Chuck Lorre produces his new sitcom Mom, by creating comedy out of addiction – again. Instead of Lorre’s Two and a Half Men, which originally surrounded a wealthy man struggling with alcoholism, Lorre offers Mom, which surrounds a working class woman struggling with, yes, alcoholism. The sitcom consistently oscillates between deeply serious tones of teen pregnancy, homelessness and addiction, to comic relief, as per usual. Speaking of the comedy, the show is largely composed of slap-stick humour with occasional moments of good writing, which, in all fairness, do prompt a few laughs. In general, Mom is a bit messy and lacks the distinct focal point which so many of the 90s sitcoms mastered.
A surprising twist to this fairly untidy plot is the impressive and definitely recognisable cast. Anna Farris is the leading lady. Sure, Farris is consistently a lovable character, but it is unclear if her endearing ditziness translates just as smoothly when functioning as the protagonist. Allison Janney, who plays the mother of Anna Farris’s character, brings some flavour to this edible sitcom. Her character can be best compared to Charlie Sheen’s in Two and a Half Men. Her cynical, easy-going personality allows Mom to come out of the shadows and avoid the fate of many sitcoms: becoming stale. Whatever the undertaking, Janney consistently displays the talent to enhance any production, ultimately offering Mom a fighting chance among the endless sitcoms on television.
I must admit, this review is only with regard to the first two episodes, and contrary to how it sounds, I am honestly a Chuck Lorre fan. With all the hours spent watching The Big Bang Theory and Two and a Half Men, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t. Undoubtedly, Lorre has displayed a distinct knack for producing sitcoms which allow people to sit-back, relax and spend a few hours watching chitchat. For this reason and for Janney’s participation, Mom may be worth a few more episodes.