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Ben and Kate Season 1 |OT| Airs Tuesdays at 8:30 on FOX

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T

TripOpt55

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Airs Tuesdays at 8:30/7:30c on FOX

Description

Kate Fox (Dakota Johnson) followed the rules all her life... until she got pregnant in college and dropped out just shy of graduation. After the birth of her daughter, Maddie (Maggie Elizabeth Jones), Kate put her 20s on hold. Now working as a bar manager to make ends meet and maximise her time with Maddie, she’s uber-prepared for every possible catastrophe – except for the arrival of her older brother, Ben Fox (Nat Faxon).

Ben likes trouble a lot more than his sister does. His infectious energy makes everyone want to follow him into any number of bad ideas. Where Kate is all about planning and preparing, Ben is big on spontaneity and out-of-the-box ideas.


When Ben comes to crash on Kate’s couch for a few days, he finds a sad state of affairs. For the first time in their lives, Kate needs Ben’s help, and he’s determined to bring some much-needed chaos into her overly stable world. Always there to help with Ben’s crazy schemes is his partner-in-crime, Tommy (Echo Kellum), who worships Ben like a hero and nurses a serious crush on Kate. Kate’s British best friend, BJ (Lucy Punch), is a cocktail waitress at the bar and an all-around hot mess who would do anything for Kate, even if it’s questionable or illegal.

Cast

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Nate Faxon as Ben Fox
Dakota Johnson as Kate Fox

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Lucy Punch as BJ
Maggie Elizabeth Jones as Maddie Fox

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Echo Kellum as Tommy

Episodes

101: "Pilot"
This show follows some siblings and their friends while they explore the boundaries of their comfort zones.

102: "Bad Cop/Bad Cop"
Ben finishes settling in Kate's home. Meanwhile, Kate lies about her residence to get Maddie into a better school district, but when her plan falls apart, she must admit the truth to Maddie's principal (Alan Ruck). Additionally, Kate tells Ben that he needs to be more strict when disciplining Maddie.

103: "The Fox Hunt"
Ben and Kate argue over how Kate is supposedly the "worker bee" and he is the "king". Kate is annoyed by the fact the Ben thinks he is high and mighty, so Kate wants to prove to him that she is better than him by finally beating him at the fox hunt, a scavenger hunt that they used to play with their grandfather. Kate and BJ team up against Ben and Tom to see who comes out victorious.

104: "21st Birthday"
Kate's 26th birthday is coming up. She is incredibly upset that she never had a 21st birthday party because she had Maggie at that time, so Ben throws Kate a much belated 21st birthday party. Meanwhile, Kate reunites with an old friend, Molly, much to BJ's dismay. Plus, Ben finds out that Darcy has moved into her parent's house with her husband, a plan she and Ben had when they were dating.

105: "Emergency Kit"
Ben creates a fake emergency situation to prove to Kate that it is okay not be prepared for everything. Meanwhile, Ben's on-and-off ex-girlfriend Louise (Lindsay Sloane), continually shows up unexpectedly. Elsewhere, Kate convinces BJ not to sleep with their boss (Rob Corddry), after going on a first date.

Official Website
 
T

TripOpt55

Member
Thought I'd make a thread for this show since there is not one. Never made a thread like this before, so if you think something needs to be added let me know. Tried to put something in the first post, but again kind of new to this. Hopefully some other people watch this show and want to discuss it.

This is probably my biggest surprise of the TV season. A lot funnier than I thought it would be and rather sweet/heartfelt without feeling forced.
 
T

tw1164

Member
I'm behind a few shows, but I think it's one the of the better new shows. I don't know why but Nat Faxon reminds me of Ed Helms.
 
J

jb1234

Member
I watched the pilot and thought it was cute but not really worth sticking with. I also found the brother incredibly irritating. Is he toned down later on?
 
V

vicissitudes

Banned
I've been watching this. The episodes are hit-or-miss, but it's pretty enjoyable when it's a hit. Same with Ben's character. Sometimes he does it for me, sometimes he gets on my nerves.

Kate is cute though, will keep watching for her.
 
beat

beat

Member
The show feels really solid already. It plays out with longer scenes or longer takes than most sitcoms these days. It doesn't make Ben (the weird guy) always right, which is a big problem with a lot of weird guy/normal guy sitcom pairings. The characters are all solid, it's got a lot of heart, and it can be really funny too. And nearly nothing feels forced about the show. Basically, it already has a really really strong idea about what it wants to be and is getting there already.

It's definitely my favorite new sitcom this season.
 
T

TripOpt55

Member
Along with the two main characters who have a really believable and fun brother/sister relationship, I really love the BJ character who can be hilarious. I also get a kick out of Maddie who can be pretty funny without doing much and they don't try to overuse her which I think helps.

jb1234 said:
I watched the pilot and thought it was cute but not really worth sticking with. I also found the brother incredibly irritating. Is he toned down later on?
Click to expand...

I think he gets a little less annoying. I personally didn't have an issue with him early on, but my friend did and he said he doesn't have an issue with him anymore. I'd say give it another shot. I think it gets better after the pilot.
 
beat

beat

Member
"Then that's when I'll see you with my looking-balls." Dakota Johnson's got adorkable-ness* on lock.


* "adorkable" was coined well before Fox ever used it for New Girl marketing, not sure why people hate that word so much.
 
beat

beat

Member
Best new sitcom of the year! It constantly subverts or avoids sitcom cliches in plotting, the jokes are fresh, the casting is one of the best around... How the hell is it tanking so hard in the ratings?
 
S

someday

Banned
beat said:
Best new sitcom of the year! It constantly subverts or avoids sitcom cliches in plotting, the jokes are fresh, the casting is one of the best around... How the hell is it tanking so hard in the ratings?
Click to expand...

I'm not helping. I watch the shows surrounding it so I've given it a watch or two but the brother just irritates me. I'm sick of characters like him and the show mostly revolves around him. I actually like the others.
 
beat

beat

Member
someday said:
I'm not helping. I watch the shows surrounding it so I've given it a watch or two but the brother just irritates me. I'm sick of characters like him and the show mostly revolves around him. I actually like the others.
Click to expand...
He is probably the most sitcommy character of the bunch (wild unpredictable character who turns everyone's lives upside down but makes them better for it) but even he's treated by the others a bit more like real people would treat him than your average sitcom would.
 
T

TripOpt55

Member
I wish I had more to say after each episode (especially as the creator of the thread), but I always struggle to makes comments for comedies online. I like how terrible of an idea it was for Ben to make a loft with just wood and rope. Kate's fight with Will felt a bit forced at first, but I did like at the end when Kate was saying she wants that craziness in her life and all that.

Also I just love how all of the adults talk to Maddie like she's an adult sort of. It is pretty funny.

I agree with beat that it is the best new sitcom of the Fall. I'd say straight up best new show so far probably. Been good every week I feel like.
 
B

big ander

Member
Blew through all 10 episodes over the past 3 days. I didn't really keep up with new shows this fall but I'm really glad I got around to jumping on this one. It arrived sure of its tone and the jokes have only gotten better as it's gone on. There are still some issues. I don't think BJ or Tommy are fully functioning ensemble members yet. They're often there for punchlines or to tag along. But already the show is aiming to correct that with some solo BJ stories and by playing Tommy off everyone else in the ensemble and maybe breaking him off into a relationship for a while.

Surprised that some people's hang-up is Ben. I get being annoyed at the idea of that character, but I think the execution is perfect. Nat Faxon is excellent, and Ben isn't written as entirely incapable. Just flighty and irresponsible to a certain point. I think he's credible as "crazy uncle". And again, it does help that I'd probably watch a show where Nat Faxon just names trees for a full half hour.
Oh, and Dakota Johnson is great too. Cute obviously, but she also has excellent comedic timing and already seems at home in the character.

New episode tomorrow night already. Looking forward to it.
EDIT: And now I'm reading it's almost certain to be canceled. So it goes.
 
B

big ander

Member
Yeah, BJ's newscaster was great. As was Rob Corddry coming back. His character is one giant wtf and it's really hilarious.
I think I loved every Ben/Kate interaction most though. show really nails a sibling dynamic. them telling each other how much they sucked was hilarious and real.
kate smuggling the curriculum in her pants was awesome
 
beat

beat

Member
Outstanding new episode tonight. Everyone was in top form and the writing was rock solid IMO. So funny, so smart.
 
T

TripOpt55

Member
^Ouch. Look at those last two posts. Shame about this show. It was a really fun comedy. I'll miss it.

Figured we ought to at least talk about this past episode. I loved the bit where Maddie was learning a British accent and BJ was walking her through all the different places. Anything with those two was awesome in this episode and the whole show.
 
B

big ander

Member
TripOpt55 said:
^Ouch. Look at those last two posts. Shame about this show. It was a really fun comedy. I'll miss it.

Figured we ought to at least talk about this past episode. I loved the bit where Maddie was learning a British accent and BJ was walking her through all the different places. Anything with those two was awesome in this episode and the whole show.
Click to expand...

I mean, I just love anything that involves Kate being awkward. And there was a lot of that in this past episode.
I did think Maddie's british accent was amazing too. BJ doing the long "take a train, get off, get back on because you've gone two stops too far, get on a bus" or whatever it was cracked me up.
 
beat

beat

Member
BJ doing the long "take a train, get off, get back on because you've gone two stops too far, get on a bus" or whatever it was cracked me up.
Click to expand...
That wasn't just a long funny monologue like her earlier one defending the Ben Fox Circus -- in this one she (as far as my Canadian ears can tell) did a tour of British accents, plus an Aussie one as well.

Given that BJ loves Maddie, it was pretty obvious she'd try to protect Maddie's feelings by lying about who got rejected from the ad. I really wasn't expecting Maddie to turn around and sell BJ out though. That was a nice twist.
 
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