new show review: Samantha Who?
October 19th, 2007 by screenwriterguy
Writing a new sitcom is really, really, really hard. You have to build an entire world, introduce us to all the main characters, tell a whole lot of jokes, take us through the plot of that episode, and make us want to see more. In today’s world, you get only twenty minutes to do it, and instead of competing with two other networks, you now compete with a hundred options, not counting the internet and video games. Oh yeah… also, if you don’t get great ratings by episode two, you’ll be yanked.
Samantha Who? does a pretty deft job of showing us Samantha’s world, as she herself attempts to get her bearings. See, Samantha hit her head and now has amnesia. Once we accept the soap opera-y premise and sit back for the ride, we watch a script that does most of what a sitcom pilot must. We meet and enjoy the people in Samantha’s life. We understand her world, and get some hints of who she used to be. Though the jokes start out a little like an 80s sitcom, making us expect a laugh track to convince us they’re funny, soon enough the show finds a wit that is more sly, befitting its single-camera format.
The only thing that’s missing is plot.
There’s very little of it in this episode. But honestly, I didn’t miss it. We get an introduction to Samantha and friends, we learn her situation, and time’s up. And that’s OK by me. They got my attention, and I’m curious enough at least to try it one more time. I feel like I saw the first installment of five parts that will set up the series. Maybe they hit on a secret here to how to launch a sitcom on today’s network.
Sometimes the promotional material for a show doesn’t tell you enough about its premise, and this is one of them. What you probably knew was that Samantha has amnesia. What was less obvious in commercials is that her former self was a bitch, and she has woken up a nice person. That twist makes the whole thing interesting in a way that someone waking up with amnesia is definitely not.
Best aspect: The trustworthiness of Samantha’s friends and family vacillates, leaving us as confused as she is.
Worst aspect: You’re not sure what actually happened when the show is suddenly over. Because nothing did. Also, that guy who played Tuvok still sounds like a Vulcan.
Verdict: I’ll try it again.
Odds of Success: For this show to find an audience, people will have to be patient. That’s not a feature of the modern audience. However, the show comes across fresh. Meanwhile, Samantha Who? will get the Dancing with the Stars lead-in. Plus, on Monday nights, CBS and CW both offer four sitcoms in a row. It’ll be easy for sitcom fans to watch their first 1.5 hours somewhere else, then turn to this one… if it does prove to be superior in the long-run.
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