Men of a Certain Age

Not since the 70's classics, such as All in the Family, The Waltons, Barney Miller, and M*A*S*H, has there been a ensemble cast with such a depth of characters and circumstantial and contextual realism as Men of a Certain age. This series strikes me as a straight drama with various flavors of comedy, from raucous to bittersweet, sprinkled in. As a 47-year-old male I can relate to it completely, but not that relating matters, since I enjoyed M*A*S*H and All in the Family equally when I was in my teens.

When truth is poignantly portrayed through writing, acting, and production you can't miss it. It's the magic coming together of the whole and celestial alignment that happens when courage and genius are found on both sides of the lens. This show shines and is the first I would be willing to watch in SD on my HDTV since the aforementioned series of the 70's. Nothing is overdone: no melodrama, no ego trips, no pretense, no glamor, nothing special - just wonderful, richly textured exposures of characters made compelling by the final link in the chain - the actors.

As a fan, I sincerely hope they stick to the formula and don't pull a Mork and Mindy - a highly successful piece of fluff, until Mork's character was "expanded" out of its established zone.

It's an easy, deserving, lone 10 in an ocean of "reality T.V." and other vomitous, puerile, formulaic, Hollywood, corporate morass.

This show has potential. The characters have personality and a certain reality about them, you feel like they could be people you know.

Ray Romano's character bring's out the best of him. I saw him on The Last Word recently which portrayed him as depressive and his sense of humour really blooms with this type of character.

The way the three friends interact with each other shows their familiarity and brings you into the bond they share. I like how the show doesn't concentrate on one demographic and the three friends have very different lives (which friends often do). I see this show relating to many people and bringing a broad audience.

I would like to see more of this show to see where they take the characters. Although I am younger than the guys I find I can still see them as real people in my community.

Probably should come as no surprise that this smart, funny series about three likable guys from the outer reaches of LA only lasted for two seasons on TNT, a network that tends to go in more for sexy-but-damaged blond detectives, smart-mouthed lawyers and (more recently) the reanimated JR. Maybe the fact that an important theme of the series was coping with middle-aged disappointment and scaled-back expectations failed to endear it to fans of (no offense, Ted) formulaic, escapist basic cable. Ray Romano is clearly the perfect casting choice for a part written by and for Ray Romano, Andre Braugher is always welcome, but the big surprise for us was journeyman action hero Scott Bakula ("Quantum Leap," "Star Trek: Enterprise") in the role of Terry, an attractive, confident guy whose acting career seems to have petered out before other opportunities have petered in. Viewers who have experienced such midlife phenomena as sleep apnea and post-divorce dating jitters may find this series especially compelling; strong supporting cast includes Lisa Gay Hamilton as AB's sexy, beyond supportive wife, Jon Manfrellotti as RR's bookie and third-best friend and Emily Rios (who in her brief career has already been on three of the best shows in recent TV history).

So far I have seen both episodes of "Men of a Certain Age" and I have to say I am impressed. Ray Romano, Andre Braugher, and Scott Bakula seem to fit very well together. Ray Romano plays a great role in this show, much better then any thing else I have seen him in. This series shows the lighter side of getting older. The only thing I don't like about this series is it seems each episode ends when it seems like there should be more, but that's just their way of keeping the audience wanting more.

All in all I found this new series to be very enjoyable and I would recommend it to anyone and everyone.

These are flawed, likable men. It is refreshing to watch three-dimensional characters on television without having to resort to "reality" shows. Drama is not a bad word - no really it isn't. There is drama in every life, and placed into perspective it can be compelling entertainment. Well scripted drama, as opposed to the emotional breakdown of a spoiled 25 year-old heiress, makes watching television a good use of time. The comedic aspect of the show is the touch that makes this show so rich. If you're expecting to see Ray Romano rehashing Everybody Loves Raymond, you'll be surprised. Braugher and Bakula turn in creditable performances as well with outstanding support from Lisa Gay Hamilton, Richard Gant, and Jon Manfrellotti. If there were anything negative, I'd say that they are overusing the cable advantage (the ability to swear) just a little. There are times when it seems that the word "shit" is in the script just because it can be. In a show about middle-aged, middle-class men, a little profanity is authentic. But, the term "mother-shit" is not authentic by any means. Men of a Certain Age validates the humanity of men nearing 50. It paints them as real people who have passions, fears, faults, desires, and a sense of humor to cope with it all.