Channel Surfing: A to Z - "A is for Acquaintances"

Left to right: Cristin Milioti and Ben Feldman

Welcome to a new column called Channel Surfing, in which I sporadically look at current TV shows and talk about them. These are not ones that I care to write weekly recaps for and are instead reflections either on the episode, the series, or particular moments. This will hopefully help to share personal opinions as well as discover entertainment on the outer pantheon that I feel is well worth checking out, or in some cases, shows that are weird enough to talk about, but should never be seen.

This week has been harsh for new sitcoms and the Channel Surfing column. It is hard to judge a series based solely on one episode if their premise is that they get together under novelty situations. Selfie updated My Fair Lady in uninspired ways while Manhattan Love Story suggested that the well of romantic couples was empty. There hasn't been a standout couple in the batch of new series yet to warrant support. Even just based on first impressions, none of them felt sustainable for more than a few episodes. However, there may be something to the new NBC series A to Z that changes that all around.

For starters, A to Z takes the cake for dumbest novelty idea. This is a relationship in which their exploits are done in an alphabetical style approach. For instance, the first episode is "A is for Acquaintances." They will only be dating for eight months and at which point the narrator (Katey Sagal) refuses to give information. The narrator almost treats the series like an exhibit, referring to the events as "this television series." It seems to struggle to make it seem like more than just one very mediocre set-up. In fact, many will likely have trouble overlooking the presence of How I Met Your Mother's Cristin Milioti playing a similar role. Others seem to bring up (500) Days of Summer. Still, A to Z isn't just a novelty premise. There's an actual charm that makes the series as a whole very promising.

For starters, everything beyond the gimmick is rather normal. There aren't any gross-out gags or a need to be extroverted with their mannerisms. It is refined and the whole episode follows the mystery of how Andrew (Ben Feldman) met Zelda (Cristin Milioti). Yes, the joke is even present in their names. However, this is all secondary to the general construct of the series, which chooses to introduce the characters as fully functioning people who meet through logical situations. After sitting through Manhattan Love Story, it is a revelation to make it to a well mannered series like this that finds humor in the occasional misfortune but also in the developing character traits such as Andrew's obsession with Back to the Future II (Lea Thompson guest stars for no particular reason) and the hover boards. These characters aren't fleshed out yet, but the writers are confident enough to give us what we need to make it through the episode. The episode resolution may feel like a rather stock move, but Milioti and Feldman have solid chemistry together that I hope will continue to grow and get more interesting.

While I never watched How I Met Your Mother, I am well aware of the calculated nature of the series. I can assume how it will likely deteriorate interest for A to Z. However, provided that the series sticks to its formula, I may end up finding it a rather enduring program that explores romance in interesting ways. From the opening moments, the series tears apart the stereotypes and asks the audience to look at the conflicting nature of these two. Their friends may be base-level humorous, but there's still something endearing about it all. Considering that NBC annihilated the amazing Thursday night line-up in favor of only an hour (this is paired with Bad Judge, which I will not be reviewing). It is a far cry from the glory days and considering that last year's line-up included Parks and Recreation and Community, it's a shame to see it reduced so far.
Nonetheless, A to Z is a show that feels confident in itself. It could just be that I have seen a few other shows this week that don't get what makes an interesting character dynamic. Even then, few have been so solid and compelling as this one. Sure, the fact that Sagal reads the plot like a textbook that may damage the jokes later on is a little wearisome, but overall there's plenty to like about the show. It is notably thankful that NBC has some semblance of comedy ingenuity to compete after losing most of its series in favor of, shrug, The Mysteries of Laura. It isn't a great season of new TV, folks. Let's just realize that. Even then, A to Z has something to offer beyond its gimmick, and that may be enough for me. Will it have two seasons of 13 episodes or one of 26 episodes? There's some curious questions there. Otherwise, I cannot wait to see where the series goes.
My only problem is that it is a very narrow concept that it may not last. This may be fine, depending on where the series goes. If the twist is the cynical separation, then it may be a revelation of bold TV to fall into that camp. Few sitcoms choose to go that route. Nonetheless, alongside Red Band Society, this may be one of my personal favorites that have been seen so far. Let's hope that the remaining 25 letters have something great to offer.