Review (TV series)

Review
Genre	Mockumentary Black comedy
Created by	Andy Daly Charlie Siskel
Based on	Review with Myles Barlow by Phil Lloyd Trent O'Donnell
Directed by	Jeffrey Blitz
Starring	Andy Daly Megan Stevenson
Narrated by	Andy Daly
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	2
No. of episodes	19 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Andy Daly Charlie Siskel
Camera setup	Single
Running time	22 minutes
Production company(s)	Abso Lutely Productions
Release
Original network	Comedy Central
Picture format	1080i (16:9 HDTV)
Original release	March 6, 2014 – present
External links
Official website

Review is an American mockumentary television series starring Andy Daly as professional critic Forrest MacNeil, who provides reviews of real-life experiences. The series was created by Daly, and is an adaptation of the Australian television series Review with Myles Barlow.^[1] It premiered March 6, 2014, on U.S. cable television network Comedy Central.^[2]

Review has been renewed for a third and final season.^[3]

Production

The network initially ordered eight episodes for the first season run, but so much extra content was left over that a ninth episode was made and aired, too.^[4] The season one episodes were directed by Jeffrey Blitz.^[4][5]

Premise

The series uses "mockumentary" techniques to depict the fictional, reality television-style adventures of enthusiastic professional critic Forrest MacNeil, who hosts a TV show called Review in which he engages in any life experience his viewers ask him to, to find out if that life experience "is any good". Afterward, Forrest formally rates each life experience in-studio, on a five-star scale. However, Forrest's compulsive curiosity and uncompromising commitment to the show unexpectedly backfire in ways that increasingly impact his own, formerly ideal, real life.^[6]

Cast

• Forrest MacNeil (Andy Daly) – star of the show (-within-a-show), “Review”; a naïve, repressed, Southern California suburbanite, who wears exactly the same clothes in every episode; a good-natured and mild-mannered intellectual, Forrest sees the show as a way to help people understand their world (by indulging their natural curiosity); as a result, he carries out each life experience/viewer request no matter what the cost(s) – ignoring his instincts, compromising personal well-being and relationships, and violating social norms (e.g., laws), along the way.^[5]
• A.J. Gibbs (Megan Stevenson) – Forrest's cheerful and expressive co-host, whose wardrobe changes each episode (and sometimes, within the same episode); she selects and reads viewer's question-requests, banters with Forrest, and serves as the show’s (often ignored) voice-of-reason.

Recurring cast

• Suzanne MacNeil (Jessica St. Clair) – Forrest's happy wife of 14 years turned hostile ex-wife. Without warning or explanation, Forrest starts divorce proceedings against Suzanne (in season one's third episode), merely because a viewer wondered what a divorce would be like. The divorce leaves Forrest and Suzanne emotionally devastated, but Suzanne soon follows through with it—to Forrest's shock and dismay. She becomes close with her younger, male divorce attorney, and Forrest jealously assumes the two are in a sexual relationship. Having lost his best/only friend, his house, half of his money, and full custody of their son, Forrest obsessively launches a series of short-sighted schemes that are designed to win Suzanne back, but are derailed by his prioritizing the show over anything (and anyone) else.^[5]
• Lucille (Tara Karsian) – Forrest's dour, disapproving-but-grudgingly-loyal executive assistant; her general apathy, and lack of respect for her boss (due to Forrest's lack of common sense and self-awareness), is on near-constant display; Forrest generally ignores her attempts to save him from himself.^[5]
• Josh (Michael Croner) – The show's unpaid college intern; fun-loving and immature, Forrest frequently exploits him.^[5]
• Grant Grunderschmidt (James Urbaniak) – Forrest's (usually) blank-faced and taciturn producer; pushes Forrest to finish assignments he otherwise would not.^[5]
• Jack T. Walthall (Fred Willard) – Forrest's accidentally ironic, sweet-yet-tactless, 75-year-old ex-father-in-law.^[5]
• Daisy (Julie Brister) – Forrest's inept attorney.
• Forrest's Father (Max Gail) – Forrest's father, whom Forrest moves back in with after the events of season one. He loves and supports his son, though shows dismay when Forrest's dedication to the reviews seems to be dangerous to himself or others. (Season 2)
• Tina (Hayley Huntley) – Josh's girlfriend. Quick-witted and dryly humorous. (Season 2)
• Mrs. Greenfield (Lennon Parham) – A teacher that Forrest meets on the review of "Sleeping With Your Teacher", whom he seduces, sleeps with and later becomes her boyfriend. After being spurned by Forrest during the "Leading a Cult" review, she usurps the cult, and leaves him. She is killed by the FBI during the "Having the Perfect Body" review. (Season 2)

Season one guest stars include Andy Richter, Ashley Tisdale, Jason Mantzoukas, Rich Fulcher, Lance Bass, Emo Philips, Andy Blitz, and Maria Thayer.^[5]

Season two guest stars include Allison Tolman, Mary Birdsong, Johnny Pemberton, Ian Roberts, and Matt Besser.

Episodes

Series overview

Season		Episodes		Originally aired
				First aired	Last aired
	1	9		March 6, 2014	May 1, 2014
	2	10		July 30, 2015	October 1, 2015

Season 1 (2014)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Original air date	U.S. viewers (millions)
1	1	"Stealing; Addiction; Prom"	Jeffrey Blitz	March 6, 2014	0.541[7]
Stealing Drug Addiction Going to Prom
2	2	"Sex Tape; Racist; Hunting"	Jeffrey Blitz	March 13, 2014	0.651[8]
Making a Sex Tape Being a Racist Hunting
3	3	"Pancakes; Divorce; Pancakes"	Jeffrey Blitz	March 20, 2014	0.500[9]
Eating 15 Pancakes Getting Divorced (No Rating) Eating 30 Pancakes
4	4	"Celebrity; Batman"	Jeffrey Blitz	March 27, 2014	0.551[10]
Sleeping with a Celebrity Being Batman
5	5	"Best Friend; Space"	Jeffrey Blitz	April 3, 2014	0.423[11]
Having a Best Friend Going into Space
6	6	"Road Rage; Orgy"	Jeffrey Blitz	April 10, 2014	0.368[12]
Road Rage Being at a Sex Party/a Swinger
7	7	"Revenge; Getting Rich; Aching"	Jeffrey Blitz	April 17, 2014	0.426[13]
Getting Revenge Getting Rich Quick 'There All is Aching'
8	8	"Marry; Run; Party"	Jeffrey Blitz	April 24, 2014	0.459[14]
Marrying a Stranger Running from the Law Being 'The Life of the Party'
9	9	"Quitting; Last Day; Irish"	Jeffrey Blitz	May 1, 2014	0.438[15]
Quitting a Job Living Your Last Day Being Irish (rating issued by A.J.)

Season 2 (2015)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	U.S. viewers (millions)
10	1	"Brawl; Blackmail; Glory Hole"	Jeffrey Blitz	Gavin Steckler	July 30, 2015	0.257[16]
Bare-Knuckled Brawl Blackmail Glory Holes
11	2	"Curing Homosexuality; Mile High Club"	Jeffrey Blitz	Andy Blitz	August 6, 2015	0.347[17]
Curing Homosexuality Mile High Club
12	3	"Falsely Accused; Sleep With Your Teacher; Little Person"	Jeffrey Blitz	Leo Allen	August 13, 2015	0.282[18]
Falsely Accused Sleeping With Your Teacher Being a Little Person
13	4	"Cult; Perfect Body"	Jeffrey Blitz	Kevin Dorff	August 20, 2015	0.278[19]
Leading a Cult Having the Perfect Body
14	5	"Catfish; Haunted House"	Jeffrey Blitz	Jeffrey Blitz	August 27, 2015	0.362[20]
Catfishing Haunted House
15	6	"William Tell; Grant A Wish; Rowboat"	Jeffrey Blitz	Jessie Cantrell	September 3, 2015	0.35[21]
William Tell Granting a Wish Rowboat
16	7	"Buried Alive; 6 Star Review; Public Speaking"	Jeffrey Blitz	Story by : Jessie Cantrell Teleplay by : Gavin Steckler	September 10, 2015	N/A
Buried Alive Giving Six Stars (Having the Best Ice Cream in Town Getting Kicked in the Balls ) Public Speaking
17	8	"Murder; Magic 8 Ball; Procrastination"	Jeffrey Blitz	Rich Talarico	September 17, 2015	0.233[22]
Murder (Vetoed) Magic 8-Ball Procrastination (Vetoed) Killing A Person
18	9	"Happiness; Pillow Fight; Imaginary Friend"	Jeffrey Blitz	Andy Blitz	September 24, 2015	0.229[23]
Happiness Pillow Fight Imaginary Friend
19	10	"Conspiracy Theory"	Jeffrey Blitz	Andy Daly	October 1, 2015	0.239[24]
Believing a Conspiracy Being Hunted (rating issued by A.J.)

References

1. Andreeva, Nellie (October 17, 2011). "Comedy Central Greenlights 'Review' Pilot Starring Andrew Daly". Deadline.com. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
2. Eakin, Marah (February 7, 2014). "Andy Daly sleeps with a celebrity in the new trailer for Review". The A.V. Club. Retrieved February 9, 2014.
3. Goldberg, Lesley (February 18, 2016). "Andy Daly's 'Review' to End With Abbreviated Final Season on Comedy Central (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
4. Blacker, Ben (April 29, 2014). "Nerdist Writer's Panel: Review". Nerdist (Podcast). Nerdist Industries. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
5. Bibel, Sara (December 11, 2013). "Comedy Central Sets Winter Schedule Including 'Workaholics', 'Tosh.0' & 'Inside Amy Schumer'". Zap2it. Retrieved January 26, 2014.
6. Yakas, Ben (April 27, 2014). "Videos: Do Yourself A Favor & Watch The Hilarious First Season Of Review". Gothamist. Gothamist LLC. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
7. Yanan, Travis (March 7, 2014). "Thursday's Cable Ratings & Broadcast Finals: "Big Bang Theory," "Millers" Take Top Spots". The Futon Critic. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
8. Yanan, Travis (March 14, 2014). "Thursday's Cable Ratings & Broadcast Finals: "Big Bang Theory" Continues Its Reign for CBS". The Futon Critic. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
9. Yanan, Travis (March 21, 2014). "Thursday's Cable Ratings & Broadcast Finals: "Scandal," "Grey's Anatomy" Lead Demo Pack". The Futon Critic. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
10. Yanan, Travis (March 28, 2014). "Thursday's Cable Ratings & Broadcast Finals: "Scandal," "Grey's Anatomy" Top Charts". The Futon Critic. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
11. Yanan, Travis (April 4, 2014). "Thursday's Cable Ratings & Broadcast Finals: "Big Bang Theory" Returns on Top for CBS". The Futon Critic. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
12. Yanan, Travis (April 11, 2014). "Thursday's Cable Ratings & Broadcast Finals: "Big Bang Theory," "Scandal" Top Charts". The Futon Critic. Retrieved April 11, 2014.
13. Yanan, Travis (April 21, 2014). "Thursday's Cable Ratings & Broadcast Finals: "Scandal" Goes Out on Top for ABC". The Futon Critic. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
14. Yanan, Travis (April 25, 2014). "Thursday's Cable Ratings & Broadcast Finals: CBS Comedies Top Charts in Viewers, Demos". The Futon Critic. Retrieved May 2, 2014.
15. Yanan, Travis (May 2, 2014). "Thursday's Cable Ratings & Broadcast Finals: "Big Bang", "Grey's Anatomy" Lead Demo Pack". The Futon Critic. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
16. "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 100 Thursday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 7.30.2015". Showbuzz Daily. July 31, 2015. Retrieved July 31, 2015.
17. "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 100 Thursday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 8.6.2015". Showbuzz Daily. August 7, 2015. Retrieved August 7, 2015.
18. "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 100 Thursday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 8.13.2015". Showbuzz Daily. August 14, 2015. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
19. "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 100 Thursday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 8.20.2015". Showbuzz Daily. August 21, 2015. Retrieved August 21, 2015.
20. "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 100 Thursday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 8.27.2015". Showbuzz Daily. August 28, 2015. Retrieved August 28, 2015.
21. "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 100 Thursday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 9.3.2015". Showbuzz Daily. September 4, 2015. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
22. "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 100 Thursday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 9.17.2015". Showbuzz Daily. September 18, 2015. Retrieved September 18, 2015.
23. "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 100 Thursday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 9.24.2015". Showbuzz Daily. September 25, 2015. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
24. "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 100 Thursday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 10.1.2015". Showbuzz Daily. October 2, 2015. Retrieved October 2, 2015.

External links

• Official website
• Review at the Internet Movie Database