Wide range of antic portrayals

KUDROW. Cast as a psychiatrist on “Web Therapy.”

Producing TV shows has become so expensive that networks have had to come up with creative ways to cut costs. These days, they often involve the use of New Media, which has enabled broadcast news outfits to do their job with fewer staffers and less pricey equipment.

The same lean-and-mean work ethic now informs some dramatic and comedic productions, as well. The prime example currently on view is Lisa Kudrow’s latest sitcom, “Web Therapy.”

In it, she plays a psychiatrist who’s hit upon the bright idea of conducting sessions with her patients via Skype. All she (and the production) need are her computer and the personal machines and gadgets of her patients—and she’s in business!

Session

Since the sessions have been drastically trimmed down to only three minutes per pop, it’s a time- and cost-saving process for everyone concerned.

When you watch the show, most of the time all you get to see is Kudrow on her screen and her current patient on his or hers, interacting with each other. The briskness of the proceedings enables the show to present a diverting variety of psychological problems or issues per episode, so a good time is continually had by all.

Unusual situations

Aside from the humor produced by the unusual situations or predicaments being discussed, the new series benefits from the wide range of antic portrayals turned in by the guest actors who play Kudrow’s patients.

It’s also productively diverting to see Kudrow dealing with all of those loopy characters in her “signature” deadpan and acerbic way. Nothing fazes her, so even the weirdest psychological tics and shticks are summarily dealt with in only a couple of minutes—next patient, please!

What really makes “Web Therapy” a specially yummy viewing treat for us is the fact that it costars no less than the iconic comedienne, Lily Tomlin, as Kudrow’s even more acerbic mother.

Once in a while, the show takes a breather from the psychiatrist’s interactions with her patients to focus on the two lead characters’ “hate-hate” relationship—which, by the way, is extremely instructive, because it shows why the series’ resident psychiatrist is such a crazy, mixed-up basket case herself!

‘Smothering’ mom

Yes, we can blame it all on her “smothering” mom, and each of their periodic onscreen encounters adds more “enlightening” revelations to show why they dislike and even detest each other so completely!

Kudrow has become a fine comedienne in her own right, but let’s face it, Tomlin practically invented the grim comedic put-down, so she acts circles around her younger costar.

But, there’s no stellar war involved. In fact we suspect that Kudrow is gamely allowing Tomlin to run away with the show when they appear together—because she knows that it will take both of them to greater comedic heights!