‘Things’ may be looking up for Adlon
‘Doctor’ looks at stereotypes; ‘Mayor’ and mom duo help city
The following are highlights from the Television Critics Association’s summer preview of upcoming shows.
BEVERLY HILLS Get ready for
more Better.
Loosely based on the life of writer and star Pamela Adlon, who picked up an Emmy nomination as outstanding leading actress in a comedy, Better Things stars Adlon as Sam Fox, an actress struggling to raise three children on her own. The series, co-created by Louis C.K., returns to FX on Sept. 14.
C.K. first met Adlon when casting for his HBO series Lucky Louie.
“She’s very cool and fun, and she’s a great person,” C.K. told television writers last week. As for Adlon, she says he’s “like, the smartest person I know.”
At C.K.’s urging, she’s directing all 10 episodes of this season.
Adlon says she spent much of the first season “trying to find my voice in the character.” Now, however, she says she’s much more comfortable in the role.
As for C.K.’s FX show, Louie, he says there’s little chance of it coming back, at least not as it was.
“I haven’t been that guy for a while.” — Robert Bianco
‘DOC’ TREATS STEREOTYPES
Freddie Highmore notes a big difference between serial killer Norman Bates of Bates Motel and his latest character, Shaun Murphy of ABC’s The Good Doctor.
“It’s nice to save people after years of killing them,” he said.
In Doctor, Highmore plays a surgical resident with autism and savant syndrome who moves from the countryside to a prestigious San Jose hospital. The show is based on a Korean series and features House’s David Shore and Hawaii Five-0’ s Daniel Dae Kim as executive producers.
Many are skeptical about Murphy’s ability to be a surgeon.
Highmore said Doctor wants to avoid stereotypes.
“What I think we are trying to do in portraying Dr. Shaun Murphy is moving away from perhaps stereotypical versions of people with autism that have been shown ... the No. 1 thing that they’re devoid of emotion,” he said. “Of course, that’s complete nonsense.” — Bill Keveney
‘MAYOR’ MAY SEEM FAMILIAR
ABC’s sitcom The Mayor is about a young rapper (Brandon Micheal Hall) who runs for mayor as a publicity stunt and wins. And with an assist from his mother (Yvette Nicole Brown), he tries to do his best.
Producer Jeremy Bronson, who was a news producer at MSNBC, said that he knows people will draw parallels to Donald Trump, but spoofing Trump is not the point. “It’s given us a lot of ... inspiration for the show. But it’s not tackling the issue of the week, or a satire.”
Bronson says Hall plays an amalgam of many outsider politicians. “This is a guy who didn’t want to win, but who deeply, deeply loves his city and wants to help. ... With mom’s help, he’s really going to be that maverick politician who is using tools he has that other politicians don’t have.” — Robert Bianco