The New Normal (2012–2013) User Reviews (44)

Good, but it needed a little tweaking

[Suradit · 7/10 · 16 August 2014]

I did enjoy the show and, like Sean Saves the World and Partners, both of which I also found to be as good or better than shows that were renewed for another year, The New Normal may have been axed for reasons other than just their ratings.

That said, unlike the other two shows I mentioned, The New Normal seemed a lot less focused. In the highly successful Modern Family, the show manages to shift focus between the several family components while keeping a common thread for each episode, and they do it well. Not as successful with TNN

In The New Normal, that common thread was often too tenuous if it existed at all. I enjoyed the main gay couple and their interpersonal as well as more general gay-related issues, both those issues used for humor and those that were emotionally painful.

I usually enjoyed the Ellen Barkin character and, although I generally lean way to the left politically, I found some of her well-delivered rants to be fair criticism of some dearly held beliefs or behaviors of those who consider themselves Liberal. There were a few times when her rants, especially in the earlier shows, may have crossed the line into what sounded too much like very real, not at all humorous, bigotry.

Obviously the show was heading in the direction of two gay men becoming dads and all the joy & trauma of parenthood, both typical and unique to same-sex couples. So the surrogate mom was a practical necessity, but the character & the actress who played Goldie, in my opinion, were rather bland and added little to the show's appeal. Actually I thought her estranged husband, Clay, although somewhat marginalized in the plot development, added more to the show's appeal than she did.

But the killer for me ... in the negative sense of the term ... was the little girl, Shania. Maybe in some After School Special format or main stream family show, she would have been considered cute and precocious, but I'm guessing the primary audience for a gay themed show like this does not include grade school children or Middle Americans resting after a hard day at the factory or plowing the fields.

The kids on Modern Family fit in beautifully with the pace of the show and would appeal to those who might be expected to watch such a show. Shania was just an annoying waste of show time. Maybe I'm projecting my feelings onto more people than is warranted, but when the Shania character appeared to be more than incidental to an episode, I definitely started jabbing the fast-forward button or went on to the next episode altogether. Watching her prepare for and perform in a grade school assembly was a little too Sesame Street for me and the sort of thing that is a leading cause of glazed-eye syndrome.

I think with a little effort and redirection, the show could have been saved rather than axed. Hope the two main characters can make a comeback in something better aimed at its target audience.

An old but new great show

[arturo-52536 · 8/10 · 7 March 2017]

I just start watching this show in this year (2017). I didn't finished the series (Im in the 19 chapter). This series show us how the life can change our goals and perspective in some things. Also you can feel the love of their treats and how the characters try to understand each other while they're experiencing some fears and doubts about life, their dreams, and parenthood.

At the end of each cap. the characters tell us what they learn, and how to resolve the "problem" or situations.

The comedy is good, sometimes it could be simple-minded but its really surprising how the writers can makes you laughs so hard or astonished you with drama, with history knowledge, tiny sad moments.

The most of characters learn and grown at the pass of the time, so it turn more interesting this series. The style of the series its comfortable and LGBT friendly.

It is far from being just another trivial comedy with strange jokes, instead is a funny and exciting series about parenthood, family and life.

Smiling from ear to ear at end of each episode

[WildersChimp · 8/10 · 19 September 2012]

This show is probably not as popular a show as expected, from TV-hit maker Ryan Murphy. It's usually easier to score TV series higher than movies. You get to fall in and out of love with the characters over a much wider span of time - so hopefully this will pick up, in what little time it has to prove itself. But after just three episodes of The New Normal, I'M sold!

The show centers round a gay couple housing their high school drop-out, blonde single mom surrogate mother, her 9-year-old daughter and her grandma - hence obvious "The New Normal". It's got a Modern Family feel (some might even say a bit too much, though I personally don't mind) in both style and content. But the actors are great, the writing heartfelt and funny in a camp sort of way. And that's all I need.

Especially Ellen Barkin as the outspoken bigot grandmother is a hoot to watch. And except for my inability to appreciate Bebe Wood, who plays the daughter, I'm finding myself caring for these characters already.

So I'm staying tuned in - and hoping you will follow suit, so that this show gets a chance to at least finish it's first season. I dare you not to chuckle, just a little..

Surely a new favorite

[paulithink · 10/10 · 12 September 2012]

The harsh critical reception of this program is uncountable, really, because for so many people the ideas promoted are abominable or simply foreign. I think it's marvelous.

It's hard to think of any other shows that make me say "aw" and laugh too much all in the same thirty minutes. The message of 'The New Normal' is genuine and sweet, and the characters are plenty without feeling excessive and mucky.

The gay couple here is actually a typical couple when stripped of the homosexual title. One man is exuberant and ridiculous while being sweet underneath; the other is laid-back and realistic. The surrogate, Goldie, is someone who is relatable for a lot of people because her dreams completely got away from her but never died. The grandmother is doctrinaire and her great- granddaughter considers her a bigot, but her statements and viewpoints do have an origin.

I must say that I have recommended this show to multiple people and will do so again. I do hope that it is given a chance for a full season and a few more.

Funny, adorable, and very Ryan Murphy

[AnnaShade · 22 September 2012]

I have had a blast watching the first three episodes. I love every single character and they all crack me up!

I think the main couple are adorable. They're crazy and cute and I want to know more about them, which keeps me coming back for more.

Some people will be angry because they are two men who want a kid (I think they'd make good parents - they're kind, able to support a kid, and love each other), some people will be angry because they are similar to some stereotype or another (I think they're just who they are - and who they are is a lot of fun!), and some people will be angry for god knows what.

Bottom line: this is a fantastic, funny show about a lot of kind people and a lot of crazy people who are just trying to thrive in their own lives. The show is very sweet but tempered with reality.

My rating: 10/10. I'm so coming back for more.

So much potential.

[LifeOfLopez · 7/10 · 30 September 2012]

I really want to love this show, the first episode lacked so much though. I'm a huge fan of Andrew due to Book of Mormon so I continuing to watch the show. Each episode is getting better with wittier,edgier writing. Hopefully the writers can step it up a notch and add some depth to each of the characters with some back story and a little more dramatic situations. The relationship between the two main male characters is starting to get less stereotypical but its still there. So far, my favorite scene was the incident with the ignorant father in the store; that displayed daring writing that few public shows dare to go to, especially so early on in their first season. This show has the potential to be great, it just needs support and better writing.

Gets better and better

[jfalkor80 · 10/10 · 29 October 2012]

This show started out with a lot of potential and just keeps getting better and better. It hits many of the hard issues related to same-sex relationships, but also ties in a lot of humor and heart.

The main characters, Bryan and David, are truly in love and the on-screen chemistry between them is obvious. Sometimes the writers can be a little over the top with the "gay" outfits and one-liners (modern gay people are more likely to act exactly as everyone else), but the show does a great job of showing how normal their lives are otherwise.

Shania and Goldie are also excellent characters with their own lovable quirks. Rocky's character is funny, but needs to become more than an African American cliché. Finally, Golie's grandmother Jane is probably the least believable character and needs the most work. It is understandable that the show wants to dichotomize her bigotry against Bryan and David's love, but it really needs to be toned down to seem realistic (actual bigotry is much more discrete).

Overall, the New Normal is definitely worth watching!

Review/Prediction

[eldestjay · 6/10 · 30 August 2012]

I'm splitting this article into two parts. A review, and a prediction. Here goes:

Review:

Now, there was a lot of hype surrounding this show. Both good and bad "Pre-Pilot Reviews" were flying around willy-nilly. So even though I didn't have any particularly high or low expectations, I decided to tune into at least the first episode. The pilot was released on Hulu as a sort of preview into what NBC was getting themselves into.

The first 10 minutes took me off-guard. Because I didn't want to turn it off. If it was anything, it was entertaining. Sure, they had three of four really crappy jokes. The kind you only hear on Family Guy in a situation where it's apparent that the real joke is, none of the other characters thought the joke was funny. It was hard to put my finger on the kind of comedy The New Normal was trying to capture. It had the feel of Up All Night, but some of the punchlines I could've sworn they took from the three episodes of Work It!.

However, it was not a total crash and burn. Justin Bartha was brilliantly good, and the lesser known Andrew Rannells was refreshing and quirky. All around, a capable cast.

The problems they have, are sure to be taken car of in the next season or two, and I believe I might just go along for the ride, if not only to see where this is all going.

Prediction:

Okay, I think I might have a little inkling of insight here that I want to share. This is simply and educated guess as to where the show is ultimately going.

(if you haven't seen the pilot yet, go watch it on hulu.com and this next part will make more sense.)

At the end of the pilot, Goldie (Georgia King) is looking at the pregnancy test she just urinated on, being watched closely by two fathers-to-be, eagerly awaiting the results of their paternal status. Goldie gets this look on her face, then the episode ends.... The first episode never actually tells us whether or not she's got a bun in the oven.

Obviously though, the plot of the show, the entire marketing campaign, and common sense tells us that she is pregnant. They flat-out say it in the commercials. So she's clearly going to get pregnant, right? ...right?

I say, wrong.

Here's what I'm thinking. Before we see the look on Goldie's face, the look that means she know's whether or not the dudes are gonna be dads, Justin Bartha's character gives a long speech about how Goldie made this all possible. About how he and his husband want to help Goldie achieve her dream of becoming a lawyer, because she's helping them with their dream. They bought her an expensive suit for Pete's sake.

Everything leading up to this, the speech, and Goldie's character development, would lead me (a PhD in psychology) to believe that even if the test were negative, Goldie would tell them it was positive.

My prediction is that later on in the show, we will learn that Goldie was never pregnant, and drama will ensue. A falling out, hurt feelings, mixed up emotions, and the invention of the word surroghastly.

If in the second episode, I observe that the two fathers never even glance at the pregnancy test for themselves, I will be convinced that this is where the show is headed.

And if I am right, I will have so much respect for The New Normal. They will still have blown my understanding mind....

It's got potential, and I look forward to seeing that potential unleashed.

[Leonatio · 9/10 · 6 September 2012]

So normally I'm not the type to really get into the more modern-day type shows that play on real life. I'd been hearing news about The New Normal for a bit, and thought it was already airing. When I saw that it was only the pilot that was up, I decided to give it a shot.

The story focuses on David and Bryan, a gay couple living an almost perfect life. To Bryan, the only thing that could make it even more so is having a kid.

Contrast to Goldie and her daughter and old fashioned (in the sense of being intolerant of racial differences and homosexuality) mother. After a shocking discovery by Goldie, she decides to take her daughter and leave to start her life over and start living.

Back to the boys, they go through an amusing process of screening potential surrogate mothers (including a pretty amusing scene with one of them), and the one they decide on just happens to be Goldie!

More dramatics ensue involving good old mother, and we're left with a cliffhanger of whether Goldie is pregnant or not.

I was actually pleasantly surprised with what I watched. The jokes were pretty alright, but I mostly just enjoyed the overall story itself for this show. I'm really excited to see how this develops. As the previous reviewer stated, it could go a couple of ways: Goldie could be pregnant and the series (the first or first couple of seasons maybe) could revolve around her carrying their child. Goldie could not be pregnant, but because of how she was positively pressured (the words of praise and the expensive present), she could have lied to the boys and a good part of the first season could revolve around her trying to find ways to get pregnant, with the end of the first season having her successfully be so (leading to interesting moments of tension and possibly one of them finding out that she was lying to them). Or she could not be pregnant and be honest about it, leading to other types of interesting moments.

Though at the beginning with the couple they played a bit on the contrasting stereotypes (one being a bit more feminine, the other being the more masculine), it's obvious that they're playing more at being much more closer to being in a happy middle for both of them, rather than being the extreme left and right that we're usually left to watch. Being gay myself and having the gay friends that I do, it was really refreshing to see that they're being portrayed closer to what people could actually attach to and even possibly relate to (not that there's too much wrong with the stereotype, but it normally seems like they're playing it off for the laughs only, which seeing it over and over gets insulting after a while since we're not all like that). I only do hope that they continue this instead of having them shift over to the same stereotypical characters that we see.

Again, I was very pleasantly surprised by the pilot. Pilots are pretty known to make or break a show, and as mentioned, I think this pilot definitely shows the potential that this show can have. I look forward to watching it and hopefully seeing that potential get unleashed.

some annoyance

[SnoopyStyle · 5/10 · 7 June 2018]

Goldie Clemmons (Georgia King) leaves her small Ohio town and cheating baby daddy Clay (Jayson Blair) to start a new life in LA with daughter Shania (Bebe Wood). She becomes a surrogate for gay couple Bryan Collins (Andrew Rannells) and David Sawyer (Justin Bartha) who takes in the single mom. Goldie's anti-gay grandmother Jane (Ellen Barkin) follows her to cause havoc in the new family. Rocky Rhoades (NeNe Leakes) is Bryan's assistant.

With the success of Modern Family, Ryan Murphy's attempt to make a gay-centric network sitcom is an obvious move. All the elements are assembled here with the gays taking the lead. It boils down to personal preference whether one likes these characters. Goldie is fine if a little bland. Daughter Shania is a little too wacky without another kid to balance her. David is the 'straight man' while Bryan is the traditional flamboyant gay. There is love in the relationship although I'm not in love with them. Ellen Barkin overpowers the cast. NeNe Leakes kinda annoys me. Overall, this collection of actors and characters stress me out rather than make me laugh. That makes it hard to watch sometimes. It's not a show for me.

Some people just don't get it!

[simon-d-cesair · 10/10 · 18 October 2012]

I was skeptical when when I read reviews and saw ads for "The New Normal", because I felt that in most shows gay guys are very flamboyant and "heeeeeyyyyy"- like, which is not necessarily bad, however a lot of these characters don't have any depth, no feelings and only seem to be there to have a gay person in the show, who is basically just acting funny, and doesn't seem to have any real problems.

But "The New Normal" is very funny, has a good and very clever storyline, dealing with real and current issues in a funny way, like this year's election, gay marriage, racism, intolerance, interracial dating, same sex parents, and a lot of fringe groups and topics.

The main characters are interacting so believably sweet and honest with each other, that at some points you forget seeing two men. You see a couple having issues, like everyone else.

The grandmother is hilarious! Someone said, she is acting like she is from the 1860s and the worst character. I strongly disagree, I think she is representing the opinion of a very conservative woman, YES these kind of people are out there, please don't act surprised, because you know I am right. IF YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH DON'T WATCH IT! Is she over the top? Of course! Are the other characters over the top and sometimes stereotypical? Most definitely. That's why it is so funny.

"The New Normal" is an honest, funny, over the top sitcom that addresses very serious issues while taking itself not too serious all the time, and I believe everyone should watch it.

Tired

[aadams · 2/10 · 18 September 2012]

The stereotypical gay couple is tiresome. The single mom with a heart of gold is tiresome. The bigoted grandparent is tiresome. The quirky (but lovable) odd-ball kid is tiresome. They've all been done To Death. Combining them into one sitcom and then using the word "New" in the title is misleading. The problem with this show is that it's not new at all. A newer normal might be a gay person or couple with - surprise - additional attributes that could contribute to the humor of the show. The Luke character on Modern Family is a fantastic development of a kid; his perception is dead-on kid-like. Seeing the modern world through his eyes is fascinating. They've got to give this little girl something besides a crazy hat. I can't imagine what can carry this show – the pilot burned through all the gags several times.

I was laughing in my seat.

[garylife · 10/10 · 16 September 2012]

I really enjoyed this show. It has a great mix of the comedy and reality that goes into being a parent and dealing with a society that has issues with this situation. Like any comedy, the characters larger than life and make the most of the theme of the show. I was laughing out loud quite a lot.

While most of the characters are Stereo types, that is normal for any funny comedy. Which is also what makes it so funny the Grand Mother is hilarious with all of the stereo typical comments from a bigot. Having heard all of these type of comments and having raised kids myself with my partner. This really hit home for me. I'm looking forward to more episodes.

Great Show/My Favorite

[randycleve2 · 10/10 · 14 February 2015]

While this quickly became my favorite show, I understand some people having problems with it, especially if they were expecting a comedy on the same order of "Will & Grace," "Seinfeld," or "The Big Bang Theory," with the airwaves thick with one liners. There's nothing wrong with that, but this show put more focus on issues, and the humor was usually more subtle, and often, but certainly not always, more geared to poking fun at show business people. It was more of a combination of drama and comedy, and like a movie, there was no live audience or a laugh track, so you can't take your cues from others for the things that might be humorous, or whatever emotion you feel. If you're not much into keeping up with today's celebrities, you probably didn't get the humor, and you likely felt left out. I'm not much into it either, but the show had me looking up various people mentioned, so I could keep up. I also checked several online discussions of that time about the series to get some insight from others about the celebrity comments. I loved this show, which had a great cast. Unlike most shows, and while the episodes can stand on there own, there is more of a flow from one episode into another, much like a movie. You really have to watch the whole series to see how the producers/writers deal with some aspects of things from earlier episodes. Overall,EXCELLENT! Connected with me very much. I'm proud of this show!

The New Normal is the New Great Comedy

[missmary1983-475-122135 · 10/10 · 12 September 2012]

I suspect frankly that negative reviews are knee jerk reactions and oppositions to featuring a gay couple so prominently. Considering they actually don't even make sense if you've seen the show, it's obvious they are opinions of society rather than on the show. The reality is there are gay couples out there and yes, there are gay couples looking for surrogates. And yes, the reality is there are some people out there just like "Nana".

The question remains however, how many of the Bible thumpers will crusade against this show both openly and veiled (as prior commentary suggests) which will determine the success of the show. It's writing is witty, every show has a stereotype or two thrown in but it's done in a comedic style. If you are easily offended by anything, don't watch this show, it's not for you. Little Bebe Wood as Shania is absolutely adorable (and managed in the second episode to do a SPOT ON Grey Gardens Edie Bouvier is awesome) and I even identify with her (a lot blond, a little quirky, a little poor and thick glasses at that age). In two episodes, I've laughed and my husband - generally hard to please in comedies - has laughed quite a bit. Yes there are reviewers calling this "gay propaganda" but they knew that going in, there would be crazy people who want to decide what others watch.

~~~~~~~~~~SPOILER HERE~~~~~~~~~~~~ Now that we know she's pregnant (revealed at the end of the 2nd epi), and we've set the basis for the characters, I expect we'll move away from the handful of more stereotypical jokes and start getting into their real story. Everyone who's identified with a show knows the first few episodes are merely the basis and not the bulk.

Not worth watching

[cathylou9918 · 5/10 · 17 October 2012]

I believe they were trying for a Modern Family type show, but this is just not as funny. There are some good parts - a few funny jokes, but mostly it's just tiresome. When the show tries for heartfelt, they just come up as tedious. There is a scene where the mother has a heart-to-heart with the little girl after a disaster at her wedding (the child's, not the mother's - very weird) and that scene just goes on forever. The character of the little girl was supposed to be quirky and lovable but is instead bizarre and preachy. The little actress does a great job with what she's given but her part is lame. The gay couple isn't so bad but really, why do these shows always have to make one of the gay characters so much of a stereotype? The grandmother is positively hateful. Where Archie Bunker had his good points, this character has none. If you are looking for a laugh-out-loud comedy like Modern Family with some lovable character, this show has none and it drowns in weepy(and sometimes creepy) sentimentality.

I love the show!

[gallowaynatasha · 10/10 · 19 September 2012]

If you want to watch a show about everyday people with comedy. This is the show to watch. I know most people don't like that there are two gay guys but in today's society, that is the new normal. I think it send a good message to everyone. Gay people have feelings and they want to live normal but people don't allow them to live that way. Im not gay and Im not against them. At the end of the day, they want to be love, just like everyone else. People might not agree with the show but it is how regular people live. Goldie came home and caught her boyfriend of 9 or 10 years having sex with another woman in their bed. Goldie come outside crying and her grandmother goes in to let the boyfriend know he is not like. It probably have not happened to you but it has happen to someone normal. The guy couple, I enjoy love they have for each other. That is what makes them normal is love. I love the show! I hope it stay around!

Just an unfunny Modern Family clone

[theduke314 · 1/10 · 15 September 2012]

I don't think critics and people hate this show because of the two gay dads, that's a cop out and an easy knee-jerk assessment. The bottom line is the show is simply a HORRIBLE clone of "Modern Family" that doesn't work because it tries to hard and is too afraid to make fun of its own premise. Modern Family has wit, heart and charm and this show has none of the above. Seriously Ellen Barkin as an over the top version of Ed O'Neill's character Jay??? She goes way too far with the content and is not believable. Also, the two gay fathers on Modern Family are indeed stereotypes but it works because they are not afraid to acknowledge that and make fun of the things they would like to change. They actually seem more real than the two gay dads on this show. Overall "The New Normal" just doesn't work, because overall the show tries TOO hard to be something it will never be, funny and real which is what makes Modern Family a gem.

Amazing!

[elicem-cohen · 10/10 · 23 September 2012]

This comedy is something between Will & Grace and Modern Family. Take Jake's words and attitude from Will & Grace as well as Cameron & Mitchell from Modern Family. Here you are. Although the first episode is pushed a bit too hard in acting on third episode it is settled. Acting is OK. Lines are usual. Yet it has a nice touch and script. It has the quality LOGO TV is missing in its own series. Perhaps because this is NBC. However the question is whether this series will last or not. As there are key gay issues crafted very intelligently between the lines such as an American soldier just back from Iraq getting engaged to his fiancé, gay adoption and surrogacy, etc. I just hope NBC makes the right call to keep this series as it is just funny. In this series kissing two main characters is not an issue as oppose to Modern Family. I just hope we will see the season 7 when they have their grandkids.

As a straight female.....

[suzragan · 10/10 · 17 September 2012]

I really think this is a fun show! I can see that it could be offensive to gay people -- I hope it's not, but I don't know....I'm not gay and have not discussed the show with any gay people who have seen it. It is more likely that the people who will be offended are judgmental straight people. The grandmother is excessively harsh, but that is her character and she is very funny in a shocking OMG way. Overall, I think this show strikes a very nice balance between comedy and tenderness. The characters are endearing (except "said grandmother") and the material is full of heart. I'd like to give a special shout-out to the young Bebe Wood, who was outrageous in the second episode in portraying one of the sisters from "Grey Gardens".....bravo, Bebe! You nailed it! Too funny!

Good show!

[chavitat91 · 9/10 · 21 September 2012]

I think it's a very good show! It's a way to get the message out that gays are "expanding," and soon the government will have to deal with that fact. It's only a matter of time. Keep this up! I love this show! Sure the gays might be a little stereotypical, but some of those do exist, and its not a bad thing! I hope one day we will be able to see more of this in reality. Gays walking freely and openly without fear of being harshly discriminated. We're in the 21st century people. We have to grow out of our prejudices about things we don't really know about. Love is love

Oh, and eldestjay, you might want to get a refund for your PhD in psychology, because you screwed up your prediction bad. just saying

This was suppose to be a sitcom right?

[officefan01 · 2/10 · 25 September 2012]

Honestly, I wasn't really looking forward to this show. But, I had to watch it considering I was trying to watch every pilot this season. I got to watch the pilot early, and I really couldn't have cared less. I'll start off with the only positive I can see. The main couple works really well together, and they make this show at least a little tolerable. However, they kind of remind me too much of Cameron and Mitchell from Modern Family. But then again, this shows seems a lot like Modern Family. Almost like an unintentional copy. But there a lot of things keeping me from liking this show. First of, I don't like any of the other characters. The surrogate is bland, the daughter is just there and really does nothing, the assistant doesn't really do much either, I'll get back to that in a moment. But the main character that annoyed me the most was Ellen Barkin's character. I know that she's suppose to be this really conservative women who just hates people who disagree with her. But she's too over the top. She either seems like she belongs in the sixties or on Fox News. Also, Nene Leakes's character has no point on this show other than for a racist joke or two. The only time I saw her in more than one scene in the episode was about the gay couple to prove to Ellen Barkin that they have a diverse group of friends. Seriously? But, there's this one thing that made me mad, even though it doesn't sound like I would be mad about it. There's this one scene in an episode where the gay couple and their surrogate are in a doctor's office, and they learn about possible diseases and disorders their baby could have. The last thing that he said was that their baby could have red hair, and one of the gay guys gasps. I got offended, not because I'm a redhead, which I'm not, but the fact that they're making fun of a group of people who get a lot of crap for how they look or how they act from people who want to be treated with respect, seems kind of hypocritical to me. Also, maybe they should of thought about having a baby with red hair when they realized that their surrogate's daughter has red hair. By the way, genetics are thrown out of the window as well, considering that the daughter has red hair, while her mother has blonde hair and her father has brown hair, unless the daughter dyed her hair, which I highly doubt. Also, it seems like every single joke in this show is geared to some group of people that are easily offended. Not to mention, that the show is rarely funny. I usually judge a sitcom by how much I laugh, I think I only laughed like three times in the first couple episodes, and they weren't even big laughs, more like little chuckles. Sorry to get a little political, but it feels like this show doesn't know who their demographic wants to be exactly. Obviously liberals would watch it, but their message is more geared towards conservatives who aren't going to watch it in the first place for two reasons. 1. It's about a gay couple wanting to start a family and 2. They will get offended by Ellen Barkin's character. So this show is kind of like preaching to the choir. But if you like this show, fine, watch it if you like it. I'm just saying why I don't like this show really.

It IS the NEW NORMAL

[haleym1125 · 10/10 · 20 September 2012]

This show is great and the title is dead on! For those who reviewed and said the title is misleading because gay or lesbian couples adopting/ inseminating is not new and not normal, well... you are totally missing the point of this show and should delete your review. This show is about a gay couple living together as a married couple and decided it's time to have a family. It's trying to break the stigma of a "traditional" family unit. We no longer live in a world where conservative values are the norm. The show is trying to push the point that bigotry shouldn't be tolerated. So in fact it is trying to create a "New Normal". It's also a sitcom and is absolutely hilarious! My husband and I laugh out loud every episode.

The New Normal

[paulsportelli70 · 5/10 · 26 February 2013]

The concept is very interesting but the characters are not believable to me. Being in a long term gay relationship with an adopted son, I can relate to the story lines in each episode but the characters are still trying to find their place and often from episode to episode they contradict their personalities. David (doctor): was the guy with common sense that kept his partner level is now a bit emotional and insecure about adopting a baby.. Jane(grandmother of birth mom): Is a bigot but now appears to have found a place in the lives of the rest of the group and has eased off the sharp cutting edge she had in previous episodes. Rocky: Is just not believable...she is new to acting and it seems a bit..umm forced. Brian: Runs too quickly through his lines and as a result does not have the best timing. Goldie & her daughter: they, to me, are the only believable characters. I think the story lines move through each episode so quickly and end up being resolved or the revelations come so quickly without content.

It actually had some substance

[jacquesdr · 10/10 · 19 May 2013]

There is about as many opinions on The New Normal (TNN) as there are users. Being gay and from South Africa (where we live in equality, can marry adopt and have all the same rights) it gives me an outsiders' view. The first thing that strikes me is that TNN though leaning to the liberal side does also argue very strong towards the conservative side at times and thus it is NOT preachy but used the standoff between two political sides as a platform for humour – Jane is often the standalone in a very liberal group and fights her fight gallantly and with fierce passion. I have never liked any program or film merely for its gay content, but I must say that this show was fresh and very well placed. It's time was right and its message was exactly where it should be. I have grown so weary of shows like "Queer As Folk" that puts me in the box of someone that don't have domestic family values as well. With the wit of phrase of shows like Maude and the speed and pace of shows like Pushing Daisies, TNN took on all the issues of life today in Los Angeles, USA and middle USA. The objections and fight put up by the group OneMillionMothers bleaching that the show was criticising conservative lifestyles should get some balls, quite frankly. My lifestyle as a gay man (married and stable for 18 years) has been criticised and the took the brunt of many attacks and campaigns from various arena's. All I can say to those mom's and dad's is, take it like Jane/a man and stop being such a whimpering sissy. I am sad to see the show go, but I am confident that there will be many good new shows (be is gay or straight) that will keep sowing he winds of change. 1000 years ago we burned people at the stake, today we wonder how we could ever be that barbaric. 1000 years from now humanity might look upon many of the issues TNN addresses and think the same. TNN had well though through comedy, excellent production value and the cast had perfect comedic timing. It was relevant, topical and not just another bleh mindless drip in the coffeepot being humour for humour's sake. It actually had some substance.