Imaginary Mary (2017) User Reviews (31)

An OK show

[bumevr · 5/10 · 19 April 2017]

The show is OK, but nothing Mary does or says anymore is funny. Most of her lines these days are like "way to go!" or "woo who!" - what would make the show great is if Mary was a total nutcase and made Alice's life a living hell.

There are funny moments that come from the interaction between Alice and the family though.

Jenna's wonderful, but. . . .

[MacCampbell · 6/10 · 6 April 2017]

I love Jenna Elfman, she's a very talented physical comedienne and often very affecting in dramatic roles. The 3 kids were funny and clever, too. BUT - I would pay to watch an episode in which she immolated that stupid fugly stuffed thing on a hibachi while basting it with Wild Turkey and stabbing it to death with a barbecue fork.

Good idea...but misdirected, lazy execution

[Iris_Myandowski · 4/10 · 30 March 2017]

I've been waiting for someone to pick up the 'Drop Dead Fred' idea and give it life again...but, ironically, the imaginary friend Mary seems almost like an afterthought in this premise. And the show's biggest crime - WHY is she animated? Wouldn't it be better to have an actual in-the-flesh actor playing the role (just like Drop Dead Fred?), rather than Jenna Elfman reacting to what is, essentially, empty space? Rachel Dratch would be perfect as a non-animated Mary...in fact, ANYONE would be better in the role over a weird, moldy cartoon Chia Pet.

I think Elfman is trying hard, and I like her performance, even though the character seems paper-thin. I also found the kid characters annoying - they're basically a stew of all the worst things about the millennial generation. Yeah, they're realistic, I guess...but do we like them? Empathize with their whiny problems? Do we want to spend half an hour watching them instead of less-grating kids on less-lazy shows? It made me wonder why Alice even wants to get to know these kids (and isn't that the premise of the show, at least so far?). The guy doesn't seem worth it, especially as he seems to have no problem letting his throat-punch-deserving kids treat Alice like garbage.

If only this show was Imaginary.

[avalonjoyous · 1/10 · 20 April 2017]

One of the worst shows I've seen in years the comedy falls flat,the characters aren't the least bit relatable nor like able for that matter.

Oh yeah and Mary is the most obnoxious character ever so grating she's like nails on a chalkboard .

Major fail will never recommend .

Waste

[gro · 1/10 · 30 March 2017]

Assuming this is a comedy someone should be funny. Good luck finding the character. Horrible concept, poor casting, and awful writing. The stuffed Mary does not match anyone's imaginary playmate. Elfman is supposed to a successful adult. This is hopeless with no where to go for help. Amazing that they got 9? episodes filmed.

I like it

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 13 May 2017]

Alice (Jenna Elfman) survived the disintegration of her family at the age of 6 by creating Imaginary Mary (Rachel Dratch). Mary slowly disappeared as Alice grew up. Alice now runs her own PR firm. She lives an independent relationship-free life until divorcée Ben (Stephen Schneider) shows up at her work. He has three kids; Andy (Nicholas Coombe), Dora (Matreya Scarrwener), and Bunny (Erica Tremblay). Mary reappears in Alice's life as she faces the challenges of being in a new relationship.

Critically panned with no audience, this late-season replacement was canceled after seven episodes. I love Jenna Elfman ever since Dharma and I don't see the hate for Mary. Ben could be more appealing but I like his kids. It's love at first sight and I don't really see it. The show does lack Alice's friends or professional life. She should have at least an assistant although I guess Mary is her friend. I like the characters and therefore I like the show.

Do the writers know their characters are all annoying!

[rogerdob · 1/10 · 31 March 2017]

This sitcom definitely needs new writers. Each character comes across as whiny or annoying. Mary, the imaginary friend has a voice that drives me crazy...constantly jabbering about everything. Elfmans character is quite whiny and is way to old to have such problems that only a 20 year old would have. Her boyfriend is too self-assured and I question why he would want her as his girlfriend. And the kids...they are beyond annoying and reach into the realm of obnoxiousness.

There was not one true laugh during this show...I could only make it about 20 minutes until I had to change channels.

Please KEEP this show on TV!

[libkestearnswillssmith · 10/10 · 2 May 2017]

Holy Mother of Pearl please keep this show on television. I just love it. I deal with neglected and abused children at my job all day long. This show provides me with not only entertainment but hope... hope for all families. The show provides great insight into our leading lady's mind via her imaginary pal. All the doubts, insecurities, mistakes, admitting when you were wrong, etc. do happen in real life. I have blended families myself so this rings very true to home with me. The three children have individual personalities that are genuine, written in such a way that it doesn't insult the viewer's intelligence. Please keep this show on. Pretty please?

It wasn't the best show, but Imaginary Mary is so cool that I am never going to forget it.

[adampkalb · 7/10 · 24 June 2020]

I do not usually have much to say about live-action film and TV because I can remember what I see in animation easier, but I will say what I can about this. Imaginary Mary had a very cool and creative idea - a live action-CGI animation hybrid where Alice's imaginary friend returns from her childhood to help her date a divorced dad of three kids. I am disappointed that so many people didn't like this show in its inception. It was nowhere near the worst sitcom I ever saw, but ABC had so little faith in this show that they cut its original 13-episode order down to 9. I think I know why, though. I always liked Imaginary Mary, but one problem I always had with it, one problem that made it hard for me to remember what actually happened in the episodes, was that I can't remember what Mary actually contributed to the plot in each episode. Mary only gets a few scenes in each episode, and every so often she comes up to give Alice some dating advice or other stuff that leads to the conflict or solves it. Mary was funny in most scenes that she had, but now I do not blame ABC for wanting to get rid of this show so quickly if the plots didn't need Mary at all. It is hard to find a good execution for this strange kind of stuff. When the 2015 book The Rest Of Us Just Live Here doesn't know how to make a story about the non-magic kids in a magic world interesting, you realize why no one else does it. Actually, Powerless knew how to make that interesting: by having the DC superheroes or supervillains affect the plots of the "Powerless" people, and that worked out pretty well, so I don't know why that show didn't take off either, but at least I know what makes it better than Imaginary Mary. I do not know where I can find episodes of Imaginary Mary or Powerless nowadays, since it was nearly three years since the last time Imaginary Mary was reviewed here and they are far from the 52-episode syndication minimum, but I really would love to see both of them again to see if they are worthy of becoming a cult classic. Speaking of cult classics, I am very sorry Freaks and Geeks did not work out for NBC. Trying to be a full-hour drama with a comedic setup did not mix.

SPOILER: This show is un-watchable & terrible.

[dfetchak · 1/10 · 3 April 2017]

SPOILER ALERT: This show will make you want to stab your eyes out with the dull end of a Bud Light bottle.

Low-quality writing, direction, acting... Mostly the writing. This show is just awful.

PLEASE AVOID FOR YOUR OWN GOOD

Different from what you expect yet you absolutely adore it

[chrisd-66659 · 9/10 · 9 May 2017]

I was watching TV one night and saw the preview of this show and I was interested in the previews and I gotta say that I was not disappointed in the least with the show it's hilarious and heartwarming Mary is terrific and hilarious I gotta say though I wouldn't recommend the show to super small children due to the fact that Mary can be a bad influence she curses and uses sexual jokes but I consider her bad behaviour hilarious just watch with impressionable kids and you should be fine it's hilarious

Show would be better without Mary!

[LiquidPoetry1921 · 6/10 · 29 March 2017]

Mary (voice of Rachel Dratch) is the long dormant imaginary friend of Alice (Jenna Elfman), created in her childhood to help her deal with emotionally absent parents. Although she's been gone for several decades, she suddenly reappears in Alice's life when she starts dating divorced father of three, Ben (Steven Schneider).

Not having dated a dad with kids before, Alice worries if she's up to the task, what she will say to the children, etc. And her meeting them for the first time is delightfully comical. That storyline alone would have made for a potentially funny sitcom. But somehow this remnant from childhood pops up, for what reason I don't know, because she/it adds nothing to the show. The imaginary friend doesn't offer valuable advice about how to talk to children, or dating a divorced dad, or...anything. Why she is even there is a mystery.

Although the kids have unique personalities that will be entertaining in future episodes (the boy is neurotic about his image, the middle girl is a nerd, and the youngest girl has a fear of death), Mary is completely unnecessary...and often simply annoying. But who knows ~ maybe Alice will see a shrink to banish her for good, and they'll have to rename the show 'Unneccesary Mary'.

Disappointed

[cvholc · 3 April 2017]

Cute idea but needs better writers and directors! Was looking forward to the show because I love Jenna Elfman but it goes beyond funny to stupid/ridiculous. I believe it could work with more imaginative writers. Doubt it lasts. I may watch one more episode just to see if they get it together but from what I've seen so far(one episode), not optimistic. I was even disappointed with Jenna's over the top silliness. Even Mary could be more "human". Although she is the title character she hardly seems relevant since her advice is usually bad or ignored... so what's the point? As it is, TWO THUMBS DOWN!

Are they kidding me?

[avokaty · 2/10 · 18 April 2017]

I can't even believe this sitcom made it to the airwaves. Perhaps it will be enjoyable by toddlers but definitely not adults. The main characters are all so annoying. There is nothing funny - the writers don't have much to go with considering the whole premise of the show. UGH

Yet Another Retread of a Failed Sitcom

[Man99204 · 2/10 · 31 March 2017]

Why does Jenna Elfman still have a career on television?

She had one modestly successful sitcom TWENTY YEARS AGO. And she regularly appears in highly unsuccessful sitcoms which recycle her increasingly stale and tiresome bag of tics and grimaces. What she did at 25 is just annoying and painful when she does the same routine when she is pushing FIFTY.

The only creative thing about her current sitcom is the title. There is little to no imagine used anywhere else in the production. The central problem here is, as usual, Elfman. How many failed sitcoms does it take before the network realizes that she is just NOT funny?

For those of you who are threatened by anything new or innovative -- you have nothing to worry about with Imaginary Amy -- there is not one single new idea in this mess.

If Elfman hopes to have a career in future, she needs to accept project which extend her range. And, hiring writers who are actually funny would work wonders.

Catch this one soon, it won't be around much longer....

Disappointing SPOILERS!

[DaytonaBob · 1/10 · 23 April 2017]

When the show started I thought perhaps we were going to see Jenna portray a strong business woman working her way through the world of dating after becoming highly successful. WRONG. That only lasted about 3 minutes before it sank like a 3 ton rock.

It turned into a typical badly written sitcom. AND there is no chemistry that can be seen between the typical unshaven male lead. His character tries to hard to be the hip with it fast talking dad.

One gets the impression the writers were trying to get in as many lines as possible by having everyone speak at twice normal speed. It becomes annoying after a few minutes. Jenna is still pushing that "wacky who knows what will happen next with her" persona.

The children are annoying as hell BUT as usual in these things at the end of every episode transgressions are forgiven and everyone hugs. That is as boring as it can possibly get. WHY does Hollywood make TV kids say things they don't in real life? I and those who I know HATE these kids as being total aholes. The boy is constantly yelling at his dad. He apparently cannot talk in a normal voice. The kids constantly backtalk their father and in real life would be grounded for months on end with their half truths, disrespect, lies and generally the most disagreeable children on TV. Being jerky kids is NOT funny.

AND what is it in Hollywood where EVERY SINGLE FREAKING MALE LEAD HAS A PERMANENT 4 DAY BEARD GROWTH? Look around in the real world....see it anywhere? So does every show on TV have unshaven men as the leads?

Sorry, but rework this producers. Get rid of the kids and the dad and lets try again with her imaginary sidekick helping her navigate life without having to have a man in her life which apparently in Hollywood is the only way a woman can exist.

The writing is awful and predictable.

The directing is boilerplate.

The acting is awful and without any merit.

And Jenna comes across as an idiot.

Are we really supposed to believe a highly successful businesswoman is this stupid?

Get rid of the boyfriend, annoying kids and start over. OH and Jenna time to retire the same persona you have been carrying for 20 years now. Grow up.

After 3 episodes I lost interest. Not funny and far too predictable.

What kind of childhood imaginary friend behaves like that?

[gjw · 19 April 2017]

This is a fairly standard sitcom (other than the animated imaginary friend character). But one thing that drives me crazy is that the basic gimmick doesn't make sense the way the writers have it play out.

The title character is supposed to be her imaginary friend from when she was a child, which has returned. Yet this imaginary friend behaves nothing like a child would behave. It encourages her to have sex, to drink, to party endlessly… Most children are grossed out by the very idea of sex (especially between their parents), hate the taste of alcohol (if they're somehow allowed to sample it), and their idea of partying is to go to Disneyland or a waterpark.

So, if her actual childhood imaginary friend returned, it would most likely urge her to avoid all boys like the plague, and perhaps encourage her to pig-out on sweets rather than booze. This imaginary character is more like the spirit of her college years, when young people indeed do cut loose with the whole sex, drugs and rock 'n roll scene. Had they made this character her college/teen conscience, then it might've made sense, encouraging her to remain a college-age party animal. But making it a childhood friend doesn't work at all.

Better without Mary

[yastepanov · 5/10 · 19 June 2017]

This show wasn't bad, though the leading man was a poorly developed character.

Actually, the notion of a woman in her late-30s or in her forties suddenly thrust into the role of being "Mom," is a good concept and "Mary" became the weak link. I would've perhaps made the man an engineer and a widower (so the female lead would be stuck as the "only mom" in the show, having failures and successes as she stumbles toward late motherhood with older children.

Elf an can be a delight, but the show often left me confused as to if the couple was living together (whole episodes would pass without her going home) and so on. The boy and older girl seemed very mismatched and neither were believable as the male leas's children.

It needed a renovation at least. Make changes and try again.

Old School family sitcom - SO FUNNY

[xpgm · 9/10 · 6 May 2017]

If this had been made in the 1990s, it would be right at home on TGIF between Step by Step and Boy Meets World. Jenna Elfman is the QUEEN of physical comedy (and Stephen Schneider is no slouch either). My favorite characters have to be the kids though, especially Andy. The kid that plays him is HILARIOUS. (Teenage me would have been super in love with him, for sure.) Rachel Dratch as Mary is super fun too and she is used just the right amount, not overwhelmingly so.

Imaginary Mary is just one of those sitcoms with a simple, well executed premise that the whole family can enjoy. It really has so much potential, hopefully ABC thinks so too.

This show didn't really wow me

[kcangel · 2/10 · 8 June 2017]

First episode and I wasn't hooked nor did I laugh at it. The previews made it look like it would be a cute show, but however that imaginary friend humor is dry and just not funny. The story wasn't very developed well and I don't know how much this show has to go off of. I really didn't like it and won't be watching the rest of it

keep show

[shirlr53 · 10/10 · 19 May 2017]

I Love the Show and My Granddaughter does to, at least it not about killing or bad stuff. We think you should keep it Mary is cute funny, we enjoyed the show. We Laughed at it so much it is funny and cute. we just hope you will keep it on for 2nd season at least. we were hook from the start love the actors to and Mary she is as cute as can be.

the Worst TV Show of the Year!

[sandlot1992 · 1/10 · 12 August 2017]

at first, my parents and I are spectacle about this show premiering on ABC and little did I know it was going to be worst than "My Mother, the Car" and good thing I step away from this while my mother watch it even it was going to be terrible. the plot line to this show is ridiculous and stupid, the characters are forgettable and of course this should flop than "Cop Rock", "Life with Lucy", "Homeboys from Outer Space", "the Ropers" and even "Osbournes Reloaded".

If you know Jenna Elfman and her acting roles such as "Looney Tunes:Back in Action and Dharma & Greg, stay away from this show or something.

If your a lover to modern sitcoms, stay away from this as well.

and worst of all, this shall be the #1 worst sitcom of all time.

Romantic sitcom

[RAnnQ7 · 10/10 · 3 April 2017]

I really want to like this. I hope they don't go overboard with cheap sex references for whatever stupid reasons that producers of Hollywood do that it's insulting to the viewers. After watching the pilot the show looks really cute. I enjoy watching the main character and the voice of Mary is really cute. So far the plot line looks fun and cute. It would be nice it TV would bring back these light fun sitcoms for entertainment instead of those stupid reality shows.

Worth a flier

[mrcameronrose · 8/10 · 16 April 2017]

On paper, the show's premise turned me away but I found myself watching ten minutes of it and not turning it off. Mary is more of the voices in the main character's head, a la JD's voice overs in Scrubs. I hate to compare the two shows but that is the heart of Imaginary Mary- an insecure character like Scrubs. Give it a chance, you will probably be surprised.

Fun, different, and far out and Jenna Elfman rocks!

[blanbrn · 8/10 · 8 April 2017]

My girl Jenna Elfman is back again this time in a new series for "ABC" called "Imaginary Mary" and it's very funny and different and for sure it's a sexy eye candy treat since it has Jenna Elfman in it! All of us can relate to having an imaginary friend from our childhood days, only with this series the little friend comes back to life and follows this sexy adult woman around in life to help her make choices. Jenna Elfman is Alice a workaholic sports public relations director who finally meets a guy of interest named Ben(Steve Schneider)who's a single father and how will Alice balance it all, well her little blue friend gives her advice on dealing with kids and having intimacy! Only it's seems that the little creature is a troublemaker! Still plenty of fun is had as Alice is one sexy colored bra wearing modern girl(Jenna Elfman rocks she's so sexy and cute). Overall good fun little series to watch that teaches life, while it takes things carefree and of course watch it for Jenna Elfman!