Even given that this series is aimed at married men in their 40s, there's a curiously dated feel to it, both in the home and in the workplace.
For instance, in the real world newspapers are full of women reporters, columnists and editors, but the newspaper Mickey works at seems a throwback to the days when the only women around are secretaries and personal assistants. It's also implausible that all of those 20-something women seem eager to get into Freudian-transference father-daughter relationships with their bosses, whom they know are married. Sure it happens, but it was an old story when Nora Ephron wrote about it more than 20 years ago.
Also, was there ever a time when people were secure enough in their employment to screw around at work as much as these people did? Is this some parallel reality with no sexual harassment policy? When was this project conceived? It also portrays married life as a never-ending sublimated power struggle between husband and wife. I don't think I've ever seen a bleaker portrayal of gender relations outside a Neil Labute movie.
For instance, in the real world newspapers are full of women reporters, columnists and editors, but the newspaper Mickey works at seems a throwback to the days when the only women around are secretaries and personal assistants. It's also implausible that all of those 20-something women seem eager to get into Freudian-transference father-daughter relationships with their bosses, whom they know are married. Sure it happens, but it was an old story when Nora Ephron wrote about it more than 20 years ago.
Also, was there ever a time when people were secure enough in their employment to screw around at work as much as these people did? Is this some parallel reality with no sexual harassment policy? When was this project conceived? It also portrays married life as a never-ending sublimated power struggle between husband and wife. I don't think I've ever seen a bleaker portrayal of gender relations outside a Neil Labute movie.