TV Review: ABC’s ‘Cupid’ Pushes Romance Past the Breaking Point

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HollywoodChicago.com Television Rating: 2.5/5.0
Television Rating: 2.5/5.0

CHICAGO – I am completely unashamed to admit to being a hopeless romantic and someone easily manipulated by cheesy, sudsy, heartfelt tales of love. I say this because even this loyal fan of movie musicals was pushed over the edge by the goofy romantic dramedy “Cupid,” the new tale of love in the big city debuting on ABC on Tuesday, March 31st.

I preface this review with my affection for all things romantic to make clear that I honestly wanted to like “Cupid”. It features two incredibly charismatic leads in Bobby Cannavale and Sarah Paulson (and a solid supporting cast) and the consistently depressing state of the world could always use a little more amore. But this is not the way to get it.

Sarah Paulson, Bobby Cannavale
Sarah Paulson, Bobby Cannavale.
Photo credit: ABC/Eric Liebowitz

Bobby Cannavale (“Will & Grace”) plays Trevor Pierce, an over-the-top character who may or may not be the human form of the legendary Cupid, the Roman god of love. Trevor claims that he has been sent to the most cynical city on Earth, New York City, to create 100 couples of true love before he will be allowed to return to Mt. Olympus. Naturally, they drop Trevor in a mental institution.

Rick Gomez, Camille Guaty, Bobby Cannavale, Sarah Paulson.
Rick Gomez, Camille Guaty, Bobby Cannavale, Sarah Paulson.
Photo credit: ABC/Bob D’Amico

Three months later, and after teaching the staff and patients to sing “All You Need is Love,” Trevor is deemed harmless and is allowed to be released but only if he’s monitored by cynical psychiatrist and self-help author Dr. Claire McCrae (Sarah Paulson of “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip”). Trevor attends her group therapy sessions so she can monitor his progress and, of course, Cupid himself plays matchmaker with the good doctor’s patients.

Meanwhile, Trevor (Rick Gomez of “What About Brian”) lives above the Tres Equis Cantina, owned by Felix Arroyo and his sister, Lita (Camille Guaty of “Las Vegas”). He plays bartender in exchange for rent. Clearly, the therapy and the bar scene should provide plenty of opportunities for Cupid’s arrow to strike.

“Cupid” creator Rob Thomas has proven himself to be an incredible TV voice in the past with “Veronica Mars” ranking among the best-written shows of the last several years, but the script for the premiere of his second take on “Cupid” (the show originally ran with Jeremy Piven in the lead role and Paula Marshall supporting in 1998-99) is simply weak. He’s above this kind of writing. It’s too predictable, too cheesy, and just too “too”. It’s likely to give viewers more cynical than myself sugar shock.

Cannavale and Paulson have personality to spare but both of their character models have been pushed to the extreme. Cupid/Trevor should just be a charming matchmaker, but he’s been written far too broadly. No one, not even Cupid, should say “poppycock” on network television. He comes off as goofy instead of romantic and, yes, there is a difference.

As for Paulson’s Claire, she’s SO clearly the Scully to Trevor’s Mulder, the character who doesn’t believe in romantic love but will likely be worn down by the charms of her least dangerous patient. It’s hard to judge after one episode, but for a show like “Cupid” to work, the leads need to have their own romantic chemistry and Cannavale and Paulson are seriously lacking in this department.

Bobby Cannavale, Marguerite Moreau.
Bobby Cannavale, Marguerite Moreau.
Photo credit: ABC/Eric Liebowitz

Cannavale and Paulson just don’t look right together and if the writers don’t develop that aspect of the show quickly and the only romance is of the “weekly case” variety then “Cupid” won’t find an audience. Viewers might be intrigued by the overly complicated romantic entanglements of Claire’s patients and the people at Trevor’s bar, but they’ll need an ongoing “will they or won’t they” to come back week to week.

After one episode, Trevor and Claire don’t feel like real people, so their potential chemistry is never given the chance to grow. They’re so clearly designed to be opposites of one another that the supporting characters, especially the lovely Camille Guaty, are more interesting because they feel more genuine.

Clearly, “Cupid” needs some work, but with a cast this good and a creator as talented as Thomas, there’s still hope. First and foremost, the writers need to remember that there’s a difference between romantic and goofy. The first version of “Cupid” aired for fourteen episodes and if they don’t lower the saccharine level and work on the chemistry between their leads, this version won’t make it half as long. “Cupid” could easily be heartbroken again.

‘Cupid,’ which airs on ABC, stars Bobby Cannavale, Sarah Paulson, Rick Gomez, and Camille Guaty. The show was created by Rob Thomas. The premiere airs on Tuesday, March 31st, 2009 at 9PM CST.

HollywoodChicago.com content director Brian Tallerico

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

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