Sunday, October 05, 2008

The Lowdown on The Ex List

CBS's new Friday night sitcom The Ex List has all the following qualities:
  • a really cool concept: A psychic tells Bella that she's already dated her soul mate
  • a great supporting cast of characters including an honest to God male/female best friendship that rings true, a funny blond whose relationship with Bella's best friend is sure to serve up a lot of laughs, a spunky sister (played by American Dreams' Rachel Boston) and a dry wit sidekick. 
  • amusing bit players: a funny dad and a sarcastic know it all psychic
  • the promise of great guest stars (Eric Balfour was in the pilot as the first of the ex boyfriends Bella re-dates) 
but it also has....
  • a protagonist I really don't like. Bella seems selfish and cold. She's too caught up in her own ideals of perfection to see how something imperfect might be just as good. For example, the only reason that Bella dumped her latest ex is that he doesn't want to get married. It's not that he refuses to be monogamous, it's not that he won't live with her or doesn't love her or that there's anything wrong with the relationship at all, he just doesn't believe in marriage as an institution. Bella's not religious, conservative or in any way traditional, so isn't a marriage certificate just a piece of paper? Not if it means that Bella has to compromise. 
Though I have little patience for the main character, I'll probably still devote half an hour a week to The Ex List, hoping for a few laughs from Bella's fabulous friends and sister. 

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