Rebel Wilson was on fire after the success of Pitch Perfect and her scene-stealing role in Bridesmaids. She has proven her acting chops by shining in every role she’s had including a lovable loser in Struck by Lightning, a nurse in Pain & Gain and a bride-to-be in the indie comedyBachelorette. However, her series Super Fun Night is on the verge of being cancelled.
At its core, Super Fun Night is a good show. It focuses on characters often relegated to the sidelines. It has the audience rooting for the chubby best friend to get the guy and for the nerds to win. The heart and the goal are spot on but here are some helpful suggestions of how to grow their audience.
More Kimmie with her Friends
There is too much of a Diana Ross & The Supremes situation happening. Kimme has an adventure usually involving her job or misguided love interest. Meanwhile, her roomies Marika (Lauren Ash) and Helen-Alice (Liza Lapira) end up with a B-storyline. Ironically, the B storyline ends up funnier and those characters become more likable. The more the show can integrate the three girls and showcase their friendship the more you start to root for them. Think of a show like The Golden Girls, sure they were single elderly women living alone but their friendship made them a solid family unit.
A New Love Interest
Kevin Bishop is a great actor and he can be very funny as proven by his comedy series The Kevin Bishop Show. However, he doesn’t embody the unattainable. Rebel Wilson is chock full of personality and heart, so who couldn’t see her with a lovable dork like Bishop’s character Richard Lovell? Kimmie needs a Joe Manganiello-grade hottie that not only is unattainable but hot enough to bring audiences back for his gratuitous shirtless shots. Will Sasso also proved to have more chemistry with Wilson in his recent apperance on the show.
Less Work
TV already has a television show about a portly, spunky lawyer in Drop Dead Diva. Plus, most Americans spend all day in an office, so no need to try and take a new spin on it.
A New Antagonist
Kate Jenkinson is great as Kendall Quinn, the uptight, type-A, catty co-worker. However, her character became more likable when she showed her softer side. She, like Bishop, isn’t as natural in the role of the Alpha B***h. The series should bring in a new sheriff who would allow for Kendall and Richard to bond more with Kimmie. Is Heather Locklearavailable?
Less Stereotypes
As great as Ash and Lapira are as actors, it’s sad they’ve been relegated to stereotypes. Marika is a walking lesbian gym teacher stereotype and Helen-Alice is the meek Asian stereotype. It would be great if the actors were allowed to subvert expectations and do more with their characters.
Embrace Loserdom
Ultimately, everyone on the show is a dork in some way. Kimmie, Marika, and Helen-Alice may not have thriving social lives but neither do Richard and Kendall. Richard is a meek, nerdy, daddy’s boy. Kendall is a workaholic with intimacy issues. If the five leads could unite and celebrate their shortcomings it could unite an audience around the series.
