Dee on TV

Confess Wednesday, right up front: I have a crush on Matthew Perry.

Crush or no crush, though, Mr. Sunshine is surprisingly enjoyable.  It’s not superb, and it really isn’t breaking any new ground, but it is bright and cheerful.  As much as I’m missing my weekly dose of Cougar Town (and boy, am I), it’s a good fit for ABC’s Wednesday night comedy block: a family atmosphere and just a bit over the edge of reality.

When I saw the previews and clips for Mr. Sunshine, I thought the show was trying way too hard, overreaching and missing the mark by a mile.  I’m pretty sure the marketing was off, though, because I’ve seen four episodes now, and it has turned out to be silly fun.  An elephant loose in the arena.  Maintenance workers who won’t fix the air conditioning because Ben won’t learn their names.  The slightly unhinged assistant who may or may not be a lunatic.  A “prestigious” regional dog show.  It’s a lot of silliness, but it’s fun and a nice break from reality.

Alison Janney, who I’ve loved since the West Wing, is overplaying a little, and I’m not sure I need the manic energy of both her character’s son Rowan and the aforementioned lunatic assistant.  Andrea Anders is bang on as the marketing directing (and will all those from The Class support group please stand up), and it’s nice to have Jorge Garcia from Lost back on my tv in any capacity.  And always, I like having Matthew Perry carrying dry reality and sarcasm into every scene.  I’m a sucker for sarcasm.

Overall, I’m quite enjoying Mr. Sunshine.  It’s not fabulous yet, but it has good bones.  It’s a worthy addition to Wednesdays.  I hope it improves and continues to be charming.