Sometimes it feels like the writers in Hollywood have dried up their creative wells. The landscape of scripted prime time network drama is fraught with tales of doctors, cops, lawyers, supernatural beings, and multiple permutations thereof. Who'd have thought there was room in this melee for a car salesman, a party supply store manager, and an out-of-work actor? The day-to-day tribulations of the increasingly growing American middle class are a frequent source of material for sitcoms, but not as much for hour-long series. Enter creators Mike Royce and Ray Romano, who dare to broach the potentially off-putting subject of mid-life crises in the heartfelt new show on TNT, Men Of A Certain Age.
Call It Late Fortysomething
The men with the aforementioned jobs are old college buddies that still hang out together. Romano himself plays party store manager Joe, who is recently divorced and living out of a hotel, separated from his wife and two kids. Andre Braugher is Owen, a grumpy salesman at his father's car dealership who is in a successful marriage, also with children. Scott Bakula plays Terry, the unattached, skirt-chasing actor.
Great Performances
The three actors are old pros, and each bring a lot to the table. Bakula is cast a little against type here, but that ultimately works to his advantage. His roles aren't usually so rakish and self-involved, but his sincerity and integrity manage to poke through the veneer, deepening him and helping the audience sympathize. On the surface he seems to be the happiest of the three, but underneath he's really kind of lonely and he craves some sort of stability, though he'd probably deny it.
Andre Braugher as Owen is the most vocal and put-upon of the three. While he is in a wonderful relationship at home, his work life is a far cry from what he hoped it would be. Working for his father makes him feel like less of a man and more of a charity case, but he has a family to support and an extension on the house to finish. Being a used car salesman seriously rubs his sense of decency the wrong way, but once again, he's still beholden to the bottom line. Braugher has a consistent current of suppressed disillusionment and agita flowing through him that is tangible.
Everybody Loves Romano
Finally, Ray Romano's Joe is achingly lost. The big, awkward teddy bear of a guy just wants everything to be okay, and he remains bewildered and rudderless after his divorce. He still pines for his wife while reluctantly realizing they're finished. He still gambles to fill the holes in his psyche, even though that was most likely a contributing factor to the end of his relationship. He constantly questions his parenting skills, frequently messing up, but only for loving too much. He just has no idea what's happening in his life. Romano is one of the most effective sad sacks working today - he is the embodiment of male insecurity. When he has any small victory one can't help but cheer a little inside. And he's also genuinely funny.
Yes, It's A Comedy
Don't be fooled by the heavy subject matter. The production has a light, almost effortless quality to it, and a ton of laughs, striking just the right balance so that it never takes itself too seriously, or frivolously. Will men and women of all ages find something to like here? It's hard to say. It is an obviously male-centric perspective. Teens and twenty-somethings with stars in their eyes might find a show about life's impending harsh realities a little bit of a downer. But those who are at all curious should definitely check it out. The themes are still universal enough, and the humor is entertaining enough that anyone can find something to like about Men Of A Certain Age.
Men Of A Certain Age airs Monday nights at 10pm on TNT.
Dan Kaufman - Dan is an actor/writer/teacher with a passion for all kinds of geek interests. He has been cultivating this passion for over 30 years, to ...
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