Trophy Wife (2013–2014) User Reviews (20)

A good show...

[taylorkingston · 7/10 · 10 June 2015]

I enjoyed this show. I am sad that it got cancelled. I think it had a good concept. A trophy wife who turns out isn't a gold-digger. This show had a really funny cast and honestly, I was very disappointed that it got cancelled.

This show is about a thirty-something year old woman who marries an older man. He has already had two wives and three children. So with all of them together, a lot of stuff goes down. The kids are hilarious and so is the "trophy wife".

Overall, I give this TV show a 7 out of 10, which in my ratings book is: Great.

A family sitcom unlike the rest

[macledoug · 7/10 · 3 December 2013]

Trophy Wife is one of the pleasant surprises of the 2013 fall season. In the first few episodes Malin Akerman in the main role is not all that sympathetic or, to be honest, even all that funny, but after several weeks she really grows on you. On the other hand, her two rivals, Marcia Gay Harden and Michaela Watkins as Bradley Whitford's previous wives Diane and Jackie, are immediately very funny. How many shows have been based on the model of husband as doofus and wife as long-suffering problem-solver? This show is nothing like that: it's written by women and at its core deals with the rivalry among three women, each of whom is less than perfect, and it is often hilarious. At this point in December of its first season, the breakout characters appear to be gormless New Age Jackie, her Asian adopted son Bert(Albert Tsai), and Diane's goofy teenage son Warren (Ryan Lee). My recent taste in sitcoms is in the vein of Parks & Rec (my current favourite), Louie, Community, 30 Rock, so I'm not usually a family sitcom type but this one works for me.

Functional modern family sitcom

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 9 May 2014]

Kate (Malin Akerman) is a former party girl who has married Pete Harrison (Bradley Whitford). He has two kids (Bailee Madison, Ryan Lee) with his hard nosed surgeon first wife Diane (Marcia Gay Harden). He has an adopted son Bert (Albert Tsai) with flaky second wife Jackie (Michaela Watkins). And Kate's party friend Meg (Natalie Morales) keeps dropping by.

It's a really busy modern family that has misadventures together. She grows to be a better person and they grow to be a closer family. Blah. Blah. Blah. Malin Akerman is a hot woman with some comedic skills. She's better than most and is able to maintain likability throughout. Everybody is doing a good job, and it's a functional family sitcom. I wouldn't call it anything outstanding. It got canceled after its first year run of 22 episodes.

somewhat funny, but also a bit embarassing

[cherold · 6/10 · 15 July 2021]

I don't know what to make of this show. It was created by two women, yet it takes a surprisingly positive view of a guy who keeps trading his wives in for younger models. And while one of the creators is quoted on wikipedia as describing herself as a "feminist," the female characters strike me as anti-female - the young, clueless one, the spacey idiot, and the smart but shark-like one.

Is it funny? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. But this is essentially a conventional, middling sitcom with an uncomfortable premise, and after I few episodes I gave up on it.

I Still Feel Robbed in 2020

[jenny_yenny_jenny · 10/10 · 29 January 2020]

I watched this show during the season that it aired, and I just rewatched it. I still don't understand how it got cancelled. Grey's Anatomy and The Bachelor are like cockroaches that somehow continue to exist when they should have ended years ago.... but this got cancelled??

Cancelled :-(

[lhoneybee202 · 9/10 · 22 September 2014]

I'm so sad this show is cancelled, I usually agree for the most part with ABC cancelled series, but there have been a few that have made me sad and this is definitely be at the top of the list. Trophy Wife was a funny breath of fresh air. Loved the plot and characters, really sad to see this one go. The actors really played their parts and were believable. From the parents to the kids, the cast really blended well together. I actually liked it better than the Goldbergs. It now joins 'That 'B' in Apartment 23 and Betrayal, two of my other favorites that have gotten the axe. I mean geez ABC give these shows a chance to do well before being so quick to cancel. You will be terribly missed.

Trophy Wife is No Prize

[michaeltomorrow · 2/10 · 3 October 2013]

Trying to capitalize on its 'Modern Family' success, ABC has crapped out yet another 'blended family' sitcom. Sadly this show suffers from the same mediocrity of all its contenders. In the title role, Malin Ackerman is cast as the sexy, sweet and awkwardly funny third wife. Problem is, she brings none of that to the part. Rapidly approaching 40 she can't pull off kittenish party girl anymore, is written as more naive than sweet, and doesn't have the chops to pull off the physical comedy needed to make this show stand out (Ackerman is also a producer on the show, so maybe no one is able to actually tell her). In fact it almost seems like wife number two, Michaela Watkins' character, is written so ridiculously to help make Ackerman seem more charming by comparison. She doesn't.

Bradley Whitford and Marcia Gay Harden performances' are good, if not predictable, and the kids are...well..kids. Again, not sure what is suppose to be unique about this show. The writing is average, the production is stock and the premise, which I suppose is basically summed up in the title, is hobbled by Ackerman.

A Unique and Excellent show killed off before its' time

[myamazon-92484 · 10/10 · 8 April 2015]

This show was not misogynistic in any way, on the contrary, it was a show that celebrated women. Yes the wonderful Bradley Whitford is the main man but the show does not revolve around him. Rather, it revolves around the women in his life. And although some surface reader types might have looked at him and seen his new young wife and assumed she was a Trophy Wife the whole point is that she was absolutely not a trivial piece of arm candy. The whole point was that she was a sweet, funny and slightly insecure young lady who was trying desperately to fit in to a ready made and very tightly bound family. Kate, the main character, takes on this Herculean task for one main reason, she truly loves this man. And his children. Kate has a very hard road to travel since the new man in her life comes complete with three children and two ex-wives, all of whom are much smarter and more capable than she (well Jackie and Warren may have been the exception).

She comes in and learns and learns and grows up along the way. This show told the story of so many families who are trying to figure out how to not allow divorce (even multiple) divorces to rob their children of a tight family unit. It featured excellent acting, unique storytelling and child actors that were more than just cute. The cast had an unmistakable chemistry, the show was light and full of love. Instead of the usual, tired female types we so often see in TV land these women were bright, vibrant, intelligent and deeply flawed. Very human. The children were the sort of overachievers that are usually overlooked in sitcom land in favor of slutty, dumb and smart mouthed kids.

I am so very sad that this wonderful show was not given a chance to grow just because some people could not get past the title. But I am grateful we had it for the time we did. "Lice and Beary White" and "Twas the Night before Christmas, or Twas It?" were two of the funniest sitcom episodes I have ever seen in my life. I only hope that they will finally put it all on DVD.

wasn't too bad

[angelorwez · 5/10 · 18 May 2022]

I feel like the rating for this show is a bit low...

i mean yes it was brilliant or wonderful on a monumental level...but it was warm and simple...

it had all the clichés yes....but they kinda owned it...

not too bad...watchable...

Crushed that serie has been cancelled.

[edelweiss-jolinar · 10/10 · 24 January 2018]

As the title of my review said: crushed that the show has been cancelled. I was soooo looking forward to see how the events/story would developed. Darn you people who cancelled the show for whatever reasons. The actors and the action was so good!!!

Underrated.

[kendallhall · 9/10 · 18 October 2019]

Bradley Whitford. Need I say more?

This show was so underrated. I wish we'd gotten a few more seasons. It wasn't perfect, but the supporting cast was amazing.

Thinly-veiled misogyny

[hethomps · 1/10 · 9 March 2014]

Many have theorized that the title of the show is intended to be ironic, but it appears to be dead on. A wealthy, middle-aged man marries a much younger woman. What an original plot. I really cannot appreciate a show where a man is the center of the lives of three adult women. A show in which his ex-wives are just unable to move on without him. No matter how you spin it, that is the basic premise of the show. This premise is misogynistic at best. This is made worse by the fact that the creators regard themselves as feminists. I really hope the viewing public continues to turn this one off and it fades into oblivion.

A funny find in 2022

[asarandes · 9/10 · 12 February 2022]

I never heard of this show before but I loved it. Very well cast. Well written. Just fun. The fact it was cancelled after just one season is more proof that tv is political. So much crap stays on for years, while the good stuff gets cancelled. Makes you wonder who did what to keep their job. And who had integrity and walked away.

Chappy Watched: Trophy Wife - The Complete Series

[chappywatched · 4/10 · 27 March 2016]

I saw the trailer for this and it peeked my interest and now after watching it, it wasn't a bad show.

It has a pretty big main cast, all of them awesome, especially Malin Akerman, Bradley Whitford and Marcia Gay Harden, but there were some points where it felt like there were too many chefs in the kitchen (5 adults and 3 kids). I didn't really like the character of Meg Gomez (Natalie Morales), who played the best friend of the lead character, Kate Harrison (Akerman) and just felt she was unnecessary and just a filler.

There weren't any laugh out loud moments for me but it was funny and entertaining, including cameos from Megan Mullally, Ken Marino and Florence Henderson.

It was entertaining enough to watch but not something I would watch again and not something that I'm upset about being cancelled.

Should've been given another series, at least

[fiona-tamburrini · 10/10 · 18 April 2019]

I loved this show. Every character was perfect and there were loads of laugh out loud moments. I don't know why they cut it but it really had so much potential, especially with another baby on the way.

Underrated.

[kawecx · 10/10 · 14 December 2021]

This show is great! It's so funny and has such a great cast! How did this not continue? I agree with one of the viewers saying the bachelor and greys anatomy are still around and they are terrible! Bring this back!!!!!!

Best new comedy on TV! The wives are excellent and the little guy is great!

[macchlerie · 10/10 · 12 December 2013]

We look forward to the show all week and the reviewer who panned it is nuts! Every bit as funny as Modern family and the Christmas show this week was one of the best TV episodes in a long time!

The current wife is a cutie and the two exes are truly polar opposites! Second wife was lucky to get one of the best parts on TV. Marcia is perfect as tight as* first wife.

Best friend is also funny but the trip from The West Wing to trophy Wife was a pleasant surprise for us!

I hope this show doesn't go the way of Better Off Ted another great show that bit the big one.

I think you need to run the episode a couple of times a week for folks to find the show.

Really good

[jaredd · 9/10 · 30 June 2021]

Wow, I really liked this show. Lots of fun and the scenery was unbelievable.

Just Discovered

[fmroberson · 9/10 · 26 January 2022]

How is it I'd never heard of this show before?! I think it's very funny! The characters are like able, the writing is great. I'm so disappointed it only lasted one season.

Smart and funny,so of course it was cancelled.

[graduatedan · 8/10 · 30 March 2024]

I have to admit that I'm a comedy snob. It takes a lot for me to laugh out loud, but I found myself doing so when watching this, yes, I'm going to say it... delightful comedy. The older man marrying a younger partner scenario isn't new, obviously, but a letter perfect ensemble cast, witty and smart dialogue and endearing characters give this show a real boost. The children and, really all of the characters in this show are portrayed as three dimensional for a change, especially Albert Tsai as Bert. I would have loved to have seen more of these people, but this one exceptional season will have to suffice.