Every show has a catch. Whether it's a nutty neighbor, or an out of the "norm" situation. Listen up, having the huge star Jason Alexander was enough to make me watch. Before the debut in the fall of 2004, I was looking forward to this show more than any in the fall line up. But, once the plot was laid out, we found rather quickly the show lacked. Jason Alexander was surrounded with very serious characters. Everyone was expecting Alexander to mimic his George Costanza persona. He did, or tried to at least. The problem was there was nobody within the cast to bring out the hot tempered, overreacting character, Jason Alexander preforms so well.
Listen up needed a sidekick for Alexander. An overbearing parent, a busy body next door neighbor type, someone to fuel the fire of Alexander's character. Listen up would be the equivalent to the Jeffersons with out Tom and Helen Willis, Florence the maid, and Mr. Bentley. Without those people, who would have pushed George Jefferson to his limits? The same can be said here. There was nobody to push Jason Alexander to his limits. We were left forcing ourselves to laugh at Alexander, living around characters that lacked depth.
Listen up needed a sidekick for Alexander. An overbearing parent, a busy body next door neighbor type, someone to fuel the fire of Alexander's character. Listen up would be the equivalent to the Jeffersons with out Tom and Helen Willis, Florence the maid, and Mr. Bentley. Without those people, who would have pushed George Jefferson to his limits? The same can be said here. There was nobody to push Jason Alexander to his limits. We were left forcing ourselves to laugh at Alexander, living around characters that lacked depth.