Aw crap. Is this happening? … I like Go On. I may even really like Go On. In fact, I could go so far as to say that Go On is my favorite new series thus far this season. I want to say all of these things so badly but I just feel like some day this show is going to make a sharp left turn and it won’t be my favorite anymore. Or perhaps, and this one’s worse, maybe it’s just that my expectations were so low. I wasn’t even planning on watching Go On at all but decided “hell, why not?” and viewed the pilot back in August. What if I have an epiphany and realize it’s not good? Or what if I’m just reserving my feelings because I fear it’s going to get cancelled? (This is the most irrational; it did get above a 3.0 in the demo last week and I can only assume this week’s The Voice will be an even better lead in.)
There’s one inherent problem with this week’s episode of Go On that perhaps I’m making a bigger deal than it actually is, but didn’t Ryan sort of wish for people to talk to and be there for him? Last week’s episode was all about Ryan feeling lonely and therefore finding comfort in being his assistant’s new BFF, but now that a whole group of people want to offer their time for him, he seems extremely hesitant. It’s not even hesitant, really, it was more like…well, absolutely not interested. He stated that bluntly. Complete with the fact that work is requiring Ryan go to these meetings and Ryan could have just stated “I was at support group because of work” to his work friends…it was glaring to me.
But, you guys, whatever…it doesn’t matter to me because I bought into it anyway just for the sheer way it brought both worlds of the show together. It was definitely more organic than having Sonia show up with all of her cats as we did last week. This week was about Ryan’s best friend feeling outcast or feeling as if he’s just not as important to him and his support group feeling the same way. We got to see how they just needed to be accepted (and wanted to help him move on); and never once was Ryan just crass about being stuck with them or anything. Could Go On in that sense be the new Parks & Rec — a show about people just being nice to each other? More importantly, how it solidified our group as a family so soon was welcomed. I’m a sucker for the whole unorthodox group banding together thing. (See: Community; Cougar Town.)
And remember last week when I was a bit iffed at how there were a million storylines in the half hour? I was actually extremely okay with it. I sort of admired it. When Ryan couldn’t tell his gardener (let’s pretend he wasn’t stereotypically Hispanic, okay guys?) about his dead wife, I figured it would be a story that resolved itself towards the end of the episode, but it happened before the first act ended. I was a bit surprised, but then it fueled the parallel between Ryan’s group and Steven. And it’s hard to not, just, like that.
While there weren’t as many hard-hitting laughs as in the past, the chuckles were frequent and everyone’s chemistry worked too well for me. Most of my favorite comedies don’t always or even frequently make me laugh. So I’ll say it: Go On is my favorite new show this season. And it’s definitely the best new comedy this season as well.
But I still think that religious fountain needs to be uninstalled. Pronto.
Going on…
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I really want to root for this show but I just can't love it wholeheartedly. It reminds me a lot of Community too, which I think only appeals to a niche market, hence the Friday time slot. Of the pilots and early episodes I've seen so far of this year's comedies, my skewed ranking system 1. The Mindy Project (maybe that's just a girl thing, but I think it'll make it) 2. Ben & Kate and Guys With Kids (tied in my book, and they'll probably both get cancelled) 3. Go On (50/50 shot of getting cancelled at this point) 4. The New Normal (needs to get cancelled but probably won't). Am I forgetting one?
There's no doubt that they tried to make this the more mainstream Community (the Community they could never make the actual Community be), but I love it in a very different way. I think in some sense, I care about these people more because they are sort of humanized, whereas Community is more caricature-like. I haven't watched Ben & Kate, and while I like Mindy Project…I guess I have to see more episodes to make a decision…it's not above Go On for me.
Go On has a 0/100 shot of getting cancelled at this point, actually, however. If anything, it should be getting a back nine any day now. NBC is just waiting to see how it does against New Girl (and of course Happy Endings, but that's way later on…they won't wait that long). So far, Go On is a real winner for NBC. I'm happy for them! The New Normal has more of a shot of getting cancelled, however.
Good to know. I really need to stop making judgments based on the opinions of my Tumblr followers. I feel like Go On is pretty much the only good thing NBC has going for them. I still love Guys With Kids, but with 30 Rock and The Office ending, they seriously need some new shows to up their game.