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<i>Me, Myself & I</i> – “Pilot” Review. Meet Alex, Alex & Alex

Season 1, Episode 1

 

Air Date: Monday, September 25, 2017, 9:30/8:30c on CBS

Rating: ★★★★★

“I’ll admit I’ve dealt with some things better than others.” – Alex

Alex, Alex and Alex

Me, Myself & I is the story of Alex Riley during three distinct times in his life. There’s 14-year-old Alex (Jack Dylan Grazer) in 1991, 40-year-old present day Alex (Bobby Moynihan), and 65-year-old Alex (John Larroquette) in 2042. Each storyline impacts the other throughout the course of Alex’s life.

As with many stories, there are essentially three elements –  the setup, the conflict, and the resolution. The Me, Myself & I writers take a similar approach by applying each component to a different generation of Alex.

As “Pilot” opens, young Alex finds his life upended when his divorced mother, Maggie (Mandell Maughan), gets remarried. Grazer does an admirable job in the role but his scenes are often overshadowed by Christopher Paul Richards, who plays his new stepbrother Justin. The newfound friendship forced upon Alex and Justin is so entertaining, it could survive as a stand-alone series. Yet, because Me, Myself & I encompasses two other generations, it’s hard for young Alex to stand out as Justin ends up being the more memorable character of the two. The other hurdle Grazer faces is as the set-up person, things happen to him but the payoffs happen to Moynihan and Larroquette’s Alexes.

Me, Myself & I

It’s clear from “Pilot,” Me, Myself & I was created around the present day version of Alex as Moynihan’s comedic talents make him the star of the show. This version of Alex hows the character at his lowest point in life. Moynihan is commendable as the lovable loser who finds humor even during his darkest moments but like Grazer, Moynihan’s incarnation doesn’t get to fully appreciate the fruits of his labor.

As someone who grew up loving Night Court, I’m ecstatic to see Larroquette back on television. Despite being the weaker of the three characters, Larroquette is as charming as ever in his portrayal of the elder Alex. Given his scenes take place in 2042, there’s a slight disconnect because there isn’t any nostalgia effect for the audience like there are with the younger characters.  The advantage is the audience finally gets to see how all the events in Alex’s life come together.

I admit, I almost didn’t make it to the end of the “Pilot” for Me, Myself & I. Halfway through, the show was doing nothing for me and I couldn’t wait for it to be over. I found the episode more depressing than funny and I had no desire to review it.

Then something suddenly changed. Seeds the writers planted in the first half of the series premiere began to sprout. The bigger picture appears, allowing you to see how even tiny moments in Alex’s life impact him and shape his personality. Characters like Alex’s stepdad Ron (Brian Unger), who is unforgettable early in the episode, is given a powerful heartwarming scene that brought me to the brink of tears, making me want to see more of him.

Young Alex

The success of Me, Myself & I hinges on the audience believing Grazer, Moynihan, and Larroquette are playing the same character. The rewarding payoff Larroquette’s Alex receives means nothing if you don’t buy the setup by Grazer and Moynihan. While it takes a while for Me, Myself & I to get going, in the end, the writers do an amazing job connecting the different generations of Alex and the people around him through dialogue. There are some great subtle character traits that are fun to notice upon multiple viewings. As the episode wound down, I realized I was finally starting to see a little Alex in each actor and began to really enjoy the “Pilot.”

Created by Dan Kopelman, the series premiere of Me, Myself & I seems more like two pilots. The question is which version will show up for the rest of the series. If the writers are able to recreate the same magic that occurs during the second half of the episode, then Me, Myself & I is definitely worth checking out. Given how the writers turn things around, I’m excited for more and will be tuning in.

Tweet me @Staffaroadtrip or leave a comment below to let me know what you think about Me, Myself & I – “Pilot.”

Tune in to Me, Myself & I Mondays at 9:30/8:30c, only on CBS.

 

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Photos: ©2017 CBS Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

 

Greg Staffa

I provide testosterone to the site. You won’t be reading about how nice a actress looks in a dress or how much of a hunk Matt Bomer is in my reviews. I describe colors using words like brown, not taupe. My twitter name is @staffaroadtrip because I love road trips and have done two different 48-state road trips since 2008. My favorite show is White Collar.

Greg Staffa

I provide testosterone to the site. You won’t be reading about how nice a actress looks in a dress or how much of a hunk Matt Bomer is in my reviews. I describe colors using words like brown, not taupe. My twitter name is @staffaroadtrip because I love road trips and have done two different 48-state road trips since 2008. My favorite show is White Collar.