Your Family or Mine

This is another in an increasingly long line of horrible TBS endeavors. The cast seems to play to the audience rather than the camera giving it a very "high school drama club" feel. The writing on this show is horrible. I have watched three episodes now and each one is worse than the last. The jokes are obvious and pedantic while the delivery feels like first year improv class. Richard Dreyfuss, Kat Foster and Angela Kinsey have all proved themselves to be capable of far better performances than what is seen here. It's almost painful to see these wonderful actors lower themselves to this public access level. I'm thoroughly disappointed with every aspect of this flying turd of a show.

The acting is unconvincing, and the subject matter forcibly emphasizes the topic of sex, to the point where it defeats the purpose); while these factors are common in some contemporary sitcoms, this show takes them to an extreme. Also, the writing lacks creativity - the word "shitty" was used to describe a kid's drawing on the show, the dialogue and script was far too canned and contrived, the plot was predictable and simultaneously felt very unnatural (even for a sitcom), and it was flat-out boring, as the plot pandered about a singular menial premise. Judging by the trailers advertising this show leading up to its premiere, I didn't have such high hopes for this show, but I decided to give it a chance anyway - I came away very disappointed.

I watch sitcoms on a regular basis, and as far as this show goes, it falls decisively flat on its face. It's bad enough that the writing and acting are both terrible, but the plot and premise are also pointless - I will be very surprised if the show is renewed for a second season.

Jobeth Williams, Richard Dreyfuss, Cynthia Stevenson, and Ed Begly Jr. They are the only reason this show keeps anyone coming back. Not hard to see why. They're seasoned actors that carry us through each formulaic episode order. This show in particular has an every-other-episode way about it.Every other episode features Williams and Dreyfuss, or Stevenson and Begly Jr. Our two main characters (Kyle Howard, Kat Foster) are a loving couple, with two kids, and probably a nice little house, white picket fence, etc. They spend each episode at either parent's house where off-the-wall issues ensue. Premise is promising. The trials and tribulations that a couple have to endure as they work through the differences and culture clash of the parents they're visiting. Each episode feature's the other side of the family. This is common ground that any married couple will have to deal with, so it's a relatively approachable and identifiable status. No big deal, except that the writing (ie-punch lines, gag response et al) are a little too predictable in this day and age. We've seen it all before. Supporting siblings (brothers sisters) are easy to pin-point. Sibling rivalry's and difference of opinion seems to be the ONLY arc that comes forth in any given episodic visit. The aforementioned four Parental units are often relegated to modern day lingo complete with swearing, sex humor, and often falling to the same cliché'd behavior as the younger characters. Perhaps this is because they are marketing it for the unfortunate younger demographic, as just about any and every network, production co. and media format seems to do. Shame. Next there is the acting itself. Our two main cast members Kyle Howard and Kat Foster are enthusiastic but amateur in their portrayals. You'd see the same thing in a standard high school or college production. They give it there best shots every episode and some of it can be adorable at best, but it always pales in comparison to the supporting players. In fact, all the supporting players who feature in every other episode are far more interesting and the cast entertaining. Some new direction and writing might clean this up, maybe. The goods surely come from said parental actors. The issue's that come with a non-original member of either family are not unfamiliar but that way either Williams and Dreyfuss, or Stevenson and Begly Jr. pull it off, it's always fun and endearing, no matter how pedestrian or acrid some of the material can be. It's all about the parent's here.

This show is truly awful. I was really enthusiastic about seeing it considering the talented cast. I was was completely disappointed at the really crude humor and poor writing. I can't believe that they were able to get these actors on the show based upon such a poor script and disgusting humor. I'm no prude, but there was no way that I would watch an additional episode. I went to the website and not surprisingly, there was no place to provide comments. Such a shame that this was not well written and relies instead on tasteless one-liners. I can't imagine that this will be continued for additional seasons unless there is a vast improvement in the story-lines and dialog.

You gotta love TV in the '10s. Say 'blow job' a lot, throw in some 'shittys,' and you are pushing that envelope! Pathetic. I hate to sound like some geezer yelling at kids, but come on. I'm not offended by the language itself, but how it seems intended to stand in for actual, you know, writing.

Family situations can always be mined for decent comedy, even after all this time. And the cast is pretty good. But really ... it seems the producers and writers just don't have the chops, maybe because they're all 25-35 years old and have seen too much garbage, and mistaken it for quality.