Jane Lynch's guardian angel comedy is no slice of heaven.
In CBS's new midseason comedy Angel From Hell, debuting Thursday, Jane Lynch (Glee, Party Down) plays an offbeat, constantly tipsy guardian angel whose self-proclaimed mission is to watch over Allison (Psych's Maggie Lawson), a straight-laced, uptight doctor stuck in a dead-end relationship with an unemployed schlub (The Office's David Denman). Not surprisingly, Lynch steals the show for the first half-hour, but the rest is sinfully boring.
For one, the writing is astoundingly average for a show with a supernatural twist. Initially, the pilot toys with the idea of Lynch's character being a diligent stalker, as opposed to the divine being she claims to be. In that way, it's kind of Wilfred-esque, leaving the viewer to decide what's real and what isn't. Unfortunately, that notion is quickly dropped, and the show goes full-on paranormal by episode's end.
Worse, though, are the jokes, which are neither outrageous nor a mile-a-minute. Instead, the premiere coasts on a series of very tame one-liners, which are only made somewhat amusing by Lynch's unwavering delivery. At one point, she and Allison's brother Brad (Perfect Couples' Kyle Bornheimer) share a totally random, sexual back-and-forth referencing "projects" and "toolsets," but that's really the one scene where any other character besides Lynch flexes their comedic chops.
Lawson's character, for example, is relegated to playing the "straight man" and hardly musters up any personality of her own. Mostly, she's just there to be a sounding board for Lynch's character, whose sage-like advice is often laced with bizarre tangents and wry digs at other characters -- in other words, the bulk of the comedy. That's not to mention Allison's predictable conundrum in the first episode, which you can piece together in the first five minutes.
In the end, Angel From Hell offers very gentle comedy that is occasionally boosted by Lynch's reliable performance. Yes, there are a few chuckles here and there, but nothing you can't get more of (and in better quality) from most other single-camera comedies.
The Verdict
Hiring Jane Lynch to play an eccentric, boozy guardian angel on Angel From Hell sounds like a slam-dunk for CBS. It's the kind of stunt casting that could be enough to get the ball rolling on a mildly entertaining sitcom. Alas, not even Lynch can save this one from damnation, between the show's mediocre writing and lifeless ensemble cast. That said, Lynch's performance is spot-on, and she makes the most of a hellish situation.
Angel From Hell premieres Thursday, January 7th on CBS.
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