Modern Love (TV Series) Rallying to Keep the Game Alive (2019) User Reviews

Fell flat

[akstevens · 6/10 · 22 October 2019]

I wasn't impressed with this episode at all. The first 3 were amazing then it kinda fell flat.

Stick with it!

[maryludine · 8/10 · 4 November 2019]

At first, I wasn't so sure about these two characters. But I stuck with it, because I adore Tina Fey and I am intrigued by John Slattery. I've thoroughly enjoyed the first few episodes of this series and I figured this one must have something of merit to glean from it. I'm so glad I watched the entire episode! This couple had a pretty typical problem, and yes, it's ok to stay married and maybe not do everything exactly right (like name calling and not fighting fair in front of the kids) while you are trying to figure out if you even want to stay married or what it is you're so angry about. Their marriage and their tennis game was exactly that-theirs. We don't get to see the middle of the story because that's just how it is in life. No one else knows what that couple is going through or what any other real life couple goes through. When she finally is able to verbalize a summary of her feelings, he hears her. And he sincerely apologizes. That was evidently enough for these two to decide they wanted to start fresh. Obviously things really changed after that conversation and sorry, it's not all spelled out for you-just like the words he whispered to her when their son is leaving for college-but oh, I could just imagine!

Whiney yet love

[dccvc · 7/10 · 12 November 2019]

I like this episode overall, because it actually tells a useful story.

Holding onto a relationship oftentimes requires hard work, especially if you become a whiny old adult. That's how we are. We're, on occasion unsympathetic, and often times immature idiots. Most of us have big flaws, and not just of the kind that can be shown in the Emmy award Anne Hathaway way.

This episode wasn't about bipolar hotshot lawyers or a strangely friendless woman with a quirky doorman or Dev Patel being his charmingly manic pixie guy 'entrepreneur who skips job interviews' self. This episode was about real people, dealing with an all too common real problem: fading love.

What made this episode stand out to me was that there were real issues but also no stupidly simple solutions (like a Notebook style shacking up with an ex). We start the episode with two parents sitting in counseling. Already, they get props for that. They saw things were toxic, but instead of just breaking up or cheating, they actively try to get help. And it takes time. I can see that this annoyed some viewers. Tina Fey basically spends 20 minutes whining with irregular accuracy and occasional idiocy about her husband's foibles.

Repairing love can be a long process. Hollywood does a godawful job at reminding people about that. Tina Fey does a great job at showing what's actually needed in the end. Humility mixed in with self-expression. When she finally effectively confronts her husband about their long-term issues, she does it calmly but firmly, with some sympathetic expression, I was so relieved. This wasn't a woman whining or yelling or breaking down in tears; this was an adult expressing a real problem and asking her partner to provide real solutions.

The episode's ending is far more satisfying than most tennis matches. For all their whining, I'm happy the ending shows a couple stay in their obviously imperfect, moderately self-obsessed, but mutually supportive relationship.

Hilarious

[MovieQween-33622 · 7/10 · 20 October 2019]

I'm an adult who's moved back in with her parents to go to grad school. let me tell you, seeing your parents marriage as an adult is a whole different experience. It's a dose of reality. In your single years you see marriage as rainbows and butterflies. When they've been married over 25 something years it's so hilarious how you thought marriage was vs how it really is long term. They disagree a lot and have little in common. But still love each other and can get through anything. This episode is so accurate and hilarious. Married people will love this and laugh!

Why all the hate?

[thefendiprint · 7/10 · 12 July 2020]

I'm not understanding all the negative reviews. While this episode may not be on par with the first three, that doesn't mean that it's a bad episode. I found the couple's relationship to be unique - often funny but also very raw and emotional by the end of the episode. I enjoyed Tina Fey in this role as well.

Marriage Love

[nightringer-76840 · 6/10 · 24 October 2019]

This one falls flat due the thickness of marriage theme. I believe Tina Fey failed to convey her frustrations through her facial expressions, like she was stucked in her likable smiles and hopeful aura which lessened her character impacts.

John Slattery, however, nails it. He has a more frozen face, but he uses his body and eyes language so well that I can see the changes in his character moods.

A look at the up and downs of marriage and family.

[blanbrn · 7/10 · 18 February 2020]

This episode 4 from season one of "Modern Love" called "Rallying to Keep the Game Alive" is one that just basically looks at the life of a married couple with kids who have doubt and concern as they try to figure things out. Sarah(Tina Fey)and Dennis(John Slattery) are a married couple with kids and both are at a crossroads as they see a counselor and have questions and doubt with their marriage and wonder how a split up with affect their kids. So they try a new sports that is to work out their problems with tennis as dinner and movies just don't cut it. Overall pretty simple and cut and dry episode that tries.

funny enough this is probably one of my fav

[roziar · 8/10 · 26 October 2019]

I love Tina Fay first of all and I really like this episode maybe because it's so real. It probably is happening to most couples at this stage and the bond between them really warms my heart

Tina Fey's character is a terrible person

[matilde25 · 6/10 · 9 April 2021]

She berated and insulted him (and his fan), and he deserved better then an annoying wife.

Missing the middle

[deborah-99172 · 4/10 · 23 October 2019]

How could you go wrong with Tina Fey and John Slattery? They do the best they can with this material, but the writing is not compelling in this episode, and there are huge plot elements missing. They begin as a marriage in trouble, and end as a marriage repaired. But we don't see the middle!! For all we know, these people have nothing in common except their kids and tennis. And the tennis can't really bear the heavy load of metaphor that this episode asks of it. Tina Fey is very believable with her part. But there was no spark between these two. This was a weak episode, sad to say.

Feel sorry for the people struggling with the meaning in this one.

[chaakar · 10/10 · 27 June 2020]

Really thought this was a great one, perfect analogy. Call it preachy, it is in fact a simple and well presented message about the decency/sportsmanship that keeps the game afloat.

Utterly devoid of any meaning.

[shrikee-1 · 4/10 · 20 October 2019]

Basically, it's about a husband who just doesn't seem to care about his wife and she consistently puts up with him and then the story jumps ahead 2 years at the end and we find that he's now a good guy who treats her with respect and they live happily ever after. I rewatched part of the ending to see what i missed to explain any of this but couldn't see it. The performances and general writing were quite good but the overall story was utterly devoid of any meaning.

A little bit rushed

[Skylight77 · 8/10 · 11 August 2020]

I get the idea of this episode, the actors were great at it! However, like other reviewers, I wish there was a little more to explain how they balanced their couple. Arguing is probably the way they interact most of the time (just like their kids), so they don't actually despise each other. Several loving looks between them showed that they have feelings for each other deep inside. Maybe the therapy was also a way to entertain them more than really fixing their relationship. I wish there were like 1 or 2 scenes showing how the transition worked between the diner and the ending to bring a little more depth in the story.

Tina Fey Is Fantastic!!!

[celsoarodrigues · 4/10 · 24 October 2019]

I admire Tina Fey for a long time. The performance she gave was absurdly good. However, this episode was the weakest until now. The plot is pretty flat. Sorry.

Tina Fay can do anything

[angela-895-429670 · 10/10 · 16 November 2019]

Delicate, subtle, funny, sad, clever, poetic and true. Well written and so well played. Always love Tina's way of being such a real woman. This episode makes the whole project.

Laboured, boring, preachy.

[sifudoyle · 1/10 · 28 October 2019]

Weakest of the series so far. Sadly I expected a lot more.

Ah well.

Don't fall for bad reviews cause they don't know the deep.

[kushalc3 · 8/10 · 18 April 2020]

I loved it! Watching couples getting a new start n it actually works. It's so rare. Innit? Also completely agree with maryludine's review on this episode. You should check it out too. :)

Unconvincing

[kutamentoring · 4/10 · 20 October 2019]

This was phoned in by all concerned; no substance.

It reminded me of my parents

[paulapares · 10/10 · 19 August 2021]

I am seeing the reviews and I'm surprised! This is about a couple who manages to understand each other.

not feeling it.

[ChrisaRafa · 5/10 · 29 October 2019]

Frankly, I wanted to slap Fey's character in the whole episode. The thing is that I do get what they tried to do and say but it was not good writing probably and ended like a very poor story.

A realistic episode

[manuarias-29997 · 9/10 · 26 August 2021]

I don't understand all the hate that this episode receives. It's not a fairy tale story that everyone was hoping after the first great episodes, but it's the more realistic one by far. After so many years of marriage and the ups and downs of the relationship, a lot of people ended up like this couple and need to decide if they are gonna give it a try or finish it. I love both characters and the analogy with the sport. Give it a try!

Boring

[trimblecali · 5/10 · 24 October 2019]

It's just the main couple fighting the whole time, they clearly despise one another. I don't get what the ending was supposed to mean. It was very boring to me

Disconnection in a marriage, it isn't the end!

[samanthawhite · 9/10 · 8 October 2022]

A great episode that shows Sarah (Tina Fey) and Dennis (John Slattery) in couples therapy to tackle their disconnection from one another and hoping to find what will keep them together once their two kids leave the nest.

I feel like this is a super common concern and issue for couples with kids - You start as a happy couple, settle down and have kids. Your lives focus on being parents and often times we loose each other in the process. Then when the kids are gone, what's left of the original loving couple?

Some couples never see this happening and it isn't an issue, others divorce because of it! It seems like Sarah is fighting for this to not happen and Dennis is there because he has to be. They are challenged to think about what role they play in each others lives and towards the end they are calling it quits. After that, looking and feeling flat/defeated, they head out to a restaurant for a bite to eat or just to wallow in their misery together. But that in itself is enough to wake them both up. They are on the edge, about to push each other off in different directions, but then they look at each other and remember....

2 years later their eldest is off to college and they go off to enjoy a game of Tennis together. The opposite of what we saw from them earlier! Even though we don't see them reconnecting over that 2 years, we see them there at the end after watching them on the edge at the beginning and that's all that matters.

What in the actual f

[cmburton-29875 · 2/10 · 3 November 2019]

This was the most boring crap ever. I have watched so many things with the two of them, why did you ruin them both? This is a story that no one needed to tell or here. It's just sad and not interesting. No one wanted to watch this I can promise you this. I cannot even really tell what I just watched but I think I'm quitting this show all together because of this

So unreal

[harezanejad · 1/10 · 10 December 2019]

Wast of time. It was so unreal. I thought it was going somewhere but it fell flat.