After roughly twelve months too long of a hiatus, Men of a Certain Age finally returned last night with its season two premiere. And man was it awesome!
I’ve attempted to describe the show to people many times, but I’ve never managed to truly capture what it’s all about. A comedy it’s not, despite the fact that it is extremely funny. And while it’s billed as a drama, it’s not really playing the same game that your typical dramatic series plays. There’s nothing imminent or pressing about the plot lines … it’s just three middle aged men trying to figure out what the next chapter in their lives has in store — believe me, that’s a good thing. And the acting is phenomenal.
When last we saw him, Joe (Ray Romano) had decided to try his hand at joining the PGA Senior Tour. The show returned to find him working hard, while still running everybody’s favorite party goods store. Even with his training I don’t expect to see as much golfing as a man struggling to realize his dream before it slips away forever.
He’s also struggling with his gambling addiction, and while I get why he’d try and stay away from Manfro (Jon Manfrellotti), as a loyal viewer I have to say that I enjoy Manfro being around. Gianni on Everybody Loves Raymond wasn’t my favorite guy, but here I find that Manfrellotti opens a different window into Joe, one that we don’t see when he’s with his friends or his kids.
Of course, the ladies also open a different window into Joe, and he’s fun when he’s shy. I wish Dory (Sarah Clarke) would come back, but the new lady in his life could turn out to be just as interesting for and with him.
Owen (Andre Braugher) still hasn’t managed to get out from under his father’s thumb. As much as Junior’s the boss, Owen Sr. (Richard Gant) remains a presence in the office, and he isn’t even attempting to keep himself out of the mix. I wish Owen were ready to be a stronger leader, but I’m not surprised to discover that he’s not there yet. Expect to see him go nuts on an increasingly brazen Marcus (Brian J. White) before the season’s over.
Terry’s (Scott Bakula) still trying to find himself. He seemed truly happy with his decision to leave the car dealership, so I wonder what he was dreaming about doing. I know the acting bug couldn’t have died that easily. I don’t expect to see Annie (Carla Gallo) back again, but I hope that their relationship taught Terry a thing or two about love.
It occurred to me as I was writing this that the trajectory of the series likely is leading all three men to finally pursue their dreams — Joe as a pro golfer, Terry as a successful actor, and Owen as the proprietor of his own business … if he and we are lucky it’ll be the music store, or whatever store that he wanted to open when he was young, and not his father’s business.
It’s not sexy, and it’s not pulse-racing. Men of a Certain Age is like a play about real life, put on by terrific actors, and written by a terrific room of writers. If the word about it gets out far and wide enough, the show will be one of the biggest on TV. It’s that good.
“The millionaire spit on me.” Lawrence (Matt Price) to Owen
Clacked by Aryeh S.
on Dec 07, 2010 @ 16:00 EST5EDT
