Two new sitcoms get the big laughs going

ROBIN WIlliams and Sarah Michelle Gellar in “The Crazy Ones”

On Oct. 13, we were able to catch the hot, new sitcom, “The Crazy Ones,” on ETC. The show is being talked about and watched by millions because it’s the comeback to regular TV acting of comedy icon Robin Williams.

In the new sitcom, Williams plays a top advertising executive whose daughter, played by Sarah Michelle Gellar, has a hard time working with him, because she can’t crawl out from under his huge shadow. She can’t make a name for herself, because he’s such a tough act to follow!

The series is peopled by other gifted actors who are antic and idiosyncratic in their own right. But, despite their best efforts, they are thoroughly upstaged and swamped by Williams’ huge talent and manic energy. The past master of spontaneous and “crazy” comedy, he’s constantly spewing out inspired ad libs and creatively riffing off the comedic possibilities of each scene at hand, leaving his coactors far, far behind!

Aside from Williams’ idiosyncratic presence, the show gets its dynamic drive from the unusual or funny advertising campaigns that Williams’ agency thinks up and launches for its clients, like a coffee company whose giant dispenser’s contents are accidentally sprayed throughout a business district, making its promotional campaign end up as a big, fat flop.

On the other hand, Williams’ pro bono efforts to revive a polluted public pond by stocking it with ducklings he himself has nurtured make the members of his community feel cared for and renewed, and Williams comes off as a gentle hero in their eyes.

This contrast between comedic hi-jinks and heartwarming encounters makes “The Crazy Ones” not so demented, after all—it’s “crazy” like a fox!

We just hope that, as the series’ first season progresses, its other regular cast members are able to level up to Williams’ antic performance, so that they don’t end up as perennial also-rans.

‘Super Fun Night’

Another new sitcom, “Super Fun Night,” made its debut recently with no iconic star value going for it. But, it still did well enough, thanks to the huge, antic presence of new comedy star

LIZA Lapira, Rebel Wilson and Lauren Ash of “Super Fun Night”

Rebel Wilson. The plus-size comedienne plays a lawyer who doesn’t allow the formal and serious aspects of her profession get in the way of having a good time—and making sure that her friends enjoy themselves, as well!

The new series is all about Rebel’s character trying to become a better person. Thus, the episode we watched showed her trying to get over her fear of performing in public—by joining a karaoke singing tilt at a bar.

As bad luck would have it, her competitive coworker, Kendall, who looks and sounds much better than her, also decides to compete, and proceeds to perform circles around her.

At first, Rebel’s character gives up (as usual), but her close friends force her to perform just the same—and, what do you know, she teaches her rival a lesson she won’t easily forget!

More importantly, she teaches herself not to be held back by old fears and others’ smug put-downs—and viewers learn that key lesson along with her.

That sounds rather facile, but Rebel’s plus-size talent (in more ways than one) makes the proceedings a whole lot of feisty fun, so a whole lot of a good time is had by all!