davidjabad

I stumbled upon this show in a desperate attempt to find something entertaining and exciting to watch but also saw a familiar face, actor Tommy Dewey, who I also recognized as Mindy Lahiri's ex-boyfriend from The Mindy Project, also part of the main cast. I will admit that the pilot initially threw me off, leaving me a bit confused as to what the show was all about. I then followed this with seeing what IMDb had to say and stumbled on a negative review which made me write-off this show... until now. Having watched all five current episodes, it wasn't until I finished the second episode that I immediately disposed of my original thoughts and found out that this show was everything I was hoping it would be...Just needs some time to get used to in my case.

I don't know what its like to be a divorced single mother, or a misogynistic brother, or even a 16 year old high school girl. But what I can relate to is the journey through online dating and all the happenings revolved around it that I find myself smile and laugh when scenes cause flashbacks into my own dating past... of memories I've tucked away into the back of my brain hoping they never resurface. But hey, that's what makes this show special.

The comedy is tasteful and sincere, the actors and story-line are believable, and together the three main characters have a great dynamic together. Simply, an unexpected surprise.

I'm gonna start with a cliché line and say that I created an account to write this review because I did for the main reason that the reviews/ratings this show is receiving baffles me completely. Hence my vote for an 8!! (But to be honest I could see it at 7.4) First off, I love comedy and tend to be very picky about what I watch (I have a system, believe me). I am constantly on the lookout for new & old shows and I have come to terms that although my taste is different from others, I can accept other peoples opinions and not force my taste onto them. That said, this show gets my approval. This show doesn't make my Top 5 favorite shows (Sherlock, Doctor Who, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Louie, Archer) or Top 20 but it does make my list of shows I download and keep in my most precious hard-drive to re-watch in the future and show my kids someday.

Now lets talk about "Benders"... I first discovered this show seeing the title on some ad and thought it was about life of gay people in the UK and was curious as to what it was since I clearly saw hockey players as well. I went to IMDb, looked it up, and saw it had no rating but the description and array of diverse actors and actresses compelled me to give it a shot... AKA some of the dudes were pretty attractive... (but also was desperate to find a quality show to follow since all my favorites keep getting cancelled). First episode wasn't the most impressive but it did make me laugh and that, to me, is a big deal since I feel I can sense bullsh*t a mile away and would rather not waste my time with crap TV. Seeing some of the reviews that are already written, I noticed people throwing similarities with another show "The League" and I thought that too-- but here is where they differ. I will also add that "The League" USED TO BE one of my favorite shows to watch but it kind of went downhill for me after Season 3 and it's desperately trying to get back to its roots of crude and witty humor but is somehow stuck in the belief that being over the top and unbelievable is the way to go (Maybe it's trying to contend with and become "It's Always Sunny" but that show has been ridiculous from the get-go and the comedy consistent and original which is why it's successful and one the best comedy shows created). What "Benders" succeeds in is that it captures the beginning essence of subtle but clever and crude comedy that "The League" began with in season 1 but can easily stand alone and be just another funny show revolved around a group of friends. . The cast is entertaining, the stories consistent and clear, and on top of that the humor is on the verge of inappropriate but absolutely relevant and tasteful.

I'm not a fantasy football guy nor am I a hockey player so I went into these shows blindly not knowing what to expect. I still watch "The League" weekly(since I am still hoping the writing will clean itself up) but at the same time I am eagerly excited to watch an episode of "Benders" as that has offered some solid jokes that I would love to just spurt out in the middle of a conversation (I've already used the "exzackary" joke from episode 2 which gets me every time and I'm Asain). This show, in my opinion, is worth the watch and worth a better rating which I have noticed has gone down since the last time I checked and I'm sad that I feel alone in seeing the potential this show has and what it can become.