The biggest disappointment for me with this show is how the writers diminished the main trait that made Leachman's character Phyllis so memorable from the MTM show: Her command of any situation regardless of how overbearing Phyllis acted.
By softening up Phyllis, in an attempt make her seem more vulnerable and likeable, they removed the parts that made you say "she's a busy body but well, I still like her." In her own show, she is lost, whimpering and/or begging for a job, attention, anything to be taken seriously. She has zero confidence and that's one thing Phyllis didn't have trouble with previously. Her over confidence was part of what made her so funny because deep down was very insecure.
I don't blame Leachman, she is still awesome but here, she is still playing a supporting character, looking for the lead to appear. Another odd thing is that when Phyllis' husband Lars dies, he leaves her penniless (very hard to believe but whatever) and she packs up from Minneapolis to start anew in San Francisco. She and her daughter Bess move in with her in-laws, who show no signs of sadness over recently losing their son.
Lars was everything to Phyllis and on this show, she gets no empathy or sympathy but rather, an occasional pat on the back and a "now, now, don't worry about Lars, he's in a better place" from her father in-law. Her mother in-law is portrayed for mostly comedic effect and seems oblivious to the fact that she just lost her son. Meanwhile, Phyllis is in tears. You're almost waiting for Mary Richard's to make an appearance so Phyllis would have someone to lean on and be reassured everything will be ok in due time.
The big star of this show is Judith Lowry as Mother Dexter, a prequel to Sophia from The Golden Girls with her "shoot from the hip" attitude. She s a hoot and steals every scene she's in.
But with that said, I still love Cloris Leachman's character and she makes the best of it. It does have a lot of funny lines and generally well written. The scenes with her daughter Bess are still terrific and they have great chemistry. I just wish they wouldn't have watered down the character Phyllis so much. Very similar to what happened to Valerie Harper's Rhoda, once she divorced Joe on her spin-off series. It's like drinking a flat sofa. It still has remnants of the original flavor, but it doesn't quite taste the same.
By softening up Phyllis, in an attempt make her seem more vulnerable and likeable, they removed the parts that made you say "she's a busy body but well, I still like her." In her own show, she is lost, whimpering and/or begging for a job, attention, anything to be taken seriously. She has zero confidence and that's one thing Phyllis didn't have trouble with previously. Her over confidence was part of what made her so funny because deep down was very insecure.
I don't blame Leachman, she is still awesome but here, she is still playing a supporting character, looking for the lead to appear. Another odd thing is that when Phyllis' husband Lars dies, he leaves her penniless (very hard to believe but whatever) and she packs up from Minneapolis to start anew in San Francisco. She and her daughter Bess move in with her in-laws, who show no signs of sadness over recently losing their son.
Lars was everything to Phyllis and on this show, she gets no empathy or sympathy but rather, an occasional pat on the back and a "now, now, don't worry about Lars, he's in a better place" from her father in-law. Her mother in-law is portrayed for mostly comedic effect and seems oblivious to the fact that she just lost her son. Meanwhile, Phyllis is in tears. You're almost waiting for Mary Richard's to make an appearance so Phyllis would have someone to lean on and be reassured everything will be ok in due time.
The big star of this show is Judith Lowry as Mother Dexter, a prequel to Sophia from The Golden Girls with her "shoot from the hip" attitude. She s a hoot and steals every scene she's in.
But with that said, I still love Cloris Leachman's character and she makes the best of it. It does have a lot of funny lines and generally well written. The scenes with her daughter Bess are still terrific and they have great chemistry. I just wish they wouldn't have watered down the character Phyllis so much. Very similar to what happened to Valerie Harper's Rhoda, once she divorced Joe on her spin-off series. It's like drinking a flat sofa. It still has remnants of the original flavor, but it doesn't quite taste the same.