Free Agents - Pilot

After the premiere of Up All Night, NBC launched another new sitcom Free Agents.

Hank Azaria and Kathryn Hahn star as two emotionally damaged and recently single co-workers at a PR firm.  Hank Azaria plays Alex, a recently divorced guy who is struggling emotionally and trying to figure out how to get back in the dating scene.  Kathryn Hahn plays Helen, a woman who’s fiancee passed away a year ago and she is still trying to navigate her sadness and need to move on. After numerous drinks, Alex and Helen jump into bed together but the end of the night proves to be awkward when Alex starts crying when he talking about his children.  At the office the next day, Alex is talked into going on a double date with a co-worker but ends up bailing at the last minute when Helen calls him.  They think they can just be friends, but the next thing they know they have slept with each other again.

This British adaptation does not measure up to The Office, NBC’s previous effort to convert a British hit TV show, which has become a huge hit and introduced the “mockumentary” style to sitcoms.  The concept of two emotionally damaged co-workers getting together works in the moment, but I do not think this is a show that can sustain for multiple seasons.  Alone Azaria and Hahn have a few good lines in the pilot, but together they lack chemistry.  I think Azaria works much better in a role that is snarky and sarcastic, not overly emotional.  This is a shame because Hank Azaria and Kathryn Hahn are great comedic actors trying to find that perfect sitcom that can really showcase their timing and tone.  

The supporting characters in Free Agents are funny, but their personalities are stereotypes that have been overused in sitcoms.  The sassy secretary, the oblivious boss, and the sex crazed co-worker.  I think the show would work better if they had taken some risk and used unique personalities that could have rounded out the show.

When watching the show, the question I thought of is what happens when they finally get together?  Does the show end or do new problems come up?  This relationship isn’t like the Ross and Rachel of Friends that we were all rooting for because as an audience we watched the build up and the missed opportunities.  There was no build up in Free Agents, thus why are we rooting for them?.  We will have to watch a constant back and forth? Audiences don’t really want to watch other people, they have enough fighting in real life. 

At this moment in time, Free Agents does not appear to be the next big sitcom to define any generation. The characters are too one note, which is not appealing to any age group, but the idea of starting over is something I definitely get. I don’t exactly know where Free Agents, but I am going to give it a few more episodes.