Mr. Sunshine is more than an exercise in comedy, it's well written and very well executed with a great cast. The comedy may not be 20 minutes all-out laughing but it's impossible not to have a smile on your face for the entire show! Matthew Perry is outstanding as the misanthropic manager who is not half as bad as he'd like to think or likes others to belief. It's unfair to compare his character to Chandler but his Matt Albie on Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip is a fair facsimile. It is very good to see Allison Janney back in a meaty role which allows her to flex her considerable acting muscle. Her interaction with Matt seems natural and absolutely in keeping with the spirit of her character. She is an acting tour de force and, as always, a joy to behold. One can only hope she will do the "the Jackall" again in some future episode. In all this is a solid comedy with much to enjoy and hopefully for a long time.
Add a Review
-
rvand-977-53403417 March 2011
-
SnoopyStyle6 September 2013Ben Donovan (Matthew Perry) is the harried manager of a San Diego sports arena. Crystal (Allison Janney) is the crazed interfering owner. Alice (Andrea Anders) is the cute marketing director love interest.
The group could never get the laughs going. Matthew Perry tried his best. Most of the laughs come from Perry. He is basically a one-man band. The Friends curse continues with the cancellation of this show. It did not last more than 13 episodes. They probably only filmed that many because of Perry. -
studioAT6 March 2011Matthew Perry writes, executive produces and stars in this fab new comedy from ABC in which the manager of a sports centre has a mid life crisis.
Perry still has enough of the traits of Chandler Bing to entertain old fans and has smartly surrounded himself with a good supporting cast. Although at times this show did feel all on his head with the other characters never really stepping up to the plate.
Allison Janney of West Wing fame is on top form as Crystal and former Joey cast member Andrea Anders adds suitable bite to her role as Perry's love interest while former Studio 60 man Nate Torrence is a scream as Roman.
It is a shame that this show never got renewed from a second series but with dipping rating figures and the critics on it's back the sunshine soon dimmed. -
brock228 August 2011This was my favourite show from this past T.V. season and I really hope it gets picked up for next year. It's a sharp, well-written sitcom with great comedic performances by virtually the entire main cast. The premise revolves around Ben (Matthew Perry), who is the manager of a major sports arena in San Diego, and his off-beat staff members and wacky boss (Allison Janney).
Janney really sinks her teeth into this quasi-insane character, who, despite being the owner of the arena, delegates most of the work and responsibility to Ben. I really enjoyed the season-long arc involving her awkward and contrived attempts to be a better mom to her 20-something son and new employee, Roman (Nate Torrence), who seems to have been neglected by her and is just looking for a healthy mother-son relationship. Actually, I liked any scene or plot line which involved Roman. Torrence is hilarious and charming pretty much every time he appears on screen and gets a laughs from me simply through his delivery. I've read some people saying they find him obnoxious and don't like him, but I just can't understand why that is, because to me, he's my favourite character.
Even though the performances are great, I think the real star of this series is the writing. I just watched the 'Celebrity Tennis' episode on NETFLIX and I was laughing consistently throughout. You can't find a lot of new shows with scripts this smart and so densely packed with humour. However, I have a sense that it may not have mainstream appeal, since there didn't seem to be a lot of buzz and fanfare for it.
I really hope people discover it on NETFLIX (The first 8 episodes are currently available) and a fan-base starts to develop that is large enough to keep it going indefinitely on ABC. I also think ABC should have been airing more reruns of the first season this summer to give it a chance to catch on, and I really hope this does not indicate that they are giving up on it.
I encourage you to watch it if you can (start with the first episode just to get a sense of all the main plot lines and relationships) and decide for yourself if you think it's as good as I do. Note, however, that this is one of those sitcoms without a laugh-track, which is an important feature of this show since I just can't imagine it working as well with one.
Season Rating: 3.5 stars out of 4 -
tejafrenz11 February 2011I watched this show only because of Matthew perry. He is really talented. and spontaneous. we can see a bit of chandler in his new character Ben. May be its because Matthew is a bit like chandler, so he cant get it out.
The pilot is good, but its like I have seen an entire season in just one episode. The characters, the story goes so fast, its like they are making an half-hour movie. So many things had happened in just one episode. Ben gets dumped, Roman meets his mother after a long time, Ben realizes that he is insecure and needs a commitment,... oh my god, its like going in a train, the trees disappear very fast and the journey is coming to an end. Mathew has to slow the story, so that people will get time to know the characters, connect with them and gradually enjoy the show.
Overall, its really nice to see Perry back and the show has a lot of potential. May be as the time grows, perry will grow in confidence and rock the show, like he did in Friends. ATB -
Cagney10 February 2011If the rest of the episodes live up to pilot, Mr Sunshine will be a big hit. It is a smart comedy with dialogue reminiscent of some of the episodes of "West Wing". Allison Janney & Matthew Perry play off each other well and though Matthew Perry's character seems a little like, "Chandler - the Later Years", it's still very funny.
As with most ensemble comedies, it will take a little time to learn the characters and their individual personalities. I think this show has the potential to be a big hit and it is in an appropriate spot in the line-up at the present time, following 3 other hit comedies. Let's hope the network doesn't move it around to other time spots, as sometimes happens, before it has time to create its audience. -
fortress11120 February 2011Now all he has to do is find a talented director. The character of "Mr Sunshine" is a tractor beam to all of the nervous nerdy types who look for direction in how to handle social situations in life... from their television. I am one of these people. Obviously, Matthew is putting himself out there... and coming on as a somewhat more animated Bob Newhart character... and it works.
Chandler Bing lives, indeed, in the character of Ben Donovan. This would be him some years later... after the young adult stage of marrying Monica, etc. He is the caring, passionate general manager of a sports stadium in San Diego. Fortunately for us, the audience... none of his staff or the owner gives a damn about their job! He is the one sane man in the character list of the show whose last nerve is being stepped on minute by minute by the crazies who surround him in his life.
Those who feel paranoid about life being out to get them will feel at home and identify with this man surrounded by demonized nutsoes who live to make his life hell! (Fortunately for us, again!) ...As Larry David responded to Jason Alexander of Seinfeld upon questioning the believability of the show scripts for Seinfeld, "Yes, this all can happen. I know...these scripts are based on true events from my life...I lived it!" Perry must be ADHD, as I am. The funny lines come so quickly you will really need to set your VCR to play this back again to see things that you missed.
My one criticism and caveat with the whole show is the direction. The verbal deliveries and timing of some of the lines is sometimes sloppy. Funny can be lost in sloppy editing and direction. A second or two too long in a shot after a line can destroy a good joke. Too quick of a response to a question by a character can destroy the credibility. Too low of a volume level on a punchline by one of the main characters can make a joke non-existent.
The writing is funny, and flawless. Kudos to Mr Perry and company. Translation to proper acting and character direction is crucial in getting "funny" across to the audience. The direction appears amateurish. I noticed on several occasions (with two episodes broadcast so far) that camera shots are too tight. In older classic sitcoms you will notice most of the time a tight shot does not serve comedy well. Tight face shots work well in drama and soap operas, not comedy. Witness the original sitcom of Perry, "Friends." It is much funnier to see the whole room of characters in a scene all respond to funny lines than it is to just see a tight shot of the character speaking. (Pull the cameras back a little.)
Comedy is a group thing because the moment we are laughing is usually because the character is in a situation where he is not laughing. There is tension and stress on the character... but we are convulsing wildly on the floor gasping for air. Would love to see a James Burrows or a James Widdoes directing this sitcom. The writing and brilliant creation of Matthew Perry here certainly deserves it. -
MeOnline24 February 2011Like many other reviewers, I started watching this on to see Mathew Perry return to television. He's always been fun to watch and Mr. Sunshine is no exception.
Unfortunately, the show hasn't hit its stride yet. Four of the cast members are fun to watch and offer some decent laughs: Perry, Andrea Anders, James Lesure and Allison Janney. The two additional cast members however are one note jokes that wear flat almost immediately.
Nate Torrence's "I'm an idiot" shtick gets boring really quickly and elicits no laughter. Portia Doubleday has potential, but the show works the crazy angle so hard that it retreats into sitcom cliché instead of real character.
I'll still be watching the show in hopes it improves, but its going to need some work to stick around. -
dan_kempner12 February 2011This show truly is joy.
With moments that pay tribute to Matthew Perry's best known character, Chandler, and the talents of Allison Janney, Andrea Anders and James Lesure, this show couldn't have a better start. The inclusion of Jorge Garcia only benefited the series premiere, with his clear comedic background that was showcased during his six-year role as Hurley on "Lost."
What "Mr. Sunshine" offers isn't a new, breath-stopping idea -- a lonely company man who decides to change his life. Movies were made based on this concept, but "Mr. Sunshine" offers to retell the story with a bunch of bizarre and colourful characters, that no matter how much medication they take, or how fast they cut themselves in the kitchen -- we cannot ignore our growing love towards them.
With 25-30 minutes that make up an episode, the pilot left me wanting more. Whether it was the sexual tension between Ben and Alice, or the hilarious insanity of Crystal Cohen (I can already predict an Emmy nomination for Allison Janney), "Mr. Sunshine" offers a refreshing new side to televised comedy: one that goes hand-in-hand with "Modern Family," and could very well be the start of a new, legendary comedy line-up.
When Ben uttered the words "Thank you" to one of his many employees for the first time, I felt like thanking the show creators as well. Sure, it was only the first taste of the show, but I could already feel that we're in for an hysterical journey, -
shazad-irfan15 February 2011I've been keeping track of all the friends' stars, their movies, TV shows etc. Most of u guys will agree that the best of them was Methew. Pilot of Mr. Sunshine was Excellent, its smart, its funny and i got to see the new Chandler Bing. Episodes series of Matt LeBlanc is good but its not that fun, the character of Matt is not that funny, its like they are not utilizing the power of Joey to optimum.
anyway about Mr. Sunshine, fast movement of the story was kind of surprising, I felt like the writers didn't want to go into details, it seemed they were just skipping to the main events, i hope they have enough pages left of the story to make it a long everlasting type series. -
joselourens25 February 2011He's back! After the failing of Studio 60 a while back, it's good to have another show of Matthew Perry on TV. The show, though, is clearly not the same as Studio 60. Mr. Sunshine is a lot less serious, but has true potential to be something good. It was almost disappointing to find out the episode lasted only 20-something minutes, because up until now each episode left me wanting more. It was already a done deal when the intro (short, dry, funny) already made me laugh. Fingers crossed they will keep shooting and airing Mr. Sunshine, because it'll definitely brighten your day. Let's hope for more crazy events, dry humor and extravagant characters alternated with a hint of romance and yes, some heartwarming, touching scenes. So far, so good!
-
TheHabahaba28 June 2011Mr. Sunshine is story about man (Matthew Perry) who thinks that he is most important in the world. But during first season he changes. There will be some fun happening incidents. All action won't be just on Matthew. I started to watch these series because there is Matthew Perry and I loved him in Friends. He is very charming and charismatic in these series, as always. You won't see here a lot of action or dramas. It's easy to watch, simple comedy. Besides Matthew Perry another character that stood out was Roman Cohen (Nate Torrence), he was very charming too. I hope there will be at least 4 more seasons. To summarize Mr. Sunshine is worth watching.
-
The Middle, Modern Family, and wipeout are the only shows I like on ABC. Now, there's another successful show, Mr. Sunshine. Matthew Perry's return to television doesn't disappoint. Whether hes comforting his boss or questioning his employees, he truly is a joy to have on TV. The show is about a stadium called the Sunshine Center and Ben, Mathew Perry, trying to run it. The events that hes trying to manage always deliver a few laughs and there are heartwarming moments with the romance between innocent (not kidding) teenagers Roman and his girlfriend. The only complaint I might have for this show is that it doesn't have that moment every episode where Im rolling on the floor laughing. But it delivers many chuckles and nice moments that are sure to be enjoyed.
-
adamdaly19858 May 2011What a shame.
Matthew Perry, one of television's much loved patrons, has tried - and failed. After the never-ending but thoroughly enjoyable saga that was Friends and the brilliant but short lived Studio 60, Perry's next move appears not quite as astute.
I'm not sure whether he saw Aaron Sorkin and foolishly thought 'I could do that', or that he listened to too many 'yes-men' who just couldn't build up the courage to tell him that this show's a non-starter. Either way, this show is nothing short of amateurish.
The jokes are forced onto the cast like an ill-fitting shoe and the characters themselves have the dimension equivalent of paper. I could find no source of originality, humour or competence in the writing and I felt no compassion or even likability whatsoever for any of the characters. It's just all a little...bad!! As for Alison (CJ Cregg) Janney - WHY?!? Big fan of Perry, but I find myself really hoping this show does not get renewed! -
ptmom115 February 2011Perhaps I watched a different pilot from the other reviewers...but I thought this was just awful. I was never so disappointed as with this show. I was looking forward to seeing Matthew Perry on a series again. Loved him in Friends, and in his short-lived but so well written Studio 60. And Allison Janey! How could you have agreed to this schlock.
I did like Matthew's character and the way he played him, but that was the only redeeming thing in the whole show. For the most part it was childish, sloppy, foolish humor. Allison could have been given so much better material with which to work, as we know she is capable of great things.
A waste of good talent. -
randolph_scott25 March 2011I love Mathew Perry and Alice Janey, and I had high hopes for this show after seeing the pilot. Little did I know the pilot was the only watchable episode.
What is wrong? The writing! The Alice Janey and her son characters are horribly written, 1 dimensional, and flat out not believable. The rest of the characters are 1 dimensional characters from script writing 101. The only person watchable on the show is Mathew Perry.
I know these actors are better than this horrible dreck. Hopefully it will be canceled quickly, and Perry will be given something better than this embarrassing dreck.
Randolph -
LeonardOsborneKael9 April 2011Cliché characters, cliché plots, lame jokes, awkward scenes, clumsy shots - It's mystifying that these superbly talented actors could have ever looked at these scripts and thought they could be even remotely funny when produced. in the last episode I watched, they fell into the deadly sitcom trap of all the characters seeming to speak with the same character "voice". I should say "quip" with the same character "voice". Quip - quip - quip - not very pleasant. And not only are these bad scripts, they are bad scripts produced badly. They actually succeed in making Alison Janney look even taller than she is! To begin with, Matthew Perry as lovable Lothario is simply not a convincing scenario. The show tries everything to sizzle - from trying to imitate Aaron Sorkin's rapid-fire quipping to applying juvenile sexual wish-fulfillment. Ugh. I do have to give credit to these brave actors who really do give it their all trying to make this schtick work - but it's an exercise in pure futility. This is a perfect illustration of the fact that you can book all the best on screen talent in the world and still not achieve chemistry or overcome bad writing.
-
salehi-msd31 August 2012characters are really weak . the story line going nowhere . no real story happening behind every episode . Ben (perry) really boring with that old silly humiliating look we've seen before . with all those sarcastic jokes reminding friends but not fun anymore .
i watched 8 episodes hoping to become funny but it didn't go well . i think we've seen enough sitcoms focusing on sex with girls and having no deep feelings and the commitment thing we saw it on friends (joey) on how i met your mother (the blond guy) ... and at last without any history they find their true love and wanting marriage , but without any work on their behavior or thoughts suddenly they change their ideology from experiencing any women in the world to marrying just one lovely girl . writers and directors have to reach to new ideas else it will be their 1-season TV series . -
SiMwiT21 January 2012I have never felt compelled to write a bad review of anything on IMDb as I generally prefer to recommend good titles that I've watched in the hope that other people share the experience. However, I have had to write this review for one of the worst comedy series of all time.
I love Friends. I have watched all the movies and spinoffs from the cast since. Joey was pretty bad and understand why it was cancelled but I thought the cast did well from a poor script. Mr. Sunshine however is awful in every respect. Comedy is about timing and relating to everyday people in everyday life what is what made friends successful despite it being a bunch of beautiful people in new york.
This "comedy" exaggerates the characters behaviours to an extent that makes an episode of baywatch look like a real depiction of beach life. What the hell is the manager and her son all about. I watched episode 1 and watched half of episode 2 and then came on IMDb to warn people that Matthew Perry is not funny. Every time a character does something ridiculously abnormal he pulls the same expression of opening his eyes wide and putting his hand out as if he is the normal one.
Please please... be warned to never be tempted to switch this on. -
ginotech23 February 2011I admit, I only watched the pilot and a bit of the second episode, but I couldn't get through any more. I'm disappointed. I just finished watching Studio 60, and Better Off Ted was one of my favorites, so I had higher hopes for Matthew Perry and Andrea Anders. Maybe too high, it seems.
The jokes are predictable and somewhat forced at times. And I know it's a comedy, but I don't find myself caring much about any of the characters, and that's still important. Everything seems very one- dimensional.
All in all, it didn't really hold my interest. Hopefully it will improve with a few more episodes. I wouldn't bet on it though. -
gimme-junkmail23 March 2011You can pin each ancillary character, and their dynamic to Perry's character, almost exactly as "Joey".
The warmth with which the camera operates will get you through it, and you might get a kick here and there; much like lukewarm spinach soup for your birthday - disappointing, but come one you get to see Chandler.
At many times during each episode you can literally hear Chandler's mind take over the lines of all characters en scene.
I agree with easy to digest comedy, but the lack of any real depth in each character (aside from their oh-so-ridiculous {sarcastic} over the top set-up) leaves you with only with a half-baked plot that relies again on events leading up to a Chandler "moment".
This is a fail. Fail Matthew Perry, fail.
I still love you though. Kthxbai