TrueJoshNight Truly Dreadful Film

Curapedi I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

Sharkflei Your blood may run cold, but you now find yourself pinioned to the story.

Erica Derrick By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

studioAT Kelsey Grammar and Patricia Heaton, two sitcom legends teamed up in this sadly short-lived sitcom set in a newsroom.I enjoyed this show, I thought it had real potential. Not to mention an all-star writing team, many of whom had written for Grammar previously on 'Frasier'. And look at the supporting cast they assembled - Fred Willard, Ty Burrell, Josh Gad - this show deserved to stay on the air far longer than it did.I think it was the writers strike of 07/08 that really affected this show, and also the breaks between episodes. I wasn't keen on the recasting of Gracie midway through or the loss of Ayda Field either.This was a well written sitcom, one that wasn't afraid to be smart and warm at the same time. It was a shame it didn't last longer.

liquidcelluloid-1 Network: Fox; Genre: Sitcom; Content Rating: TV-PG (for some language and sexual innuendo); Perspective: Contemporary (star range: 1 - 4);Seasons Reviewed: 1 seasonIn the mist of a career nose dive, Chuck Darling (Kelsey Grammar) returns to the local news station where he got his start and former co-anchor Kelly Carr (Patricia Heaton) still holds up shop. He meets all the newscast regulars: the sportscaster (Fred Willard), the weathergirl (Ayda Field), the hung out to dry field reporter (Ty Burrell) and the geeky young news director (Josh Gadd). It isn't long before we learn that Chuck and Kelly once, as sitcoms always so elegantly put it, "did it" and Chuck learns that this night actually led to the birth of Kelly's 10-year old-daughter Gracie. Cue the sex jokes. And keep them coming until the series finale. "Back to You" would be disposable as another lame network sitcom. It's the sheer wattage of talent attached to it that makes the show such a disappointment. Emmy-winners Kelsey Grammar and Patricia Heaton are put together on the same set with halfway decent chemistry between them despite the glaring age difference. Mr & Mrs. Comic Timing. Behind the camera we've got serial-writer Steven Levitan ("Just Shoot Me") and Christopher Lloyd ("Frasier"). So, frankly, I just don't know what happened here. How did such a classy group of actors get buried under a pile of sitcom sex jokes? It's like the "Frasier" side of the series duked it out with the "Just Shoot Me"/"Stacked"/"Oliver Beene" side of the series and Levitan won. The aforementioned set-up, Chuck, Kelly and their kid, becomes all "Back to You" can think about. Every single episode of the single season run orbits closely revolves around this idea. It grows tiresome quickly, never evolving, never giving the leads something else that might flesh them out. Character jokes, local news media jokes, rival anchor jokes, forget all that - Chuck and Kelly have a kid together. Chuck quickly goes from arrogant ladies man (funny) to a man serious about being a father (unfunny). He instantly falls in love with Gracie and wants the world to know it regardless of the detriment to himself, his job, Kelly or Gracie. "Back" has a "'Till Death" formula to it. Like Fox is taking all these stars from modern classic sitcoms and using their name to pump life into an otherwise worthless show, while they slum through collecting a paycheck still able to deliver the goods giving 10% of their skill set. Grammar and Heaton are able to strain some laughs out of the material. There are a few good one liners. I can't lie. That is more than I can say for most sitcoms. Ty Burrell makes a good impression as a likable comic klutz, but "Back to You" marks a comedy first for me. This is the first time I've ever not found Fred Willard funny.* * / 4

rherrick-1 slow start but the scenes between the two stars are just great. wonderful chemistry from two great comedians. Patricia is particularly wonderful. I did not see her in ELR and sorry I missed that. What a wonderful screen presence. She is funny.Ty Burrell does a scene where he is shot with a stun gun and it is perfect. He deserves an award just for this scene.Look forward to more episodes. by the way, the girl who plays the daughter is a real find. back to the slow start. I was not initially that impressed but watching the two stars develop their relationship I am convinced this is a winner. great physical comedy

Gary Brandner This was mildly amusing, if familiar, until the terminally cute kid smart way beyond her years appeared. The newsroom, with improved writing, could be home to some funny stuff. I don't have a problem with the cast. They do need good scripts and a director who will keep them on course. But Omigod, not another single mother riff. Doesn't anybody in television get married before pregnancy anymore? Big mistake to have Kelsey Grammar break character at the end of the pilot episode to leave a soppy phone message about how "magnificent" the kid is. They want us to believe that in eight (or ten) years this woman never dropped a hint to her boyfriend that he was a father? Kelsey Grammar deserves better. And so do the viewers.