Network: ABC; Genre: Sitcom; Content Rating: TV-PG (some adult content); Perspective: contemporary (star range: 1 4);
Seasons Reviewed: Series (1 season)
The high-wattage charm and charisma of Judy Greer goes a long way in "Miss Guided". Until now Greer has been always the wacky friend, never the leading lady and while this show might not be the romantic comedy movie revenge the talented actress deserves, it is a long-awaited star-turn. Whether the show or the star came first , only creator Caroline Williams and highly publicized producer Ashton Kutcher knows.
Did I mention it was produced by Ashton Kutcher? ABC couldn't stop themselves from beating us over the head with this, and just to help out the new star, Kutcher (sorry, isn't he going by just "Ashton" now?) even guest stars as a laid-back guitar-wearing hippie teacher who all the students love. Now that that's out of the way
Judy Greer stars as Becky Freeley a high school guidance counselor with an unrelentingly cheery, sunny-side-up disposition in the face of disappointing students who don't respect her and all the while being haunted by past humiliations in that very high school. She can't get past that even as a faculty member the politics and feeling of high school remain the same. She's still jealous of the beautiful, popular girl now an English teacher played by Brooke Burns and pining for the attention of the shop and Spanish teacher Kristoffer Polaha. Rounding out the faculty, the principal (Earl Billings) just doesn't care, in contrast to the vice-principal (Chris Parnell) who runs his little corner with an iron fist and a silent, ever-present student officer yes-man by his side.
Chris Parnell is without a doubt the funniest thing in the entire show. Actually, his performance and this character is almost in a different universe than the rest of the show. A little bit over-the-top, a little bit cartoonish, dead-on satirical. By contrast, everything around it is so bland. Inoffensive but utterly forgettable. Anything that can be identified as "jokes" are as broad as possible, with a spotlight shown on them.
Still, "Miss Guided" is worth a casual glance for the few laughs Parnell can generate and for Greer if only to show that this unflappably adorable supporting actress, lacking any pretension of ego, can carry a show. It's such a refreshing change of pace from a few years ago when TV was uncomfortable making a woman the butt of the joke ("Less than Perfect"), but now thanks to Tina Fey and Kaitlin Olson characters like Becky Freeley can be humiliated with the best of the guys. Unfortunately, broad humiliation comedy alone isn't enough to carry a series, and that is most of what "Miss Guided" trades in.
* ½ / 4
