Apr 2, 2009 10:34 AM
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San Francisco, 11:13 PM
Tue Feb 9
25 posts in the last 24 hours
ABC's new series Cupid is more or less Jeremy Piven's 1998 series of the same name, rebooted. What I didn't know was that they'd used the same 1998 pilot script. So who's better?
Two Methods Of Hitting On The Shrink
Note when Piven hits on his new shrink, it's so aggressive it makes me shudder. Meanwhile. the new guy (Bobby Cannavale) can stare down the lovely Sarah Paulson's backside in a completely inappropriate manner. and somehow it's not threatening. Maybe it's in Piven's yelly delivery? Neither of them sells me on the idea that they are attracted to the Doctor anyway - it's a poor match up from the get go for the two of them (that doesn't mean we don't love Sarah Paulson any less). I want to see Piven and Paulson do a back and forth, I think there could be sparks.
On His Expulsion
The difference is "hilarious."
On Mount Olympus
Plus 100 points to Bobby for slipping in Unicorn and making this Mount Olympus banter interesting. Piven, you're losing me. I also enjoy how they're both kind of terrible at acting "broken."
Love Advice
One plays ping pong, the other gets crazy people to strip for him. In Piven's defense I believe the god Cupid was a little bit of a hell-raiser, but either way Piven gives advice like a GHB-peddling bartender - seriously she'll totally go for it. But maybe that's why the older series was loved by few, because Cupid had to grow as well. Cannavale is a little too sweet for my taste, but I still lean towards his cutesy delivery instead of Piven's fast talking, barking, seen-it-before behavior. Sorry Piven - it works when you're Ari, but as Cupid it's a hard sell for me, which isn't really his fault as Entourage came after this.
As I said before, I think Cupid has a place in ABC's saccharine-sweet line up with Samantha Who and Dancing With The Whosits. Plus Cannavale isn't a very difficult person to follow. He's charming and nice to look at, but sadly not terribly engaging. I hope the series can break away from the 1990s series (which was canceled, after all) and find its own stride.
I'm still split, but with the dismal ratings Cupid received this week this may be the last time I have to think about it. What do you guys think?
Send an email to Meredith, the author of this post, at meredith@io9.com.
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