Advance Review: Undateable (Premieres Tonight On NBC)

The new NBC sitcom Undateable didn’t even air during the regular TV season. It’s not currently on the schedule for the next one, though one can hope that with decent ratings it will get a proper consideration. But what Undateable — from Adam Sztykiel and Bill Lawrence — does have is that it’s one of those sitcoms with characters that could become familiar and loved.

In many ways, Undateable reminds me of Lawrence’s TBS comedy Ground Floor, not just because of the Briga Heelan connection. It’s a show that would be great if stripped in syndication, where you could tune in any time and get a general idea of what’s going on. Like any good ensemble, there’s a character that the viewer can latch on to and identify with. For me, I didn’t identify with Chris D’Elia’s Danny at all; I found him obnoxious and annoying, yet exactly the kind of thing this group needs to add some spice and comedy, and D’Elia’s chemistry with the rest of the cast – many of whom were already his friends – is great.

My personal favorite of the bunch was Justin, played by Brent Morin, also a comedian outside of the whole acting thing. He’s a sappy guy who might actually be dateable if he wasn’t always tripping over himself trying to figure out what to do. The early episodes have him pursuing Briga Heelan’s Nicki a bit, but don’t expect it to be a Sam and Diane thing. Justin owns a bar called Black Eyes, which, said out loud, does sound like “Black Guys.” And speaking of black guys – how’s that for a segue – Ron Funches as Shelly often steals scenes with his delivery.

The rest of the cast includes Bianca Kajlich as Danny’s recently-divorced sister Leslie, who adds a female perspective that I hope we see more of as the series goes on; Rick Glassman as the inappropriate Burski; and David Fynn as a recently-out gay man named Brett.

The pilot episode, which airs tonight, sets up the premise: Danny needs a new roommate and meets Justin, and they both find that they can learn a lot from one another, whether they admit it or not.

Undateable isn’t deep or overly sophisticated; it’s just fun. And for me, as a TV viewer, that’s all I ask for.

Undateable premieres tonight (May 29) at 9PM on NBC.