Splitting Up Together premieres March 27th, 9:30pm on ABC.
By Chris Flanagan
Splitting Up Together turns out to be an interesting attempt at a typically traditional sitcom but with a twist. Overall, it is fairly pedestrian but there are moments that shine.
The new comedy is anchored by Jenna Fischer and Oliver Hudson who play Lena and Martin, a married couple with three children that have reached the end of their rope and have mutually decided to get a divorce, however, they still agree to live with one another during the process. Both Fischer and Hudson are veteran TV actors and have good chemistry with each other which helps the show’s sustainability last longer than actually expected but sadly, it isn’t enough to keep my interest on a week to week basis. The premise alone is too silly for me to buy into and to be completely honest I can’t see this show lasting longer than a season. From the beginning, they do their best to make it appear as if Lena and Martin will not end up together, but as anyone who has seen TV or film that follows a similar structure will know exactly how this show plans to end and will want it to get there as fast as possible instead of dragging it out over the series’ lifespan.
Splitting Up Together does manage to get slightly better as the season progresses, but again, not enough to warrant viewers adopting it into their weekly watch routine. There are moments where the writing is strong and the comedic delivery of certain jokes come at the perfect time to make you laugh. The supporting cast is also given great opportunities to be showcased and truly make the best use of their screen time. Lena and Martin’s married friends, Camille and Arthur are sometimes better than the main actors and seem to be given more freedom within the show. That might change beyond the episodes that were made available, but I can honestly say I won’t be around to find out.
Splitting Up Together isn’t an awful show and something should be said for the effort it puts into telling a fairly ordinary story with a slanted and unique voice, however, it doesn’t quite do enough to keep my interest in revisiting it week to week. I would urge most that might be curious about this show to wait until it’s available in a binge-watch format. Even then, I will more than likely skip it, but I can easily see where people will discover and support the show that way rather than weekly.
I give Splitting Up Together a C+.
TV and City 