The Odd Couple is an American television sitcom that aired on CBS from February 19, 2015 to January 30, 2017. This is the he seventh screen production based on the 1965 play written by Neil Simon, following the 1968 film, the original 1970s television series, a 1975 Saturday morning cartoon, a 1982 reboot of the 1970 series, The Odd Couple: Together Again (a TV film reunion of the 1970 series) and The Odd Couple II (a 1998 sequel to the 1968 film).
The series was officially cancelled on May 15, 2017, after three seasons.
Summary
Felix Unger and Oscar Madison meet at college in the late 1980s and fate puts them together as roommates: while Felix is extremely neurotic and fussy in contrast to the slovenly and easy-going Oscar, they both become friends quickly.
They eventually marry two women very different from themselves (Felix gets hitched to the calm but feisty Ashley, and Oscar settles down with the insecure Gaby).
Years later, Felix, now a neat-freak news writer and photographer is kicked out by Ashley after 28 of marriage (having spent eight of them in marriage counseling with Felix going alone for the last 2 years) and moves in with Oscar, who is now a sports talk show host, whose ex-wife Gaby has left him because he was a thoughtless slob.
Felix and Oscar attempt to date Casey and Emily, two sisters who are roommates in the same building, and who both have recently exited their own unhealthy relationships.
Felix is pretty insecure as he still has feelings for Ashley, which contrasts with Oscar who claims to be better off away from his ex. However, Oscar later confesses to Felix that he is not over Gaby.
Oscar holds poker games regularly, with two of the players being Teddy, his agent and Roy, one of his best friends.
Cast
Main Cast
- Matthew Perry as Oscar Madison
- Thomas Lennon as Felix Unger
- Yvette Nicole Brown as Danielle "Dani" Duncan
- Lindsay Sloane as Emily
- Wendell Pierce as Teddy
Recurring Cast
- Leslie Bibb as Casey (Season 1)
- Dave Foley as Roy (Seasons 1-2)
- Lauren Graham as Gaby (Season 1)
- Geoff Stults as Marcus "Murph" Murphy
- Christine Woods as Ashley (Seasons 1-2)
- Teri Hatcher as Charlotte (Seasons 2-3)
- Sheryl Underwood as Diane (Seasons 2-3)
Seasons overview
| Season | Episodes | First air date | Last air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 12 | February 19, 2015 | May 14, 2015 | |
| Season 2 | 13 | April 7, 2016 | May 23, 2016 | |
| Season 3 | 13 | October 17, 2016 | January 30, 2017 | |
Production
Development and filming
Matthew Perry is a self-confessed fan of The Odd Couple, particularly the 1968 film version, which served as the main source of inspiration for the revived series. Perry had been pitching the idea to the networks since the late 2000s, expecting the show for 2010. However, executives passed on it, and Perry turned into another production, NBC's Go On which was canceled after one season. Thereafter, Perry began concentrating on his pet project once again, being finally picked up by CBS in late 2013.
Perry and Danny Jacobson began developing the updated take on Neil Simon's classic as a multi-camera comedy at the network. Perry and Jacobson are co-writing the CBS Television Studios-based half-hour, with Perry attached to play the Oscar role. Carl Beverly and Sarah Timberman of Timberman-Beverly Productions and Eric Tannenbaum and Kim Tannenbaum of The Tannenbaum Co. will also serve as executive producers on the project, which has a penalty attached. On February 25, 2014, CBS ordered a pilot co-written by Perry and Joe Keenan. On May 9, 2014, CBS ordered the pilot to series for a 13-episode season scheduled for a mid-season premiere.
On May 11, 2015, the series was renewed for a second season of 13 episodes which premiered on April 7, 2016 and concluded on May 23, 2016.
On October 31, 2016, CBS announced that the fourth episode of the third season would pay tribute to the late Garry Marshall, creator of the original TV version in 1970. Marshall previously guest starred in the second season of the current series as Oscar's father, Walter. The series' third season concluded on January 30, 2017 with no additional episodes ordered.
Cancellations
On April 10, 2017, Matthew Perry tweeted, "My face on the Odd Couple stage door has been painted over with green paint. I think it's safe to assume that we have been cancelled. #subtle".
Reception
Critical reception
The Odd Couple has received mixed reviews from critics. On Metacritic, season one has a score of 42 out of 100, based on 31 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". On Rotten Tomatoes, the season 1 received 24% "rotten" ratings with consensus, "Stars Matthew Perry and Thomas Lennon make a fine Oscar and Felix, but The Odd Couple's flat jokes and canned laughter are pretty old hat."
External links
- The Odd Couple on Fandom
- The Odd Couple on Wikipedia
