Surviving Jack

I love Chris! I gobbled up every episode of this show and died laughing over and over and they took it away!!!! So, tired of getting into a show only to have them yank it.

Chris is one of my all time FAVORITE actors and this roll he got to do his strong menacing along with a very sexy funny man act that I loved and couldn't get enough of. Chris and Rachael Harris were awesome together. Perfect pairing.

I couldn't have been happier with this show and I wish they would bring it back!!!!

The first thing that drew me to this show, was the fact that Christopher Meloni stars. I've always been a fan of Law & Order SVU, and after seeing him do Man of Steel, I was wondering where I'd see him next. I saw the commercial for Surviving Jack. At first, I was disappointed that he had moved on to do a sit-com. I was definitely skeptical coming in.

However, I then found out that this series would be set in the early 90's. That got my attention even more, being someone who grew up in those times. I still was expecting a low quality show doomed for cancellation, because the advertisements looked like it was a show that had been done many times over.

I was pleasantly shocked at how great the pilot was. The acting is good, the storyline is funny, and there are enough references from the 90's that will bring joy to anyone looking for some nostalgia. There's a certain book in the pilot which might really bring home how well the crew conveys the 90's setting. The music is also perfect! All in all, I loved the pilot, and will keep watching. This will most certainly be MY replacement for the recently finished How I Met Your Mother.

If you're looking for a relaxing show to relieve stress, and bring a smile to your face, and maybe even some strong nostalgia, then this is the show for you.

NOTE: This review is based solely on the pilot episode.

The basic formula for the show seems to be that you take the wistful 'looking backwards at my youth' narrator from 60's nostalgia show The Wonder Years and the family that was at the center of That 70's Show, and then set them down in the 1990's with a Top 20 period soundtrack. Then you cast Christopher Meloni (Law & Order: SVU and Oz) as Red Forman and force him to step up his parenting of his son (the narrator) and daughter while his wife goes to law school.

Surviving Jack is based on the book, I Suck at Girls, by Justin Halpern, so the titular Jack wasn't actually inspired by the character Kurtwood Smith (currently starring in Resurrection) played on That 70's Show. Of course, that wouldn't have been a bad thing, given that he was one of the best things about the show and was woefully underutilized in the early seasons. No, the character of Jack Dunlevy is based on the real life Samuel Halpern, M.D., who is Justin Halpern's father.

This is the second time that the relationship between Justin Halpern and his father has been adapted for the small screen. $#*! My Dad Says cast William Shatner (Star Trek and Boston Legal) as the father, and depicted the time when the adult Halpern was forced to move back into his father's home. Surviving Jack focuses on Halpern's high school years.

As Frankie Dunlevy, the Topher Grace role, Connor Buckley is appealing, but as with $#*! My Dad Says, it's really the father's show. Meloni's turn as Jack is closer to Smith's deadpan than Shatner's over the top hamminess, and that bodes well for the series. The writing is crisp and pretty funny. The supporting roles are all played adequately, with Rachael Harris doing an excellent job as the mother. It looks good so far, and I'm planning to watch again next week.

Finally something that is absolutely funny and completely identifiable, and they decide to cancel it! I loved this show...it took me back to my HUMMMMM parenting days where i thought I was doing a great job,,,First time I laughed out loud while watching great TV in a long time. What a shame. I guess not enough blood and gore for the TV decisions makers.... Totally believable, Frankie's friends are kids that I grew up (or like the ones I grew up with) OR were friends of my children's (scary but true) . The writers are in total tune with the era and I am very sad to see it go. The cast of characters worked perfectly together and I could not wait for the next plot to see how Jack would instill a life lesson in his family.

This show got me excited about watching TV again and looking forward to each new episode every week. Meloni was perfect and conveyed the perfect dad you wish was your dad & yet are so glad he's not. Loved that it was set in the 90s at the time I was growing up, so fun to relate to. I was laughing and snarfing through every episode. When I heard they canceled the show on May 7th 2014, I was furious! Why do they cancel the best shows and then leave Vampire Diaries or whatever they are on all the time? People are crazy. Shows like this need more coverage, no one I talk to has heard of Surviving Jack, they had no clue to watch it until I showed them and they were hooked too. Get the word out to bring it back! I signed a petition, please do it too! Please go to the address posted below!

www.change.or g/en-CA/petitions/fox-broadcasting-company-renew-surviving-jack