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A sitcom from big-screen writer-director John Hamburg (“Along Came Polly,” “Meet The Parents”) about showbiz wannabes and has-beens populating a Hollywood apartment building, “Welcome To The Captain” boasts among its characters a kid who won an Oscar five years ago for a short film (Fran Kranz), an aspiring acupuncturist (Joanna Garcia), a one-time “Three’s Company” writer (Jeffrey Tambor) and a former soap star (Raquel Welch).
Few if any critics seem to find it very commanding:
USA Today gives it one star (out of four) and says:
… Sadly, little in Captain registers at all. The show seems to vanish as it's happening, leaving behind nothing except a vague feeling of being mildly annoyed. It doesn't just fail to leave you laughing. It leaves you, period. …
TV Guide says:
… Welcome to the Captain, a tepid comedy about would-be wackos in a Hollywood apartment building, is such a dud that it's likely to only make some of us miss the funnier Big Bang Theory (which it temporarily replaces) even more. … if any of this undercooked nonsense is meant to be madcap, it feels more like sad-cap. …
Entertainment Weekly gives it a “C” and says:
… just isn't funny or inspired enough to nail the peek-behind-the-Hollywood-curtain genre; a joke about Wilmer Valderrama's condom budget already feels dated. …
The New York Times says:
… Mr. Tambor has a natural moroseness to his expression that gives his titans and egomaniacs dimension and eccentricity. As a loser he just makes you uncomfortable. … The Captain has a great facade, but it’s filled with people who will make you keep checking the real estate listings.
The Los Angeles Times says:
… though one may want to like "Welcome to the Captain," it isn't easy to actually do this. It's not a terrible show by any means. It earns a few laughs, has some clever moments and in the midst of this darn strike, is new anyway. But after watching two episodes, I was left with the thought with which I began: An iconic apartment building full of wacky characters would make a great TV show. Would, though. Not does. …
The Washington Post says:
… Produced without a laugh track, the ensemble comedy features an assembly that isn't very close-knit, the way a family, a group of employees or even the denizens of the same bar tend to be. At the same time, the laugh lines are more sophisticated than the usual rat-a-tat gags fired off in most sitcoms, and character development is more of a priority. …
The Chicago Tribune says:
… isn't quite successful, though it's at least watchable. …
The San Francisco Chronicle says:
… it's not surprising that CBS' latest sitcom, "Welcome to the Captain," gets a few things right, a few things wrong, shows flashes of potential, then vanishes 22 minutes later without much memory. … Whether "Welcome to the Captain" can do anything with a tired and trite premise and no rough edges remains to be seen. But, then again, CBS works all kinds of miracles in the mainstream.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says:
… Another single-camera comedy that fails to provide any laughs, this "Captain" is in command of a sinking ship. …
The Boston Herald says:
… CBS’ latest comedy is a house built of playing cards on a sand dune. It’s shoddy, with a premise so slight it will blow away in a good breeze - or when the tide comes in. …
The Boston Globe says:
… strains to be edgy and quirky and cool … Let's hope "Welcome" … runs itself into cancellation sooner rather than later.
The Hollywood Reporter says:
… has a wide, multigenerational appeal. … Hamburg's script is not a laugh riot, but it has a nice gentle rhythm that feels right for this good-natured show. Production design and set decor are so good you can practically smell the carpet and cleaning supplies. Hip in tone but traditional in spirit, it's not at all hard to feel welcome at the Captain.
Variety says:
… Nothing in "Welcome to the Captain" is particularly fresh, but there's nevertheless a genial charm …
8:30 p.m. Monday. CBS.
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