Ronna & Beverly

The brilliant comedic team of Chaffin and Denbo gets a long-overdue TV vehicle, in collaboration with "Weeds" creator Jenji Kohan. Think of it as a distaff "Curb Your Enthusiasm," but with TWO impossible Jewish protagonists instead of just one. It's a joy to watch the improvisational virtuosity of these two performers, who've honed their chemistry at the Upright Citizens Brigade theater and elsewhere. Especially hysterical: Beverly's violent reaction to a cute baby, in which her affection is articulated as a bloody rampage. Of course, like Larry David, these two are masters of mortification, so be forewarned. Painful, indeed, but also painfully funny.

The Ronna & Beverly pilot had me rolling on the floor laughing. Jessica and Jamie play hilarious and believable characters (particularly so if you come from Boston and have a Jewish mother yourself). They are so on-the-money portraying Jewish middle-aged divorcée Bostonians, that I was slightly embarrassed for myself, yet couldn't get enough! From the opening scene to the final frame, I was laughing out loud! I DVR'd the show... watched it twice already, and a third time with my husband who was busting at the seams! I hope Showtime picks up the show as an ongoing series.... it would entice me to keep Showtime in my cable lineup for 2010.

It's back! The fun in television is back. That's the first thing I thought after I watched Ronna & Beverly. These ladies are so committed to their characters that you can't help but be taken along for the ride. While there is a lot of great TV out there, what's extraordinary about this show is the magnetic duo of Jessica Chaffin (Ronna) and Jamie Denbo (Beverly). Rather then throwing some people on the screen because they look the part, these girls bring back the magic of true character work at it's best. The kind you fall in love with. The magic ingredient that makes a show a hit. Even though the actresses are younger then the yentas they portray, not for a second did I not believe that Chaffin and Denbo were the remarkably funny Ronna and Beverly. Adding to the mix, the creative queen of Weeds, Jenji Kohan, is also a writer on this clever endeavor. I'm hoping for more Ronna & Beverly because it would be a shame to lose these Jack Beanstalk beans.

Every aspect of the show is great, but the brilliance of Jessica Chaffin (Ronna) and Jamie Denbo (Beverly) cannot be overstated. They'd played these characters for years in their live shows before writing the pilot, so when the camera starts rolling it's catching these ladies in the middle of amazingly full, rich lives. Individually, they're a riot, but when they start to riff and spar together, it's bust-a-gut and wet yourself hilarious. Like, seriously consider wearing a diaper while you watch. What's amazing is the line they walk between caricature and gloriously, painfully real (and often pathetic) characterization. I love these women. I really hope it gets picked up and becomes a show I can watch every week, or perhaps twice a week, like American Idol.

If you liked the Tracy Ullman Show, you'll love these girls. Reminded me of women in my old neighborhood for sure. The accents were spot on with some friendly jabs at the hang-ups and stereotypes of this segment of the Baby Boomer generation. A pleasant reminder that fresh young comedy is alive and well today.

It's like watching Seinfeld's cousins rambling on after a Barbara Streisand show, but these women know how to download an Iphone application. A three camera television show with the vibes and authenticity of a one-act play. The unique comedy of these two up-and-coming comedians is a brand I hope to see more of in the future. Great riffs between these two sparring comic pros whom seem wiser beyond their years as Ronna and Beverly. Only they know the limits of where their comedic partnership can take them, but this powerful female duo will certainly rank as one of the top female comedy teams in recent memory.

While I've seen them on the stage and thoroughly enjoyed their show, on the small screen is what suits these two the best. It's like a great SNL skit except you want this one to keep going. The sarcastic whit is biting and the Boston Jewish accents will be studied by linguists and bungled by future actors for years.