Mike & Molly just keeps on getting better! The second season fires out of the gate on all cylinders with plenty of solid one-liners, innuendos, and tried-and-true sitcom tropes that make it both familiar and fresh at the same time. There’s lots of great material here, reminiscent of the Charlie Sheen days of Two and a Half Men.
Billy Gardell and Melissa McCarthy have amazing chemistry as the title characters who are now engaged and going through the ups and downs of planning the perfect wedding. The way these two interact feels as if they are a real couple and not a set of fictional characters, which helps add to the humor and believability of their relationship. And since the series does follow them from their first interaction forward, it’s pretty fun to watch how the writers develop their romance without making it overly clichéd.
What makes the series, or any sitcom for that matter, work like a well oiled machine is a solid and hilarious supporting cast. Mike’s best friend and fellow Chicago PD officer, Carl (Reno Wilson) gets a strong story arc this season that sees him taking steps toward a committed relationship with a single mom (Holly Robinson-Peete who is a great addition to the show).
Rondi Reed as Mike’s mom, Peggy, is on fire this season with some of the best lines on their show so far. Molly’s sister, Victoria (Katy Mixon) and mom, Joyce (Swoosie Kurtz) deliver plenty of great laughs as well. Carl’s grandma (Cleo King) also has some of the best zingers on the show. I think I can safely say that the women of Mike & Molly get the best lines to deliver on the series.
Of course, I can’t forget Joyce’s fiancée Vince (Louis Mustillo), who is a sleazebag with a heart of gold, and Nyambi Nyambi who plays Samuel the waiter at Abe’s, Mike and Carl’s favorite restaurant. And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention good old Jim (Suzie Q), Peggy Biggs’ best friend and pet dog. He’s always good for a few laughs just with a close-up.
I really like the wide variety of characters the show provides and the diversity of their personalities and backgrounds. It definitely adds to the overall humor and enjoyment of the series.
One thing that I love about this series is that the writers are able to put any two characters together in a scene and make it play for laughs and oftentimes with a hint of underlying pathos. These are well-developed and interesting characters that deliver their fair share of laugh-out-loud lines, but there is a level of heart and an endearing quality to these folks that makes them quite likeable.
If you’ve never seen the series, it’s only fair that I warn you that while it does have a cutesy premise, the series is loaded with sex jokes and innuendo. Basically, if you don’t like the humor on Two and a Half Men, this show probably isn’t for you. I, however, love both shows (well, the Two and a Half Men with Charlie Sheen), and I think that the writers do an excellent job finding a balance between the crassness of the humor and the overarching love story between its title characters.
Season Two is pretty much a continuation of the first season, but it’s even funnier and faster-paced. The jokes come hard and fast, the timing is impeccable, and you can tell that the cast is having a great time.
The DVD edition includes two special features:
Mike & Molly’s Wedding Video
The cast wishes Mike and Molly all the best on their wedding day and then shares their thoughts about the series, it’s main characters, and where the series may be headed now. It also includes interviews with the series writers and director James Burrows.
Gag Reel
Yes, these actors are pros at what they do, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a great time on the set. This gag reel is definitely worth watching!
Mike & Molly is an addictive and hilarious series that will have you laughing the whole time. If you prefer subtle comedy, go someplace else; this series is about big laughs, big jokes, and lots of good fun. I highly, highly recommend Mike & Molly: The Complete Second Season!!!
Mike & Molly: The Complete Second Season is available NOW on DVD!
Who’s your favorite character on Mike & Molly? Leave a comment and let us know!