This show started out really great. The first few seasons were a delight to watch. Unfortunately it could not keep up the high quality and the later seasons are not as good as the first. The jokes got less funny and the stories got more and more bizarre (Fran and Maxwell stranded on an abandoned island for example).
The same goes for the characters: most of them were well-written in the beginning, but got worse in later seasons. Fran started out absolutely lovely, but in the later seasons, she was an obnoxious, spoiled and whiny housewife who behaved like a complete idiot, only to serve unrealistic plotlines (like the time she decides to sit on the railing of a boat for a picture and falls). I have no problems with extremely dumb characters (for example I loved Joey from 'Friends'), but with Fran all I could do is cringe about her stupidity. In season 6 it's even worse: all she does is obsessing about wanting a baby and it got more and more irritating. Maxwell was never a very interesting character to me but he was decent. However, in the later seasons I feel like Charles Shaughnessy was no longer in touch with his role. Maxwell and Fran had more chemistry before they got married. After that it's 'darling' this and 'darling' that, but the chemistry is completely gone. In the final season, the only reason I continued watching were the brilliant performances of Lauren Lane (C.C. Babcock) and Daniel Davis (Niles). Their roasts were the only things that kept the series funny.
In conclusion: this sitcom is no Friends, but it's decent entertainment.
The same goes for the characters: most of them were well-written in the beginning, but got worse in later seasons. Fran started out absolutely lovely, but in the later seasons, she was an obnoxious, spoiled and whiny housewife who behaved like a complete idiot, only to serve unrealistic plotlines (like the time she decides to sit on the railing of a boat for a picture and falls). I have no problems with extremely dumb characters (for example I loved Joey from 'Friends'), but with Fran all I could do is cringe about her stupidity. In season 6 it's even worse: all she does is obsessing about wanting a baby and it got more and more irritating. Maxwell was never a very interesting character to me but he was decent. However, in the later seasons I feel like Charles Shaughnessy was no longer in touch with his role. Maxwell and Fran had more chemistry before they got married. After that it's 'darling' this and 'darling' that, but the chemistry is completely gone. In the final season, the only reason I continued watching were the brilliant performances of Lauren Lane (C.C. Babcock) and Daniel Davis (Niles). Their roasts were the only things that kept the series funny.
In conclusion: this sitcom is no Friends, but it's decent entertainment.