When good characters go bad. Mike and Molly started out as such a well casted, promising and dare I say original show.
But because of the overwhelming need to make money. And interference with the creative process. Any promise was dashed.
Such is The story of so many entertainment properties. What we ended up with was a lead character who was so bad she actually brought down the other characters around her.
The Molly Flynn character really wasn't all that bad at first. Yes she was The weakest character in a Creative sense on the show. But definitely not a bad character.
She was an Under appreciated teacher and she had problems many people can relate to.
But the red flags start popping up even before her big change ever happened. And its due to uneven writing, And characterization.
She's supposed to be the most responsible person in that family. Yet she lives in the mothers house. Instead of it being the other way around.
She's supposed to be the smartest person of the entire group but she owes her mother $10,000 and owes at least $80,000 to credit card debt.
She's supposed to be a modern woman. But allows her man to marry into and pay off her entire debt. With his nest egg.
This character selfishness starts as a subtle undertone. Something you would only catch if you were used to dealing with narcissists on a daily basis. But after her big change, which happens in the first episode of season four.
Her narcissism is in full view and is front and center. The show takes a very bad turn. And the stink is palpable.
Because of Melissa McCarthy's growing fame and popularity it was decided that they would change her character to become the stand out on the show. Turning what was an ensemble cast into a one-actor train wreck. They get it in their head to take the weakest character on the show and make her the most interesting character on TV.
The results look more like a psychotic break. But since those don't play well on TV. The character Molly Flynn has a midlife crisis instead. Throwing away her job and teaching license.
Even though she had apparently been doing it for 10 years. And is flat broke. She also Flushes down the toilet 10 years worth of pension And benefits.
In order to go on adventures to justify her new life as a writer. All this results in her character taking up way more space on the show than she should have.
Such as going on ride alongs with Mike and Carl. Going to the morgue with Victoria. Going to the diner, which was a setting that had nothing to do with her. And was exclusively Samuel, Mike and Carl's place to dialogue.
As you continue to watch, you can't help but notice how desperate the character becomes for the slightest bit of attention or recognition. Such as getting in the middle of disputes that aren't her business. But wanting credit for resolving them.
This of course nullifies the worth of any new character coming in as well as causes other characters to be unfortunately expelled to the background. Such as carl's Nana played exceptionally by Cleo king. Or to be written out altogether. Like Captain Patrick Murphy, Peggy's love interest. Played to perfection by Gerald McRaney.
In my opinion not one of her zany adventures was worth the loss of these characters. And the actors who played them.
And all for her To become a mediocre writer. Of one book that amounted to pornography. So bad at writing she has to pull stories from Peggy. A character she despises. In order To become an author.
And all while this is happening her ego is ever on the rise. Meanwhile the ratings ever fall. And what's worse is the fact that nobody calls her on it.
For some reason she has on this show the same effect that The Lily character had on how I Met your mother. She's by far the worst/weakest character on the show.
And yet is she put in her place by the strongest character Peggy? Nope, the Peggy character by this time went from being the most outspoken on the show. To almost as limp wrist as the rest of them.
Ironically The only character with enough guts to put her in her place, Victoria, was always characterized as the most irresponsible. It was a wonderful refreshing moment. After a season and a half of watching one characters ego unbalance the show.
And it's plain to see why this show got canceled. Even though nobody seems to know and it's a big mystery, That's bull. The ratings were declining ever since the big change happened in season four. Everyone saw what the show was turning into. And hardly anyone liked it.
The change in this character was so dramatic that they couldn't change her back. Making the show unsalvageable.
Melissa McCarthy star was on the rise. Meaning she was going to ask for more money sooner or later. And they cleared out the deadwood.
But If you were going to watch the show I would advise you to watch up to the end of season three. And duck out before season four.
If you wanna see what I'm talking about just watch the first half of season four. And watch the characters and the writing fundamentally decline with every single episode.
