BWW Recap: Oscar and Felix are back in THE ODD COUPLE Pilot!
By: Dylan Siegman Feb. 19, 2015
You know how the story goes: Boy gets married, other boy gets married, both marriages fall apart, both boys move in together, one boy is sloppy while the other boy is neat, hilarious hijinks ensue. Chances are that you've seen/heard about one of the incarnations of THE ODD COUPLE, whether it was the movie starring Walter Matthau (CHARADE, GRUMPY OLD MEN) and Jack Lemmon (SOME LIKE IT HOT, GRUMPY OLD MEN), the tv series back in the 70's starring Jack Klugman (QUINCY M.E., 12 ANGRY MEN) and Tony Randall (PILLOW TALK, DOWN WITH LOVE), or the original play by Neil Simon on which all the subsequent versions were all based. Regardless, Felix Unger and Oscar Madison are back, this time played by Thomas Lennon (NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM, MEMENTO) and Matthew Perry (FRIENDS, 17 AGAIN). I find both of these actors extremely funny, so it will be interesting to see how this all pans out. Considering Perry's recent string of cancellations, he could really use a winner.
Alright so here we go. Set in New york, like many funny shows are. Matthew Perry plays Oscar Maddison a radio talk show host (who works from home) with Yvette Nicole Brown (DRAKE AND JOSH, COMMUNITY) as his assistant. He has an ex-wife, and is extremely flirty with his neighbors. It's obvious by the old sandwich he picks up and then proceeds to eat, it's pretty clear he's the slob in this formula. His hot neighbor stops by to give him the mail that somehow ended up in her mailbox and comes in for a drink. Now enter Thomas Lennon as Felix Unger, Oscar's old college roommate looking for a place to stay because he's getting a divorce. He's very emotional and clearly the clean one. The hot neighbor leaves and the two men go out for dinner to talk about everything. Felix clears his sinuses ala the older versions. As the leave, the opening credits play. The credits are pretty good - they kind of look like an older iPod commercial. I'd give it a 6.5/10.
The two men are sitting at some sport's bar as Felix tries to pull himself together. It seems that Felix and his wife have been in couples therapy for a while, so Oscar isn't very surprised. Felix apologizes for not seeing him that much lately, it's hard because Felix's wife and Oscar's ex-wife are good friends. Oscar is excited that the two men will be single again together. Oscar's more content with the whole single situation than Felix is. Oscar invites Felix to come stay with him, and Felix claims he won't even know he's there. Yeah right. Cue laughs!
Oscar comes home from work the next night and the entire apartment is spotless, and Felix is already making dinner...and tons of other changes. Uh oh! What's going to happen?! Oscar has a pretty badass apartment. He even has a sports ticker above like 10 flatscreens. His two friends played by Wendell Pierce (THE WIRE, RAY) and Dave Foley (WILL AND GRACE, KING OF QUEENS). They go back and forth making smug comments about Felix. Then they have the conversation we all knew was coming...No, Felix is not gay. He make act gay, but he is not. After having too much Felix, the guys leave, or as Oscar says, they "fled to a land name NoFelixstan." Ha. Ha. Oscar then yells at Felix and tells him that everything he does is annoying. And, they even use the old joke about "it took me 2 days to figure out that F.U. was Felix Unger!" Felix retaliates by yelling at him, but yelling nice things to which Oscar says he doesn't even know how to fight right. But Felix comes back and says that Oscar won't admit how upset he is because he's in denial. He then gets a text from his wife thinking it's good news, but instead it's the number to the lawyer representing her in the divorce.
Oscar's neighbor comes by saying she can't go on their date because her sister is really upset. He then shows the neighbor how emotionally unstrung Felix is, and she agrees to it. The girls come over to the apartment and Oscar springs the date on Felix. He freaks out, then lintbrushes her clothes, and then calms down. Emily is played by Lindsay Sloane (HORRIBLE BOSSES, SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH). She's the best! She and Felix immediately connect emotionally and through connection of the doctor they both go to. The neighbor Stacy (I don't know the actress and can't find her on IMDB. So if you know, let me know!) tells Oscar that she's not looking for anything but sex right now, which ofcourse, he loves.
Felix and Emily are talking about their exes when Oscar can't find Stacy. Emily claims she's in the bathroom and makes a terrible eating disorder joke. Whatever. Felix starts showing Emily pictures of Oscar and his exwife on the big TV. Oscar gets lost in the memory of proposing to his wife and starts crying. Stacy comes back and is scared off by the fact that Oscar is thinking about his exwife. Felix and Unger fight again with Felix claiming that there's a beautiful person inside of Oscar, and Oscar yells that he was about to be inside of a beautiful person. Good one. Things end up getting physical and Felix hits his head on the table. He leaves with the two girls making Oscar extremely angry.
Oscar wakes up on the couch to Felix at the door coming to get his things. Oscar admits that he hasn't been saying how he really feels with the divorce. He wants someone like Felix in his life taking care of him. Felix wants Oscar to teach him how to losen him up a little. Both men are both very happy and excited about living together again. Oscar takes everyone out to breakfast but first another woman that Oscar pulled the mail trick on comes to the door, which Oscar then shuts in her face. Later, Oscar comes back to the apartment to Felix doing yoga. Felix says he's not only going to purify his apartment, but also his body. And that's about it.
Alright, it was pretty funny. Although a lot of the humor comes back old gags from the older versions. I think that with two pretty funny actors like Perry and Lennon together, they can come up with some new gags. I'll give it a few more episodes because I'm not quite invested yet.
What do you think? Will you be watching again? With version of THE ODD COUPLE is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below or Tweet me @Dsiggy15! Don't forget to Like us on Facebook and Follow @BWWTVWorld on Twitter to get the latest news on your favorite TV shows!
Photo Credit: CBS
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