New Series Review: Animal Practice, Men with Kids, The Neighbors

I am finally done watching all the new sitcoms, with the final three being Animal Practice (which actually aired the pilot of back in August), Men with Kids, and The Neighbors. If you don't feel like reading the entire post, I will give you the short reviews first...
Animal Practice: Shit and not funny at all
Men with Kids: Fine, a bit funny, a bit sweet, a bit blah
The Neighbors: Weird and funny and too high concept to really last

Men with Kids

I enjoyed Men with Kids. Way more than I thought I would. It really isn't a show about men raising kids and the hilarity that ensues. It is more about the friendships and relationships of three guys who have kids, two who are married and one who is divorced. I wanted to really like this show because I really love Jesse Bradford (Romeo + Juliet, Swimfan, Bring It On). And it was a decent show. It had a few laughs and everyone in it was pleasant. But that is kind of all I can think to say about it. It was fine. Everyone was good. The jokes made me laugh internally a bit, but nothing about it really made me want to watch again. It was very middle of the road and non-offensive in any way. I'm not sure I'm really the target demographic.

Animal Practice

I have actually now watched two episodes of this (the pilot and the premiere) and they were both terrible. While watching the premiere I almost turned it off because it was not any better than the pilot. I want it to be good. The only good thing in it is Tyler Labine who I find likable in everything I've seen him in (Reaper, Tucker and Dale vs. Evil). Nothing about the show makes me laugh. Nothing is funny. I feel the same way about Animal Practice that I feel about Family Guy...I actually feel dumber after watching it, like I literally lost some IQ points by association. And the frustrating part is that it seems like a show that wants to be good. It has good people in it and it even has a monkey as a character! But the "jokes" aren't funny. The "sweet" seems overly contrived. The plots are dumb. I just don't get it at all. It is just all together shit. Don't bother watching.

The Neighbors

I really liked the Neighbors. Probably more than most people. Jen and I were discussing it and I liked it way more than her, even though she enjoyed it. It is a high concept show about a human family who moves into a subdivision that has only aliens living there. It is a weird-ass show. I can't even pinpoint what it is about it that I really like. It just had a good rhythm. I liked that it kind of gives a new way to look at culture from an outside perspective and what comes across to someone who is unfamiliar with humans. It also brought up male/female dynamics, which was interesting to see done in a comedy. And most importantly, it was weirdly funny. Aliens get nutrition through their eyes, so instead of eating they read cook books. And to have sex, it is no contact and done all through looks...which was a really really funny scene. I am fairly sure that this is one of those shows that will not even make it through the season, which is a shame because I think it a unique concept and a fun show.

Overall Sitcom Ranking

Things I will be DVRing:
Ben & Kate
The Neighbors

Things I will be watching at least another episode of:
The Mindy Project
The New Normal (I watched like...3 episodes and am now out)

Things I enjoyed but won't be watching again:
Guys with Kids

Things you couldn't pay me to watch again:
Partners
Go On
Animal Practice

What were your thoughts on the sitcoms that premiered this season? Which ones are you keeping on your schedule? Which made you want to throw things at your tv?

Stay tuned this week for my reviews of Vegas, The Last Resort, Elementary, Made in Jersey, and 666 Park Avenue (all of which are on my DVR waiting to be watched).