TV Review: ABC's 'Hank'
ABC’s Hank debuts Sept. 30 at 8 p.m. The following are reviews from TV critics around the Web, compiled by B&C.
“Mr. Grammer is still funny, but his newest format is too timeworn to give his comic style a fresh boost. Hank has the right star in the wrong setting.”
–Alessandra Stanley, The New York Times
“Essentially Green Acres updated with a corporate-tycoon-gets-humbling-comeuppance twist that’s less timely than it sounds, this multicamera half-hour does little more than provide reasonably pleasant company, while looking and sounding as if it could have been developed when Cheers begin its run.”
–Brian Lowry, Variety
“…Grammer’s series, Hank, a moronic and ghastly effort that suffocates under the cloying and annoying blanket of a laugh track so disturbing it should be destroyed. As should the show.”
–Tim Goodman, San Francisco Chronicle
“Grammer’s so miscast it hurts. He has no chemistry with Melinda McGraw, who plays his all-wise wife. And Grammer’s efforts as a father are like watching a moose try to drive a car.”
–Rick Bentley, The Fresno Bee
“He can make me laugh just by delivering a line such as, “It’s a fun little chardonnay, isn’t it?” But ultimately, this is a “Frasier” retread, and an inferior one.”
–Paige Wiser, Chicago Sun-Times
“Hank embraces all the cliches viewers grew tired of in family sitcoms. Who has a hankering for more of that?”
-Rob Owen, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
“If Hank isn’t this season’s most painful new sitcom, that’s only because Fox’s Brothers and CBS’ Accidentally on Purpose are trying to make it a horse race. It’s lazy, predictable and spectacularly tone-deaf.”
-Alan Sepinwall, The Star-Ledger (Newark, N.J.)
Wejdene commented:
I like Hank somewhat, but I raelly blame the person in charge of casting. Kelsey is great, and people like him. But the people they cast for the wife, daughter and son are raelly lame and unlikable. Don't they know that the fringe players are the most important part of a sitcom?! Seinfeld would've been a disaster if it weren't for George Elaine and Kramer. Fraiser was a great show because of Niles, Daphne, the dad and Roz. Hank's supporting cast was awful.
Tala commented:
From the bottom of my heart, all the best to you. I rebemmer fondly talking to you and Lauren Padgett after classes. my best wishes for your speedy recovery and the project of living well.
periwinkle commented:
Oh ugh. Kelsey Grammer can do better than this!
SMAC commented:
THIS SHOW IS AWFUL, I WAS EMBARRASED FOR ALL THE ACTORS, IT WAS HARD TO WATCH IT
Joseph commented:
As I suffered through this half hour "sitcom" called Hank I could only wonder how awful the pilots are that don't make it. The writers of this show should be truly ashamed and ABC has to ask itself "Is this the best we can offer?" Dump this garbage now.