Community

In the US: Thursdays, 9.30/8.30c, NBC
In the UK: Not yet acquired

We’re going to have to tread lightly here. So…

Outsourcing is a phenomenon which sees businesses transfer some of the things they do to other countries, most famously call centres. Someone has to run those call centres, and sometimes it’s a local, sometimes it’s someone sent over from the home country. One of the biggest countries for providing outsourcing services is India.

There. I made it through an entire paragraph without being too controversial. Because Outsourced, NBC’s new comedy show is a great big hot potato that sees an American company fire its call centre and blackmail the centre’s manager into going over to India to run the outsourced call centre. There he meets a motley collection of misfits as well as another American call centre manager who’s been there a few years and a cute Australian call centre manager he’d like to get to know better (Pippa Black from Neighbours).

Still not too controversial?

Well, let’s just say there are a few cultural clashes and a few stereotypes in the mix as well.

Cue the trailer:

Continue reading “Review: Outsourced 1×1”

In the US: Wednesdays, 8.30/7.30c, ABC
In the UK: Not yet acquired

If you needed proof that a laughter track – or at least a “live studio audience” – will kill 99% of all known US comedies dead, here’s Better With You to come up and smack you in your face and tell you to “wake up and smell the coffee”.

It’s the kind of show that deals in the occasional cliché like that. But only occasionally.

Now, underneath everything, it’s actually quite funny – despite that occasional flirtation with cliché. Okay, it’s very suspiciously like Rules of Engagement (and the near-forgotten What I Like About You) but this story of two sisters, one in a happy relationship for nine years but unmarried, the other getting pregnant and engaged to a guy she’s been dating for seven weeks, does have some good lines, some good actors, touches on some interesting aspects of relationships and – vitally – makes you laugh.

The trouble is the studio audience crushing every ounce of comedy out of the situation. Here, a trailer and a clip so you can see what I mean.

Continue reading “Review: Better With You 1×1”