Over the years sketch comedy shows, the likes of SNL and MADtv, have proved themselves a spawning ground for gifted young writers and comedians, often serving as a launch pad for successful solo careers on both the small and the big screen. Yet it's a testament to the differing quality between those two shows that the likes of Steve Carell and Tina Fey have risen to such dizzying television heights as The Office and 30 Rock, Nicole Sullivan, arguably MADtv's most successful alumni finds herself fronting shows on The Lifetime Network in relative anonymity.
The story of one under appreciated wife and mother, Rita Rocks is something of role-reversal King of Queens, which is ironic considering Sullivan had a six-year recurring stint as a neurotic friend of the Heffernans. Here the husband, Jay (Richard Ruccolo), is the buttoned down one and Sullivan's Rita the scatterbrain. Stuck in a dead-end job, mother to a precocious nine-year-old, Shannon (Kelly Gould), a rebellious teenager, Hallie (Natalie Dreyfuss), and surrogate mom to Hallie's ever-present boyfriend, Kip (Ullman), Rita finds herself smack in the middle of a midlife crisis (although the show goes to great pains to never utter those words out loud). Pining for the carefree days of zero responsibility when she played with a Bangles tribute band, Rita decides she's going to set aside a little time for herself to "figure things out."
Dusting off the old guitar Rita forms an unlikely garage band with Kip, her opinionated, no-nonsense post woman (and later best friend), Patty (Tisha Martin-Campbell), and her unemployed neighbor, Owen (Ian Delgado). Of course, they don't play much actual music and anytime they do the production values make it look less like an actual garage band and more an air band with instruments. No, much of the show revolves around Rita trying to get that time for herself (and failing), mad-dashing around after her family, making all the sacrifices, and serving as the overburdened hub that keeps the family together. Much of the comedy revolves around the plate-spinning of many kid, husband, and work relatedpressures, and Rita's rearranging the rainbow array of post-it notes that adorn the wall calendar (always at the expense of her plans) is a running gag.
The storylines are typical sitcom and ambition rarely extends beyond the well-intentioned-white-lie-rapidly-spins-out-of-control type set-up. The characters are archetype and the casting, presumably designed as something of a microcosm of American society, is pure focus group. The teen is embarrassed by mom's antics, the best friend is ethnic with an oh-no-he-didn't attitude, the neighbor is overweight, balding, and forever carping at 'The Man' over the fact that he can't find work, while Rita is your garden variety suburban soccer mom (of in this case karate).
That said, it's impossible to muster anything approaching dislike for Rita Rocks. You might not find it all that funny, but there is an innate charm to it that's easy to relax into. Rita is an earnest character, the kids are not unlikable, and the entire endeavor is just so inoffensive it's remarkably easy to binge on. Lifetime's first original comedy for more than ten years, Rita Rocks was canceled at the end of the second season and you can understand why. Despite the familiar set-up this show is aimed squarely at 30-45 year-old women, who presumably the network expected to tune-in each week, watch Rita make sacrifices for everyone around her, and nod with an accompanying "that's right, honey." Apparently not enough of them did.
DVD Bonus Features
None included.
"Rita Rocks: The Complete Season One" is on sale April 27, 2010 and is not rated. Television. Directed by Shelley Jensen. Written by James Berg, Stan Zimmerman. Starring Ian Gomez, Kelly Gould, Natalie Dreyfuss, Nicole Sullivan, Raviv Ullman, Richard Ruccolo, Tisha Campbell Martin.
