Each week, I take a look back at a pilot from the 2011-12 season, first reviewed on my blog during that season. This week, I am looking at NBC's constantly re-tooling comedy Up All Night!
The Details:
Premiered: September 14, 2011 on NBC
Starring: Christina Applegate, Maya Rudolph and Will Arnett
Created by: Emily Spivey
What I Thought Then:
"[It] seems to be a hybrid of a witty and sarcastic NBC comedy and the silly sweetness of Modern Family."
"Christina Applegate and Will Arnett have a natural chemistry that is evident from the pilot."
"It seemed like the producers tried to do too much in the pilot which made for a rather choppy viewing."
"It deserves a chance because most pilots don't feel as natural as this one did and most comedies improve from the pilot, which bodes well for this show and its major potential."
What Others Said:
"This is not a show that wants to be analyzed. Rather, it demands that you enjoy it. And there is plenty of humor to mine in the premise." - Michael Landweber, PopMatters
"What Up All Night has over other baby-rearing shows is a refreshing irreverence." - Chuck Barney, San Jose Mercury News/Contra Costa Times
"What you have is a comedy with three very talented, funny leads, with a premise that lends itself well to stories and jokes, and execution that isn't quite there yet." - Alan Sepinwall, HitFix
"Up All Night could use more backup players and more imaginative writing. Most of all, the show has to get over its fear of offending." - Alessandra Stanley, The New York Times
"It's supposedly a wry look at the perils and pressures of parenthood. But really it's just a collection of tired cliches, reworked with weird grimaces and funny accents a la a really bad Saturday Night Live skit." - Glenn Garvin, Miami Herald
What I Think Now:
Up All Night was a show that really felt like it should have worked. I am not always sold on Will Arnett and Maya Rudolph (I am always sold on Christina Applegate) but this was a fun premise with three actors in roles that fit them well. The pilot was not bad but it also felt underbaked, sort of like none of the three actors were really interested in the show they were performing in. Applegate and Arnett had some decent chemistry as did Applegate and Rudolph but they felt like different shows - one a madcap workplace comedy and one a gentler sitcom about new parents. The work and home split can work (look at The Dick Van Dyke Show) but it just didn't here for whatever reason. When Rudolph and Arnett started crossing paths so all three stars could be in one place, it was even worse though because then it really felt forced. I feel like this review sounds very negative, more than I intended it to, because the pilot did have its funny moments. But it just felt like a show that could have been more. Also, I have pronounced "insane" the way Maya Rudolph does in the pilot from time to time without remembering where it came from until now!
What Happened to the Show:
For a show that didn't even air two full seasons and is mostly forgotten now, Up All Night had kind of a crazy history. The show was a no-brainer for a pickup considering the three stars and the fact that Lorne Michaels was an executive producer. But there was a lot of surprise when NBC decided to air it on Wednesdays at 8pm instead of on Thursdays with the likes of The Office, 30 Rock and Community (they aired the much more incompatible Whitney in that Thursday block). The show was re-tooled to change Maya Rudolph's role after the Summer 2011 success of Bridesmaids. Despite being thrown to the wolves on Wednesdays, Up All Night earned decent reviews (64 on Metacritic) and started with decent ratings that showed some promise. NBC moved the series to Thursdays at midseason and everyone thought it would take off but for whatever reason, the opposite happened and the ratings cratered on Thursdays. It was picked up for a second season despite the ever-dropping ratings. Halfway through the second season (once again on Thursdays), NBC made the decision to re-tool the show as a multi-cam sitcom and announced it would go on a hiatus. During that hiatus, Christina Applegate and creator Emily Spivey left the show due to the change. NBC ultimately cancelled it before it could ever make the switch. Of course, all three stars have continued to appear in many shows since Up All Night and this little show they were all in together is forgotten to time to many.
Final Episode: December 13, 2012
Episode Count: 35
Where to Watch: Peacock, available for purchase on Blu-Ray (Season 1 also on DVD)
I'm excited to be contributing to The TV Ratings Guide! You can read my regular work at Benjamonster's TV!
