Romantically Challenged
Encyclopedia
Romantically Challenged is a comedy television series, which ran on ABC
from April 19, 2010 to May 17, 2010. It is set in Pittsburgh and created by Ricky Blitt
, who is also the show's head writer. The show stars Alyssa Milano
. ABC officially canceled the series on May 16, 2010. Six episodes were produced, but only four aired.
was the first actor cast, in the leading role of Shawn. In early March 2009, it was reported that Alyssa Milano
would also star in the comedy pilot as Shawn's girlfriend Rebecca. On why she accepted the role, Milano commented:
The cast was filled in mid-March with the casting of Kyle Bornheimer as Shawn's roommate Perry, and Kelly Stables as Lisa, the best friend to Milano's character.
At the end of March, ABC announced the show as Single With Baggage in its 2009 program development guide, and finally as Romantically Challenged in May. In addition, in August 2009 the role of Lisa was described as Rebecca's sister instead of her best friend.
Also in August 2009, ABC announced Romantically Challenged was scheduled for a midseason 2010 run of 13 episodes. In November, this was decreased to a seven episode commitment. Meanwhile, producers chose to recast the role of Shawn, replacing Olsen with Josh Lawson
. Filming started in January 2010 with James Burrows
as director. Shooting took place at the old Seinfeld
stage.
Romantically Challenged was initially scheduled for an April 12, 2010 premiere, but ABC delayed the start to April 19 to allow for a two-hour Dancing with the Stars episode.
fan". Director Burrows also endorsed Pittsburgh since his positive experience filming parts of the former sitcom Back to You
in the city.
based on 15 reviews. An Entertainment Weekly
critic wrote of the opening episodes: "At times relatably funny: The rules of one-night stands can be fairly confusing. But other times, characters say things like 'Who is that mansicle?'" Others were praising the performance of Milano but gave a negative review of the show, like USA Today
: "As terrible as Romantically is, it is in the end more puzzling than insulting. Why would any studio or network waste a star like Milano on a show that would seem to have virtually no chance of survival?"
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
from April 19, 2010 to May 17, 2010. It is set in Pittsburgh and created by Ricky Blitt
Ricky Blitt
Ricky Blitt is a screenwriter, executive producer, show creator, and voice actor based in West Hollywood, California. Early in his career, Blitt was a writer on The Parent Hood, The Jeff Foxworthy Show, The Jon Stewart Show, On the Record with Bob Costas, Costas Now, and Brotherly Love...
, who is also the show's head writer. The show stars Alyssa Milano
Alyssa Milano
Alyssa Jayne Milano is an American actress and former singer, known for her childhood role as Samantha Micelli in the sitcom Who's the Boss? and an eight-year stint as Phoebe Halliwell on the series Charmed. She was also a series regular on the original Melrose Place portraying the role of...
. ABC officially canceled the series on May 16, 2010. Six episodes were produced, but only four aired.
Premise
Milano plays Rebecca Thomas, a recently divorced single mom attorney in Pittsburgh who hasn't dated "since Bill Clinton was president". The show will follow her transition from family life to primary bread winner. Milano had stated that the show would most likely be on beyond the 9 p.m. time slot probably following Dancing with the Stars, saying: "I don't know if it's an 8 o'clock show . . . There are a lot of jokes about sex."Main
- Alyssa MilanoAlyssa MilanoAlyssa Jayne Milano is an American actress and former singer, known for her childhood role as Samantha Micelli in the sitcom Who's the Boss? and an eight-year stint as Phoebe Halliwell on the series Charmed. She was also a series regular on the original Melrose Place portraying the role of...
– Rebecca Thomas - Kyle BornheimerKyle BornheimerKyle Bornheimer is an American actor known for his role on the American sitcom Worst Week on CBS.-Life and career:...
– Perry Gill - Josh LawsonJosh LawsonJoshua Lawson is an Australian actor. He grew up in Brisbane and attended St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace. He graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art in 2001. He also spent one year studying improvisation techniques in Los Angeles at The Second City, The Groundlings, ACME...
– Shawn Goldwater - Kelly StablesKelly StablesKelly Michelle Stables is an American actress known for both stage and film acting.-Personal life:Stables was born in metropolitan St. Louis, Missouri. She was a well-known cheerleader in her high school years, a fact which would be commemorated in an article in the magazine American Cheerleader...
– Lisa Thomas
Episodes
| # | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Production code |
U.S. viewers (million) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Development and production
In January 2009, ABC announced a put pilot commitment with Ricky Blitt for a new comedy. Initially titled Threesome, the pilot revolved around a single 30-something man who is caught between his lazy best friend roommate and his single-mother girlfriend. Eric Christian OlsenEric Christian Olsen
Eric Christian Olsen is an American actor. He currently portrays Detective Marty Deeks on the CBS television series NCIS: Los Angeles.-Early life:...
was the first actor cast, in the leading role of Shawn. In early March 2009, it was reported that Alyssa Milano
Alyssa Milano
Alyssa Jayne Milano is an American actress and former singer, known for her childhood role as Samantha Micelli in the sitcom Who's the Boss? and an eight-year stint as Phoebe Halliwell on the series Charmed. She was also a series regular on the original Melrose Place portraying the role of...
would also star in the comedy pilot as Shawn's girlfriend Rebecca. On why she accepted the role, Milano commented:
The cast was filled in mid-March with the casting of Kyle Bornheimer as Shawn's roommate Perry, and Kelly Stables as Lisa, the best friend to Milano's character.
At the end of March, ABC announced the show as Single With Baggage in its 2009 program development guide, and finally as Romantically Challenged in May. In addition, in August 2009 the role of Lisa was described as Rebecca's sister instead of her best friend.
Also in August 2009, ABC announced Romantically Challenged was scheduled for a midseason 2010 run of 13 episodes. In November, this was decreased to a seven episode commitment. Meanwhile, producers chose to recast the role of Shawn, replacing Olsen with Josh Lawson
Josh Lawson
Joshua Lawson is an Australian actor. He grew up in Brisbane and attended St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace. He graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art in 2001. He also spent one year studying improvisation techniques in Los Angeles at The Second City, The Groundlings, ACME...
. Filming started in January 2010 with James Burrows
James Burrows
James Edward Burrows is an American television director who has been working in television since the 1970s.-Biography:...
as director. Shooting took place at the old Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
stage.
Romantically Challenged was initially scheduled for an April 12, 2010 premiere, but ABC delayed the start to April 19 to allow for a two-hour Dancing with the Stars episode.
Setting
Milano has told the press that Pittsburgh was selected since the creator and executive producer Blitt wanted the show set in a "small-town city", and that he is also a "huge Pittsburgh PenguinsPittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
fan". Director Burrows also endorsed Pittsburgh since his positive experience filming parts of the former sitcom Back to You
Back to You
Back to You is an American situation comedy series, which aired on Fox from September 19, 2007 to May 14, 2008. The creators and executive producers were Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan, and the director was James Burrows. The series starred Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton as squabbling...
in the city.
Critical reception
The show's early reviews were mixed. It scored an average of 44 on MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
based on 15 reviews. An Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
critic wrote of the opening episodes: "At times relatably funny: The rules of one-night stands can be fairly confusing. But other times, characters say things like 'Who is that mansicle?'" Others were praising the performance of Milano but gave a negative review of the show, like USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
: "As terrible as Romantically is, it is in the end more puzzling than insulting. Why would any studio or network waste a star like Milano on a show that would seem to have virtually no chance of survival?"