What's it about?
BENT is a romantic comedy about a womanizing, surfer dude contractor and his beautiful, no-nonsense, type-A client, who work together to remodel each other's lives as they renovate her Venice, California home.
You should watch if...
• you've ever had a fantasy about meeting the love of your life while remodeling your kitchen...in which case, rock on.
• you enjoy bad boy/good girl banter and sexual tension.
• you're a Jeffrey Tambor fan.
So, how was it?
For me, NBC has been extremely hit-or-miss with their comedies this year. I absolutely adore UP ALL NIGHT and absolutely loathe WHITNEY. I was worried that BENT would turn out more like the latter, so imagine my surprise when I found myself actually sort of enjoying the first episode. My enjoyment was mostly due to the delightful chemistry between stars Amanda Peet (as Alex) and David Walton (as Pete), but there's plenty else to be optimistic about, too.
BENT is shot in single-camera style (ala MODERN FAMILY) as opposed to multi-cam (in front of a studio audience, ala TWO AND A HALF MEN), and yet it borrows heavily from the multi-cam format. Typically, single-cam comedies have higher concepts: a trio of diverse families that are all interrelated, the zany goings-on at NBC headquarters, etc. Conversely, most multi-cam comedies are centered around one set piece (usually a living room) and focus more on simple person-to-person relationships. While the single-cam style of BENT gives the show a more cinematic quality and flexibility to visit multiple locations, the heart of the show is multi-cam: most of the action will revolve around Alex's kitchen, and the story centers around the "low-concept" concept of the relationship between a contractor and his boss. This blend of styles is interesting and actually serves the show well. It dispenses with all the awkwardness that is inherent in multi-cam format (the feeling of being on a stage, the soul-sucking laugh track) and yet maintains the simplicity at the heart of that format while reaping the benefits of the single-cam style.
Now, when I say "simplicity," that doesn't mean there isn't plenty of kookiness to keep the show from getting too boring. The supporting cast is filled with a diverse mishmash of characters. Most notably, Jeffrey Tambor of ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT fame costars as Pete's eccentric father, a perpetually unemployed yet self-obsessed actor who devours his Uta Hagen books while playing the piano part-time at a department store with a flask of rum in his pocket. He definitely plays the same role as Maya Rudolph in NBC's other good new comedy, UP ALL NIGHT -- he's the crazy guy in the background with the big ego whose antics off-set the more normal relationship between the two leads. Then there's Joey King as Alex's precocious young daughter Charlie, who dispenses such gems as "He sounded melancholic." Margo Harshman (SORORITY ROW) is the oddly-yet-aptly named Screwsie, Alex's bad girl sister who is immediately attracted to Pete. And Pete has a trio of eclectic handymen who accompany him on his jobs and round out the comedic background with their antics.
But the main star of this show is the chemistry between Amanda Peet and David Walton. Their rapport, full of quick back-and-forth banter is surprisingly fun to watch and if the show survives, it will be on their shoulders. It's not the most unique of shows, although the blend of sitcom styles is a refreshing change of pace. But what will keep viewers tuning in week after week is the relationship between Alex and Pete, so hopefully the writers will keep coming up with ways to make their relationship feel fresh and exciting. Well, that or people will just tune in to see Jeffrey Tambor act crazy.
Rating:
*** Solid. I'm interested and will definitely keep watching.
At least for the foreseeable future, I may keep checking it out casually, although the one thing the show misses without a high concept is a meaty hook to keep me craving more. I will tune in again with cautious optimism to see where the show goes, but I wouldn't necessarily put it on my "must-see" list yet.
What about you, Fellow Addicts? Is BENT a must-see for you? Or is it a must-avoid-at-all-costs? Did you enjoy the blending of styles or find it off-putting? Vote in the poll below and then hit the comments!
(For the complete rundown of when all the new shows are premiering, check out my 2012 Midseason TV Preview.)
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