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There’s a lot to love about the new comedy Bless This Mess. Premiering tonight, ABC’s delightful new sitcom about newlyweds who leave the hustle and bustle of New York City for the serene comforts of Nebraska farm life is co-created by Lake Bell (who also wrote and directed the overlooked 2013 indie gem In a World) and New Girl architect Liz Meriwether. On the other side of the camera, you have an all-star supporting cast that includes Pam Grier, Ed Begley Jr., David Koechner, and Lennon Parham. The only actor with whom I wasn’t familiar was JT Neal, and he produced some of the funniest moments of the pilot.
The “I have no time to read all of this; just tell me if I should watch it” drive-through review is that Bless This Mess is endlessly charming. The single-cam comedy reminds me of Superstore, not in tone, but in mass appeal. It mixes the type of broad humor you might find in a multi-cam sitcom with genuine emotional beats and realistic three-dimensional characters. Unlike most comedy pilots, the first episode is fully-formed.
There’s no shortage of superlatives when discussing ABC’s newest sitcom, but the most engaging aspect of the pilot, and the reason fans will continue to tune into the new series, is the infectious chemistry between the show’s leads, Lake Bell and Dax Shepard.
Bless This Mess doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel. The series is a classic fish out of water tale that evokes obvious thematic comparisons to Green Acres and City Slickers. But what sets this comedy apart from similar shows is that it also has a strong romantic comedy element that acts as an emotional anchor. Bell and Shepard portray newlyweds Rio and Mike, a couple still in the nascent “walking on eggshells” portion of their marriage. They boast about the fact that they’ve never gotten into a fight, despite their opposites attract personalities. It’s not exactly Paula Abdul/MC Skat Kat levels of discord — a reference everyone gets and is not at all lame, outdated, or irrelevant — but Rio’s Type A nature and Mike’s “we’ll figure it out as we go!” ethos adds an extra level of organic humor and conflict to the series.
Bell and Shepard’s inherent comedic chemistry cannot be overstated. The duo exude a breezy charm and their easy-going banter gives off a very “coolest couple at the dinner party” kinda vibe. Bless This Mess isn’t trying to wow you with needless razzle-dazzle. It’s just a well-written show with an endlessly likable cast that’ll make you smile. I was already on board when I heard that Lake Bell, Dax Shepard, and Liz Meriwether were teaming up for a new comedy, but then the series went ahead and added a rambunctious cow into the mix.
That’s just comedy gold, friends. Comedy gold.
Bless This Mess premieres tonight (April 16) at 9:30 p.m. ET on ABC. The sitcom will be available for next day streaming on Hulu, with new episodes premiering on the platform the morning after they air on ABC.
