Everybody's beating up on "Gary Unmarried" today and, while I hate to run with the crowd, this new CBS sitcom is a turkey with extra tryptophan. I first saw this show when it was called "Project Gary," and my early notes focused on the line, "SHOUTING, LAUGH TRACK." The great James Burrows is a producer and director on the show, but the retooling doesn't give me much hope for subsequent episodes. The best CBS can hope is that not too many people will have the energy to change the channel after "The New Adventures of Old Christine."
Jay Mohr stars as Gary, a recently divorced painting contractor and father of two who's ready to start dating again. He's loud and sarcastic and put-upon, terrified and resentful of his ex. Something like the dad Michael Rapaport played on "The War at Home" crossed with the divorced schlub played by Jon Cryer on "Two And A Half Men." He's the kind of dad who says his kid's adventures in the online world Second Life are "Pretty cool. We didn't have that when I was a kid. We had outside." Rimshot please!
The bright spot in his day is that he and client Vanessa (Jaime King) have hit it off with her right away. "I'm not double-jointed, I just don't like to complain!" Rimshot please! Right away, though, he finds himself trying to conceal his new relationship from his bossy ex-wife (Paula Marshall). But she has some news of her own, involving the couples counselor (Ed Begley Jr.) who couldn't stave off their divorce.
There's no point in dissecting "Gary Unmarried" in any detail. It will either be canceled in three weeks, or go on to have a long and successful run like, well, like "According to Jim." Not much I can do to affect things either way. Watch it or don't. All you've lost is 22 minutes.
