Jeff Lowell's Manhattan Love Story

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  • Jeff Lowell's Manhattan Love Story

    The pilot was last night. I missed the first 10 minutes due to the kid's homework crisis after dance class ran late.

    I loved the visual quality of the show and how the city in itself is a character. For me, it was reminiscent of You've Got Mail and my inner thought was, "Who knew Jeff was a closet romantic?!" A pleasant surprise.

    I sort of yearned for Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks in the leads, though, working the same exact script. I think Annaleigh has the potential to do the role justice. But Jake McDorman sort of seemed uncomfortable in the role. He needs to better navigate the rom-com terrain between-a-hole and lovable a-hole. I'd recommend they both re-watch every Ryan-Hanks rom-com ever made to find that charisma factor.

    The supporting cast is great. Really liked the sister, Chloe. Scene reminded me of some chats with my brother about girls he dated.

    Anyone else see it?
    Advice from writer, Kelly Sue DeConnick. "Try this: if you can replace your female character with a sexy lamp and the story still basically works, maybe you need another draft.-

  • #2
    Re: Jeff Lowell's Manhattan Love Story

    That's funny. I was going to post something about it, too. And I also got interrupted from it at one point. But I really liked it. And I really like the casting, which is a pet peeve of mine, for some shows. The leads are adorable in the right way. It was romantical. Best of luck to Jeff, and the show, moving forward.
    "The Hollywood film business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side." Hunter S Thompson

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    • #3
      Re: Jeff Lowell's Manhattan Love Story

      Originally posted by cshel View Post
      That's funny. I was going to post something about it, too. And I also got interrupted from it at one point. But I really liked it. And I really like the casting, which is a pet peeve of mine, for some shows. The leads are adorable in the right way. It was romantical. Best of luck to Jeff, and the show, moving forward.
      Yeah -- the 8:30 time slot can be tricky for my family schedule. In support, I'll make a point to watch.

      I was poking around reviews, earlier, and I think a lot of the online critics are missing the boat on the inner dialogue and the characters. It's like they're looking for this show to be Friends when it's more rooted in reality. The characters on Friends had no mental filter. They spoke their thoughts.

      I don't know if I'm projecting my own preferences but it seems to me this is classic rom com which is something we haven't seen on TV in a long time.
      Advice from writer, Kelly Sue DeConnick. "Try this: if you can replace your female character with a sexy lamp and the story still basically works, maybe you need another draft.-

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      • #4
        Re: Jeff Lowell's Manhattan Love Story

        How did I not realize this was Jeff's show?? I totally missed it. Will have to find it on VOD.

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        • #5
          Re: Jeff Lowell's Manhattan Love Story

          Behind the scenes stuff:

          http://7online.com/entertainment/man...cripts/340110/
          "I was dreamin' when I wrote this, forgive me if it goes astray." - Prince

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          • #6
            Re: Jeff Lowell's Manhattan Love Story

            I met Jeff on set while doing background work on the show. Nice guy.
            "A screenwriter is much like being a fire hydrant with a bunch of dogs lined up around it.- -Frank Miller

            "A real writer doesn't just want to write; a real writer has to write." -Alan Moore

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            • #7
              Re: Jeff Lowell's Manhattan Love Story

              I found the characters bland, in the pilot. Does it get better?

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              • #8
                Re: Jeff Lowell's Manhattan Love Story

                I liked the second episode, as well as the pilot. I really like the characters, too. I'll keep watching. I know the reviews weren't sparkling. I hope it works out for Jeff.
                "The Hollywood film business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side." Hunter S Thompson

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                • #9
                  Re: Jeff Lowell's Manhattan Love Story

                  I watched the 3rd episode. It's definitely warming up. I liked the shot in the office with Dana's boss in the bg revealing something she did not yet know about him.

                  I do hope Dana's character evolves as she gets used to NYC and doesn't remain the small town, wide-eyed girl forever. Back when I was out of college, in my first ad job, I worked with some people who had just transplanted to Manhattan to work in jobs as copywriters and designers.

                  And, yes, they were a bit clueless to the whole NY, hmm, I can't think of a better word than "thing." Including the way they dressed, wore their hair, etc. But within a month or two, they changed, some overly so -- as if they had to play the consummate, stereotyped New Yorker to feel hip and fit in. At times it was comical. And I couldn't help but notice that whenever I talked with people at a bar, those who seemed uber New York chic with an exaggerated cool would eventually reveal they grew up somewhere far from NYC and were new to the city. At the time I found that funny.

                  I've always noticed when watching some older episodes of hit series, the first few episodes of season 1 are definitely a contrast to later seasons. Last year, I caught one of the first episodes of Will & Grace and it was clear that the characters had greatly evolved. Megan Mullally's Karen in her first few episodes was a lot tamer than who Karen was in the final seasons. Even her voice was different. Or, when they reran old Walking Dead episodes last week, I was shocked to see running zombies sprinting down the streets of Atlanta and one zombie using a big rock as a tool to break a window. This is not the zombie behavior in the show, now.

                  Anyway, tv series' characters evolve and the evolution of Jeff's characters in this world would definitely be organic to the theme.
                  Advice from writer, Kelly Sue DeConnick. "Try this: if you can replace your female character with a sexy lamp and the story still basically works, maybe you need another draft.-

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                  • #10
                    Re: Jeff Lowell's Manhattan Love Story

                    ABC ordered three more episodes but by all accounts this is a dead show walking. The ratings aren't good and neither are the reviews. I guess it just goes to show how difficult it is even for an experienced writer to make a good show. Perhaps one day Jeff will come back to this forum and explain what happened.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Jeff Lowell's Manhattan Love Story

                      Originally posted by CrissCross View Post
                      ABC ordered three more episodes but by all accounts this is a dead show walking. The ratings aren't good and neither are the reviews. I guess it just goes to show how difficult it is even for an experienced writer to make a good show. Perhaps one day Jeff will come back to this forum and explain what happened.
                      Yeah, I read a number of online reviews. And that's the problem in general with online reviews. Too many "me-too" voices recycling the same opinion and everyone and her granny can read them on their iPhones. I'm wondering if it's a chicken-egg thing. Are ratings low because people actually watch a show and decide they don't like it? Or, do they keep away because they've read negative reviews and don't bother to take 30 minutes to form their own opinion.

                      This Tuesday, since the kid had a cold and didn't go to dance class, I was able to watch Selfie prior to MLS. I think that show has potential, too.

                      In terms of "what happened," I'll offer my unsolicited opinion. Audiences in this age demo have become inundated with too many choices and they're a bit jaded. In 2014, they'd much rather watch different types of characters, more highly flawed in darker ways. I find Jeff's leads more Hanks-Ryan rom-com in nature and influenced by that era (dear to my heart).

                      Like, when the guy shows up in the pedi-cab to take her to see the Statue of Liberty and cross two items off her bucket list. It's a classically romantic sentiment that likely doesn't play well with the Twitter crew who seem to pride themselves in delivering hyper-snarky jabs (to out-snark each other, it seems to me) at machine gun speed, under 140 characters.

                      Maybe it's a sign that I'm officially an old fart, but when I read Twitter and other social media the tone and tenor is, well, weirdly dismissive of everything. Like it's not cool to have hope, anymore.
                      Advice from writer, Kelly Sue DeConnick. "Try this: if you can replace your female character with a sexy lamp and the story still basically works, maybe you need another draft.-

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                      • #12
                        Re: Jeff Lowell's Manhattan Love Story

                        Originally posted by CrissCross View Post
                        I guess it just goes to show how difficult it is even for an experienced writer to make a good show.
                        It is difficult. Luckily, we're making a great show. You should check it out.

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                        • #13
                          Re: Jeff Lowell's Manhattan Love Story

                          I don't think I'll be watching but here's my complete and sincere congratulations on getting on-screen. Go, you!

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                          • #14
                            Re: Jeff Lowell's Manhattan Love Story

                            Originally posted by JeffLowell View Post
                            It is difficult. Luckily, we're making a great show. You should check it out.
                            I'll watch, Jeff. My household was recently selected to take part in a one week Nielsen TV Ratings viewing survey.

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                            • #15
                              Re: Jeff Lowell's Manhattan Love Story

                              I enjoyed the first two episodes.

                              I think it's pretty strong, especially for a comedy in its first season. You guys have your voice. There's charm and appeal and it's not cloying or too self-effacing, not to mention there's laughs.

                              Being a male in my mid-30's, the show isn't exactly my thing, but I've watched since Jeff has been one of the better things about this board.

                              I think SC111 has a point about the issue of demographics. Not that Skyler, the Brown University junior, vegan, addicted to Girls, and Orange is the New Black who listens to Ingrid Michaelson and St. Vincent, considers The Shins classic rock, listens to Pitbull ironically, reads Naomi Klein religiously, won't watch, but it's network TV. It's culturally "passe." There's commercials. Network TV. C'mon. Is it even relevant?

                              Manhattan Love Story seems quite relevant and valid, but I'd have no idea how to draw in what I think is your ultimate demographic. The Aughties Gen (those coming of age during the aughts.) Getting validation with the Aughties within the parameters of network TV and how to advertise in any conventional manner. Personally, I wouldn't want to be a network TV executive unless they paid me gazillions to help shepherd material aimed at anyone under the age of 30.

                              And I think networks seem to have no idea how to deal with the Aughts. A Manhattan Love Story could be one of those shows that bridge that gap between the Aughts/Teens/Twitter-verse and Network TV.
                              Last edited by Ire; 10-17-2014, 06:02 PM. Reason: Correction
                              #writinginaStarbucks #re-thinkingmyexistence #notanotherweaklogline #thinkingwhatwouldWilldo

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