Mr. Sunshine

Last night, after a hilarious new Modern Family (Clive returns!!), Matthew Perry's brand new comedy "Mr. Sunshine" debuted...and I loved the pilot.  Yes, Perry's newest character, Ben, is a little Chandler-esque, but only in his mannerisms. You see...the title is ironic! He's not a happy person at all! (Who didn't see that coming? okay we all did? yeah).  The only thing that excites me more about Perry being back on TV, is that it is also Allison Janney's return to television!! Thank goodness she's doing a comedy, because we all know she's funny, but with her last show being a drama (although she was quite funny at times, on The West Wing), this show, if it lasts, will really let her flex those comedy muscles. Last night's introduction of her character Crystal was a great start. She has a son (played by Perry's Studio 60 co-star Nate Torrence), who she has lost touch with and doesn't seem to care. Ben (Perry) now has to find him a job at the arena, to keep Crystal happy.  Crystal is quasi-racist, and while that's generally not funny...Janney makes it funny. Several funny moments included her song (ooohh, the whites, and the blacks, and the asians...), and using an asian kid as a shield to keep the clowns with axes away from her. All of it was so funny to me. I look forward to see what else Crystal has in store. Along with Matthew Perry and Allison Janney, there is a terrific supporting cast including Andrea Anders, who was great on Better Off Ted, and James Lesure, from Las Vegas. I liked the pilot a lot, and it got great ratings, so I'm hoping it continues to do well. I want Perry to be successful again since Studio 60 was canned pre-maturely.  Plus...they should TOTALLY pair Mr. Sunshine with Cougar Town and create a Chandler and Monica block!!!