| Listen Up | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Sitcom |
| Developed by | Jeff Martin |
| Starring | |
| Composer | Brian Kirk |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 22 |
| Production | |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Production companies | |
| Original release | |
| Network | CBS |
| Release | September 20, 2004 (2004-09-20) – April 25, 2005 (2005-04-25) |
Listen Up is an American sitcom television series created by Jeff Martin, that aired on CBS from September 20, 2004, until April 25, 2005. The sitcom was based loosely on the life and exploits of the popular sportswriter and sports-media personality Tony Kornheiser. Its principal executive producer was Jason Alexander, who was also the lead actor. Despite decent-to-good ratings, the show was canceled by CBS on May 18, 2005; "rising production costs" was the major reason officially given for the cancellation.
Premise
Tony Kleinman is a Philadelphia based sports show host whose sidekick is Bernie Widmer, a former NFL player; together they host the TV show Listen Up. While Tony does talk about sports on the show and in his newspaper column, he strays away occasionally to talk about the daily exploits of his family: his wife, Dana, a fund-raiser coordinator; his son, Mickey, a 15-year-old golf prodigy, and Megan, his 14-year-old, know-it-all, smart-mouthed, soccer-playing daughter.
Cast and characters
- Jason Alexander as Tony Kleinman, a co-host of Listen Up, a sports talk show
- Wendy Makkena as Dana Kleinman, an administrator at Philadelphia Zoo
- Daniella Monet as Megan Kleinman, the teenage daughter of Tony
- Will Rothhaar as Mickey Kleinman, the teenage son of Tony
- Malcolm-Jamal Warner as Bernie Widmer, a retired NFL player and a co-host of Listen Up
Episodes
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Pilot" | Andy Ackerman | Jeff Martin | September 20, 2004 (2004-09-20) |
| 2 | "Hammer Time" | Andy Ackerman | Linda Videtti Figueiredo | September 27, 2004 (2004-09-27) |
| 3 | "Grandmaster of the Wolfhunt" | Mark Cendrowski | Kenya Barris | October 4, 2004 (2004-10-04) |
| 4 | "Cool Jerk" | Andrew D. Weyman | David Litt | October 11, 2004 (2004-10-11) |
| 5 | "Quest for Fire" | John Whitesell | Dan O'Keefe | October 18, 2004 (2004-10-18) |
| 6 | "Mickey Swallows a Bee" | Barnet Kellman | Dan Kopelman | October 25, 2004 (2004-10-25) |
| 7 | "The Gift of the Ton-i" | Terry Hughes | Dan Kopelman | October 25, 2004 (2004-10-25) |
| 8 | "Sweet Charity" | Andy Cadiff | David Litt | November 15, 2004 (2004-11-15) |
| 9 | "Thanksgiving" | Bob Koherr | Daphne Pollon | November 22, 2004 (2004-11-22) |
| 10 | "Mickey Without a Cause" | Andy Ackerman | Dan O'Keefe | November 29, 2004 (2004-11-29) |
| 11 | "Enemy at the Gates" | Terry Hughes | Daphne Pollon | December 13, 2004 (2004-12-13) |
| 12 | "Tony the Tiger" | Rob Schiller | Dan Kopelman | January 3, 2005 (2005-01-03) |
| 13 | "Snub Thy Neighbor" | Bob Koherr | Linda Videtti Figueiredo | January 17, 2005 (2005-01-17) |
| 14 | "Weekend with Bernie" | Bob Koherr | Erika Kaestle & Patrick McCarthy & Jamie Rhonheimer | January 31, 2005 (2005-01-31) |
| 15 | "Inky Dinky Don't" | Bob Koherr | Dan Kopelman | February 7, 2005 (2005-02-07) |
| 16 | "Colon-Oopscopy" | Lynn McCracken | Jamie Rhonheimer | February 14, 2005 (2005-02-14) |
| 17 | "Tony Whine-Man" | Gerry Cohen | Erika Kaestle & Patrick McCarthy | February 21, 2005 (2005-02-21) |
| 18 | "Couch Potato" | Leonard R. Garner Jr. | Dan O'Keefe | March 7, 2005 (2005-03-07) |
| 19 | "Waiting for Kleinman" | Rob Schiller | Kenya Barris | March 21, 2005 (2005-03-21) |
| 20 | "Check Mates" | Bob Koherr | Linda Videtti Figueiredo | April 11, 2005 (2005-04-11) |
| 21 | "Ebony and Irony" | Bob Koherr | Dan Kopelman & Jamie Rhonheimer | April 18, 2005 (2005-04-18) |
| 22 | "Last Vegas" | Bob Koherr | Erika Kaestle & Patrick McCarthy | April 25, 2005 (2005-04-25) |
Reception
Critical response
Critical reaction was largely negative. USA Today's Robert Bianco wrote that the show makes the "mistake of trying to build a star vehicle around a second banana". A New York Times review called it "a rickety vehicle for Jason Alexander". Critics disagreed on the supporting cast – while USA Today noted, "When 'Listen Up' focuses on its supporting cast, the show works", The New York Times referred to a "stiff supporting cast". Matt Rouse of TV Guide wrote, "Forget about the 'Seinfeld' curse, this is just mediocre material and bad casting."
Ratings
The premiere episode drew 11.8 million viewers, while the final episode drew 8.9 million viewers.
References
- Bianco, Robert (September 19, 2004). "Witless 'Listen Up' has a tin ear for comedy". USA Today.
- Heffernan, Virginia (September 20, 2004). "A Celebrity on TV, a Schlemiel at Home". The New York Times.
- Goodman, Tim (September 20, 2004). "Jason Alexander sitcom chalks one up for the 'Seinfeld' curse". San Francisco Chronicle.
- "Listen Up!". TV Guide. September 12–18, 2004. p. 41.
- Haber, Matt (March 26, 2006). "Sorry, Newman: There May Not Be a Seinfeld Curse". The New York Times.
External links
- Listen Up at IMDb
- Listen Up at epguides.com
- 2000s American multi-camera sitcoms
- 2004 American television series debuts
- 2005 American television series endings
- American English-language television shows
- Television series about television
- Television series by CBS Studios
- Television series by 20th Century Fox Television
- Television series about radio
- CBS sitcoms