Show: I Hate My Teenage Daughter
Network: FOX
Premieres: Nov. 30 at 9:30 p.m.
Grade: C-
After the disappointing debuts and continual low ratings of new series like Terra Nova and Allen Gregory, Fox is once again attempting to add another disappointing program to their weekly line-up: I Hate My Teenage Daughter.
This freshman comedy follows Annie (Jaime Pressly, Raising Hope) and Nikki (Katie Finneran, Company), women who are best friends, divorcees, and the mothers of two rotten, bratty, spoiled, disrespectful teenage girls.
Both Sophie (Kristi Lauren, Working Class) and MacKenzie (Aisha Dee, Terra Nova) know how to manipulate their mothers into letting them do, and get away with, whatever they want. The two mothers were unpopular during their high school years, and allow their daughters to do whatever they please as a result.
The pilot episode of the series shows Annie and Nikki as they attempt, unsuccessfully, to discipline their teenage daughters after they shut a boy in the girl's bathroom for two hours. The kicker is that the boy was in a wheelchair, infuriating the women even more.
The girls' punishment is that they cannot attend their first high school dance – ironically, the mothers seemed to be looking forward to the occasion more than their bratty offspring.
Through their intense manipulation, though, Sophie and MacKenzie are eventually allowed to go to the dance, but are embarrassed when their mothers show up and dance like absolute morons.
The acting was decent for the most part; Pressly and Finneran do an acceptable job as desperate women trying to shed their high school "loser" personas, while Lauren and Dee portray the stereotypical American teenage girl.
One of the standout performers was Kevin Rahm (Desperate Housewives) as Jack, the brother of Annie's ex-husband whom she has a crush on. Using the clever wit that made him so popular on Housewives, Rahm fits perfectly into this comedic role.
In terms of the comedy itself, some jokes were delivered well, but the majority of them fell flat.
Currently airing behind the moderately successful X Factor, it doesn't come as a shock that I Hate My Teenage Daughter will benefit from a cushy time-slot. However, in the coming weeks, it is sure to fall due to the fact that it simply isn't that good of a show.
With successful sitcoms such as 2 Broke Girls and Modern Family, I Hate My Teenage Daughter will most likely get lost amongst the countless other comedies currently on the air.
Email: arts@ubspectrum.com
