office "spaz." Claire as not just some sex-crazed, money-hungry, swearing old guru. And Dylan... she spouts poginant moments at sometimes, and others she just comes off as a smiling airhead.

My advice for season two: Could the characters maybe develop instead of simply mindlessly following ancient recycled sit-com plots. You know, the reason those things used to work is not becuase of those flimsy old storylines. They were just a springboard for the cast and their loveable characters. I would LOVE to see (and so would a lot of other viewers---I read myself at the unofficial "GMM" website) see these people break abandon their stocktype, off-the-shelf personas and become full-blooded characters. Larger than life! Especially Frank, the adult "Matthew Brock from NEWSRADIO"-character.

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[–] 21 years ago

[deleted]

[–] I_Guard_Tanelorn 9 years ago

Well that's some thorough post. I don't think it's gonna make it.

"I said no camels, that's five camels, can't you count?"