Photo Credit: Charles Haynes via photopin cc

The king of comedy, the great legend of laughter, has returned to the small screen. Robin Williams is back in primetime for the first time in nearly 30 years in a show called The Crazy Ones (appropriate title).

Back in the golden age, when All in the Family and Happy Days filled your television sets with good morals and zany antics, a dark horse show was also present. That show was Mork and Mindy.

Williams portrayed Mork, an alien with questionable social skills that is probably close to reality. The show spanned four seasons and made Mr. Williams a household name. Originating as a character on Happy Days, Williams’ talent was such that it commanded its own show. Furthermore, the writers on the series would mark off sections of the script with the words “Robin goes off here”. That phrase would mean the scripted lines were over and Robin’s genius for improvisation would take over.

The Crazy Ones, a new show for CBS, has all the promise that goes with a Robin Williams project. The previews alone kept me laughing twenty minutes after they were over. He plays an aging ad-man whose whole job is to be creative. Could this show be a better match for the improv master?

His character Simon Roberts is training his daughter to take over the business. His daughter Sydney, played by the incredibly beautiful and flexible (I only know from watching her on Buffy) Sarah Michele Geller, brings a smolderingly grounded style to match Robin’s wildness. But don’t be fooled, she can play funny with the rest.

To make a dramatic cut to a new scene, let me tell you it is an interesting time for television. In a time where the world is ruled by Internet streamers and Netflix watchers (and damn dirty apes) less people tune in for regular programming. You know it is so easy to just watch an old series, one episode right after the other. Netflix’s real attraction is the lack of commercials. But I tell you this dear reader the times, they are a-changing.

Coming this fall to one of television’s most famous line ups is a hit waiting to be unleashed. The only fear I have is that it might be too over the top. With a heavyweight at the helm and a veteran sitcom star, it stands a good chance. The Comic-Con sci-fi fans will tune in for Geller and the comedy fans will press that dial for Robin. The viewers should be there to perform on the most dangerous game known as “The Nielsen Ratings”.

We here at Glued 2 The Screen recommend you tune in at least in for the first episode. We will no doubt have coverage soon after.

Stay Glued to the screen

Neil Carroll