If I were to judge ABC's new comedy "Don't Trust the B---- in Apt. 23," which premiered this April, by its title, I would immediately discount it for several reasons: it rhymes, it is too long and am I supposed to replace the "B----" with what I think? The latter is unclear. After the first couple of episodes, however, the show presents some promise with its quirkiness and attempt to push the envelope.
The show follows an innocent Midwestern girl named June, played by Dreama Walker, who moves to New York City for her dream job on Wall Street. When she moves to the city, she finds that her dream job no longer exists and that her roommate Chloe, played by Krysten Ritter, is a city-loving party animal. Chloe's best friend James Van Der Beek, played by himself, is a let-loose actor who gets the girls into even more trouble.
The cast, devoid of any really big names, relies on talent and witty dialogue instead of premiering with a preconceived fan base. Walker, who is the show's biggest star and is known for her roles on "The Good Wife" and "Gossip Girl," begins each episode with her classic squeaky voice, but she is far from a Tina Fey of leads. The show instead feels like a conglomeration of supporting actors all working together.
Ritter, of "Breaking Bad," stars as the "b----" in the title. Van Der Beek, well-known for his role on "Dawson's Creek" and as he reminds us in the show for guest starring in Ke$ha's "Blow" music video, is a companion to Ritter and Walker's characters reminiscent of Joey from "Friends." Van Der Beek plays what hopefully is an exaggerated version of himself, however, on "Don't Trust the B---- in Apt. 23." The final notable member of the supporting cast is Liza Lapira, known for her role in "21" (2008), who plays Chloe's stalker in the series.
Ritter and Van Der Beek, however, make the show, and their dynamic is goofy and somehow believable despite the ridiculous nature of their friendship. Ritter's Chloe is a sophisticated party-lover with an inane job as an entertainer to foreign diplomats at the United Nations. While her somewhat lavish lifestyle is almost too unbelievable, Chloe's personality overshadows this slight detail. Ritter's character provides most of the comic relief in the show, while virtually everything June says or does is annoying.
The most eccentric character of the show is Chloe and June's neighbor Eli, played by Michael Blaiklock, who lives in the up-close-and-personal adjacent building. His frequent interjections into their conversation from his window are hilarious. Some of his comments, however, while he seems to be in the midst of finishing something off let's just say it's implied he's not wearing any pants are downright creepy.
The show is full of risque moments, and Chloe pulls such fast ones on June as having sex with June's fiance on her birthday cake. Chloe also commits June to being a co-foster parent of a child whom Chloe uses as an assistant and tricks June into dating Chloe's father which is horrific but also hysterical when it's revealed that his "separation" from Chloe's mother has only been a four-day event.
While I thought I would quickly tire of the "can't trust Chloe" shtick in "Don't Trust the B---- in Apt. 23," her fast and sharp delivery and deadpan attitude work seamlessly with June's easy-to-victimize demeanor. Chloe also acknowledges her own insane behavior, allowing us to love this "B----" even more. When June asks her the name of a movie, for instance, and Chloe responds, "It's a movie that came out, and I don't know I have issues."
The humor is subtle in such cases, but Ritter does a good job with what she has to work with. I hope that the Chloe-June dynamic is further utilized and expanded upon in later episodes.
The opening episodes also feature a plethora of scenes where Van Der Beek makes fun of himself, which surprisingly remain entertaining every time. Despite not having been an avid "Dawson's Creek" fan myself, I appreciated the references during the pilot episode. In the pilot, for instance, Chloe calls him while he has a girl over and asks, "Did she get you to put on the flannel?"
While the show continually makes a point of referencing the origins of his fame, the jokes are not repetitive and the newer episodes this month seems to be straying away from making him one-dimensional character.
Future episodes will feature him as a "Dancing With the Stars" contestant and will follow his escapades with other famous actors. Kiernan Shipka of "Mad Men," for instance, invites him over for a "play date" so he can practice being a 12-year-old girl as research for an upcoming role.
The audience quickly sees that of all the characters, Van Der Beek has the most free time on his hands to participate in the show's strange escapades. When he asks his assistant Luther to clear his schedule, Luther responds, "Sir, it has been clear for weeks!"
Van Der Beek's appearance in a Vietnamese energy drink commercial and attempt at pop-up theater is also not to miss. He is probably the character that will grow on you the most, serving as the insecure male sidekick to Chloe's unabashedly confident persona.
While June is fairly unbearable in "Don't Trust the B---- in Apt. 23," she fails to meet the comedic levels set by Chloe and Van Der Beek. Although the show presents itself as another sitcom with female relationships at its core, it's humor hits home because June and Chloe aren't buddy-buddy. The show seems to follow in the footsteps of "Bridesmaids" (2011), with crass jokes and fairly awkward situations that appeal to both male and female audiences.
All in all, "Don't Trust the B---- in Apt. 23" is a surprisingly funny sitcom with an endearing wit that viewers can appreciate.
