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Douglas, Arkin cope with aging in amusing ‘Kominsky’
Writer Larry McMurtry once said that growing old isn’t for sissies. In his latest sitcom, “The Kominsky Method,” Chuck Lorre seems to be working out some of his anxieties about aging. The man behind such hits as “The Big Bang Theory” and “Two and a Half Men” crafts a compelling look at two seemingly successful men coping with the realization that they are on the back end of life. “We are passengers on boats slowly sinking,” Sandy Kominsky (Academy Award-winner Michael Douglas, “Wall Street”) says. Sandy is a legendary acting coach in Hollywood with an ego almost as big as his reputation. Thankfully, his instincts are almost as strong. His students, however, run the gamut from idiots to morons. His best friend is naturally his agent Norman (Academy Awardwinner Alan Arkin, “Little Miss Sunshine”), who has been married to the wonderful Eileen (Susan Sullivan, “Falcon Crest”) for more than 40 years. Norman and Eileen are facing a crisis that will have life-altering ramifications for Sandy as well. Sandy, meanwhile, finds yet another one of his students to date — this one, however, is someone at least age-appropriate, more or less. “Half your age is still an old woman,” Norman says to Sandy. Lisa (Nancy Travis, “Last Man Standing”) is a recent divorcee with a sullen teenage son. She’s treating herself to acting classes but pushing Sandy to consider his life in ways he never anticipated. Both Sandy and Norman have daughters. Mindy (Sarah Baker, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”) is stable and caring and reminds others often she wasn’t raised by Sandy, which pretty much explains that. Norman’s daughter Phoebe (a marvelous Lisa Edelstein, “House”) is a pill-popping barnacle on his soul. “We’re supposed to love our children unconditionally. Such nonsense.” In “The Kominsky Method,” Lorre seems to borrow a page from Robert Altman — the number of surprise guests who show up, often in fun bits, is impressive. Danny DeVito (“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”) is a merry urologist. Ann-Margret is a rapacious widow; Corbin Bernsen (“L.A. Law”) one of her targets. Jay Leno and Patti LaBelle, as themselves, help make a funeral a true Hollywood experience. There’s a meta joke in the pilot about Lorre’s mega hit “Big Bang Theory” that might give you the idea that this show could be his idea of atonement, of creating something meaningful. Don’t you believe it. It brims with the crass jokes about bodily functions you expect from a Lorre show. The prostate is probably talked about more than Sandy’s love life. (Norman complains: “I urinate in Morse code — dots and dashes.”) You can see all the jokes coming because they crawl down the road and wave their little hands before arriving. (“Who’s more ethnic than I am?” Sandy demands after being turned down for a series. “Black people,” Norman replies.) Bantering about Ludacris’ name comes off like a re-creation of Abbott and Costello’s “Who’s on First” routine. But in the hands of such masters, especially Arkin, who proves to be a thoroughly grumpy treasure, familiarity can be delightful. That’s “The Kominsky Method.”