I am – Hercules!!
Sunday and Monday had the season’s three best new shows, and now perhaps the three worst debut Thursday night.
“Outsourced,” from screenwriter George Wing (“50 First Dates”) and writer-producer Robert Borden, who created “The Brian BenBen Show” and co-created“The George Lopez Show,” is out and out sitcom hackery and a throwback to when NBC had no qualms about putting garbage like “Four Kings” and “20 Good Years” on its airwaves.
It’s about a South Asia call center established to field calls for an American novelty company that sells stuff like fake vomit.
I’ve seen news reports on these overseas call centers and I suspect a funny, interesting show – one that that better adhered to that reality – could be forged from this premise. “Outsourced” dumbs down its characters until they descend into sitcom behavior unrecognizable as human.
Kindly watch “The Office” tonight and switch off right after so “Parks and Recreation” can take over the “Outsourced” slot sooner rather than later.
HitFix says:
I'm not sure where to begin in expressing my dismay … what's most upsetting is that NBC decided to bench "Parks and Recreation" not only the best comedy on that network, but on all of television last year - in favor of this cheap, lazy, unfunny mess. …
The Washington Post says:
… "Outsourced" is NBC's "Aren't brown people funny?" addition to its Thursday night comedy lineup and it is not the global recession-era humor catharsis I'd hoped for. …
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says:
… labors for laughs and conjures few. … it feels like one of those mid-1990s hammock shows, series such as "The Single Guy" or "Union Square" that landed between NBC shows viewers really wanted to see, such as "Friends" and "Seinfeld." Disposable sitcoms didn't stand a chance then, and they definitely won't last in an even more competitive television landscape now.
The San Francsico Chronicle says:
… Um, have you read a paper in the past year or so? Jokes about the economy - probably too soon. And did you get the memo about making fun of other cultures to the point where you bump up against the racism thing? Apparently not. India is a big country. Laughing at their cows and curry - it makes you look as if you've never traveled. (Additional note: Making fun of people is easy and cheap. Write that down.) …
TV Squad says:
… The show treats this central culture clash with a great deal of tentativeness, a quality that never makes for good comedy, yet despite its scaredy-cat caution, 'Outsourced' still manages to be vaguely insulting and condescending. Many, many shows have mined quality humor from fish-out-of-water scenarios. 'Outsourced' is not one of them. …
The Boston Herald says:
… a depressing sitcom … My favorite character in the series is an unnamed extra, a man wearing a turban who never says anything but seems to find offense at everything Todd does and bolts from the room. That’s a smart man. There’s no laugh track here, which is either a blessing or proof that an automated tape can commit suicide. …
The Boston Globe says:
… too unambitious in scope, and too broad in tone, to satirize the recession or unemployment or anything that counts as relevant. …
The New York Times says:
… The fact that it’s neither embarrassing nor deeply offensive — once it gets rolling, the show is actually quite charming — is a credit to the cast and the writers. …
The Los Angeles Times says:
… It is no closer to reality than any of its Thursday night neighbors (Ken Kwapis, of "The Office" and other good things, developed it and directed the pilot), but it has a top-flight cast, characters who show you who they are rather than telling you, smart writing, sure rhythms and a cheerful attitude.…
USA Today says:
… Despite its Indian setting, Outsourced is in essence an American office comedy, and the office is filled with typical sitcom employees. Those include an over-ambitious assistant manager (Rizwan Manji); a naive would-be playboy stuck with the name "Manmeet" (Sacha Dhawan); a socially inept guy who talks too much (Parvesh Cheena); a shy girl who talks too softly (Anisha Nagarajan); and a lovely woman (Rebecca Hazlewood) who smiles a lot at Todd.…
The Hollywood Reporter says:
… Insensitive during this generation's Hard Times? Possibly. An excuse to mock Indian people and culture? Could be. Downright angering? Sure, for many. A spectacular risk for NBC, especially in the plum post-"Office" slot? Absolutely. But for those with the grit to get past, or over, the premise and watch without prejudice, "Outsourced" is a chance to grin in the face of modern economic realities while having fun with the U.S.-India culture crash.
Variety says:
… Once you get past the awkward recessionary premise -- outsourcing and layoffs? Hilarious! -- "Outsourced" is a fairly standard, occasionally sweet NBC comedy …
9:30 p.m. Thursday. NBC.
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