Call Me Kat
Call Me Kat is an American sitcom television series largely based on the British sitcom Miranda by Miranda Hart. The series is written by Darlene Hunt and stars Mayim Bialik as the title role, with Cheyenne Jackson, Kyla Pratt, Julian Gant, Leslie Jordan, and Swoosie Kurtz in supporting roles. The series premiered on Fox as a midseason entry in the 2020–21 television season on January 3, 2021.[1][2][3][4][5]
Call Me Kat | |
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Genre | Sitcom |
Based on | Miranda by Miranda Hart |
Developed by | Darlene Hunt |
Starring |
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Music by | Anna Waronker |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 1 |
No. of episodes | 6 |
Production | |
Executive producers |
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Producers |
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Cinematography |
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Editor | Pamela Marshall |
Camera setup | Multi-camera |
Running time | 21–22 minutes |
Production companies | |
Distributor | Warner Bros. Television Distribution |
Release | |
Original network | Fox |
Picture format | 720p (HDTV) |
Original release | January 3, 2021 – present |
Chronology | |
Related shows | Miranda |
External links | |
Official website |
Premise
Call Me Kat follows a 39-year-old single woman named Kat "who struggles every day against society and her mother to prove that you can not have everything you want yet still be happy." After leaving her job as a professor at the University of Louisville,[6] she spends the money her parents set aside for her wedding to open a cat café in Louisville, Kentucky.[1][2]
Cast
Main
- Mayim Bialik as Kat Silver, a 39-year old single woman who runs a cat café in Louisville and struggles to find a balance between her fulfilling life and her constant sense of loneliness.
- Swoosie Kurtz as Sheila, Kat's overbearing mother who cannot understand why her daughter chooses to be single and constantly tries to get her to meet new men.
- Leslie Jordan as Phil, a newly single gay man who works as the head baker at Kat's café.
- Kyla Pratt as Randi, a waitress at Kat's café.
- Julian Gant as Carter, the owner of the bar next to Kat's café.
- Cheyenne Jackson as Max, Kat's friend and former college love interest who works at Carter's bar after returning home from years of traveling abroad.
Guest
- Vanessa Lachey as Tara Barnett,[7] Kat's best friend since childhood who is married with three kids.
- Lamorne Morris as Daniel, a customer at Kat's cafe who refuses to tip on social and political grounds and also has a relationship with Randi.
- Greg Cromer as Brandon
- Schuyler Helford as Brigitte, Max's French ex-girlfriend
- Robert Michael Lee as Street Caricaturist
- Tiwana Floyd as Customer
- Usman Ally as Dr. Kevin Khan, a therapist hired by Kat to help her confront her issues with Sheila.[8]
- Sterling Jones as Lane Gaffney, the fiancee of Phil's ex Marty.[9]
- Jack Plotnick as Bennett[7]
- Melody Butiu as Renee Lancaster[7]
Episodes
No. | Title [10] | Directed by | Written by | Original air date [10] | Prod. code | U.S. viewers (millions) |
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1 | "Plus One" | Beth McCarthy-Miller | Teleplay by : Darlene Hunt | January 3, 2021 | T12.16551 | 5.63[11] |
Kat Silver introduces herself as a single, 39-year-old woman who recently quit her job as a college professor after her father died, and used the money that was supposed to be spent on her wedding to pursue her dream of opening a cat café. When her childhood friend Tara invites her to attend her renewal-of-vows ceremony, Kat is ecstatic to learn that she can bring a guest and chooses her friend and employee Phil. However, Tara insists that Kat only bring someone she's romantically involved with, and when Kat ignores her and brings Phil anyway, it damages their friendship. Kat patches things up, but then her mother angrily confronts her for calling Phil her boyfriend in front of her friends. Kat brushes her off, insisting that she doesn't need to be in love to be happy, without admitting that she does feel something is missing in her life. When Max, her old college boyfriend, asks her out to dinner, Kat happily accepts his offer and then accidentally kicks him in the face. | ||||||
2 | "Double Date" | Anthony Rich | Darlene Hunt | January 7, 2021 | T12.16552 | 3.30[12] |
Sheila sets Kat up with Brandon, who works as an announcer at Churchill Downs. Their date is set for the same night that Kat is performing at Carter's talent competition with Max; believing that Max is into her, Kat chooses to stand Brandon up only to realize her mistake when Max admits he still has feelings for his ex-girlfriend Bridgette. Randi confronts a customer named Daniel for never tipping, for which he explains the complicated but passionate reasons for why he doesn't. He does, however, gift her an expensive roll of camera film and flirts with her at the café. Kat visits Brandon to ask for a second chance, but then learns he's actually married and only wanted to meet with her for advice on starting his own business. Kat swears off ever letting her mother set her up again, but then immediately relents when Sheila arrives and offers to set her up with another man who drives a Zamboni for a living. | ||||||
3 | "Vacation" | Mark Cendrowski | David Holden | January 14, 2021 | T12.16553 | 2.84[13] |
Kat wins a vacation for two to Puerto Rico in a radio contest, and offers to take Tara given that everyone else is busy. However, Tara has a last-minute emergency, and Kat tells her mother and friends that's she going on the trip alone; secretly, she books a room in a hotel right in Louisville. Unfortunately, Max and Carter visit the hotel to attend a whiskey convention, where Kat has been impersonating a whiskey aficionado for free food and gets drunk while doing a tasting. While running home for her mouth-guard, Kat overhears her mother lamenting how much she fears for her daughter's safety. Saddened, Kat goes out onto the hotel roof alone with Max and reveals her fear of traveling alone. Max then confesses his feelings and is about to propose to Kat, when she suddenly realizes it was just her imagination. | ||||||
4 | "Therapy" | Richie Keen | Darlene Hunt | January 21, 2021 | T12.16556 | 2.53[14] |
When Sheila temporarily moves in with Kat and quickly wears out her welcome, the two are convinced to attend couples' therapy in an attempt to sort out their differences. Phil and Randi go across state lines to obtain marijuana-infused oil for Phil's nearly blind mother, but when Phil accidentally eats one of the sticky buns he made with the oil, he becomes incredibly high and Randi barely stops him from stripping naked in Carter's bar. The therapy session go poorly until Kat and Sheila have a breakthrough when they start discussing Kat's father's death. Sheila admits that she let her grief for her husband's death keep her from helping Kat with hers, and the two reconcile, before the therapist, upset with how they belittled him earlier, says they should find someone else to conduct their next session. | ||||||
5 | "Cake" | Anthony Rich | David Holden | January 28, 2021 | T12.16557 | 2.48[15] |
Kat has a dream about kissing Max; when she reveals it to him, he kisses her for real. Phil is asked to bake a wedding cake for a man named Lane, but when Phil realizes that Lane is the man his ex Marty left him for, he refuses. Lane, mistakenly believing he was denied service on account of his sexuality, posts a review that leads to the café losing customers and facing the threat of a boycott. Phil is convinced to bake the cake when Kat reminds him that he's doing it for her, Randi, and everyone else who loves him. Kat learns that Max doesn't see her as a potential romantic partner, and when she confronts him about it, he explains that he chooses not to date her because he's had bad experiences with dating before and is afraid of losing her as a friend. Unbeknownst to her, he has also been dreaming of kissing her. | ||||||
6 | "Gym" | Victor Gonzalez | Laura Krafft | February 4, 2021 | T12.16555 | 2.55[16] |
7 | "Eggs" | TBA | TBA | February 11, 2021 | TBA | TBD |
8 | "All Nighter" | TBA | TBA | February 18, 2021 | TBA | TBD |
Production
Development
On September 19, 2019, it was announced that Fox Broadcasting Company had given a series commitment, based on the British sitcom Miranda by Miranda Hart. The working title at this stage was Carla.[1][3] The series was to be executive produced by Mayim Bialik and Darlene Hunt through Sad Clown Productions, Jim Parsons (Bialik's former co-star on The Big Bang Theory) and Todd Spiewak through That's Wonderful Productions, and Angie Stephenson and the original series creator and star Miranda Hart through BBC Studios. That's Wonderful Productions' Eric Norsoph, and Sad Clown Productions' Mackenzie Gabriel-Vaught would serve as producers.[1] Production companies named were Fox Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television.[4] On February 12, 2020, it was announced that the series title had been changed from Carla to Call Me Kat.[17] On May 11, 2020, it was announced that Fox had ordered the pilot to series.[4] The series premiered on January 3, 2021.[5]
During the show's development, Hunt decided to set the show in Louisville, near her hometown of Lebanon Junction, Kentucky, telling Kirby Yates of Louisville's daily newspaper, The Courier-Journal, "Louisville just felt right." In the same interview, Hunt told Yates that Bialik approved of the setting: "She had been to Louisville recently and loved the city and told me she felt it was really unique and special. I gave her the option to set it in her hometown of San Diego, but she doubled down on Louisville." Hunt is not the only Louisville-area native involved in the series' production; a co-executive producer and writer, Amy Hubbs, is from Elizabethtown, Kentucky. Hunt noted that she and Hubbs had "a big debate" over Kat's allegiance in the Kentucky–Louisville college rivalry, noting that "I grew up a big U of L fan, and Amy was a huge UK fan." Hunt chose not to reveal Kat's allegiance before the series premiere, but confirmed that the chosen university sent several items to be used in decorating the character's home.[6]
According to Yates, the series is "chock full of Louisville references", with the first three episodes alone making multiple references to Louisville cultural touchstones and locations such as the UK–U of L rivalry, bourbon, the Brown Hotel, Churchill Downs, and Muhammad Ali. Yates added, "Although none of the show is actually filmed in Louisville, the show's art department works off photographs to recreate the references in Louisville on a production stage in Los Angeles." Hunt further added, "It does feel really special to be able to make so many shoutouts to people, places and things around Louisville and to be able to honor them in the show. A new hometown pride is coming out in me, so it's very special."[6]
Casting
Upon series commitment, Bialik was also cast to star in the series.[1] In February 2020, Swoosie Kurtz and Kyla Pratt had joined the cast in starring roles.[17][18] On March 6, 2020, Cheyenne Jackson was cast in a starring role.[19] On April 2, 2020, it was announced that Leslie Jordan joined the main cast.[20] On April 28, 2020, it was reported that Julian Gant joined the cast as a series regular.[21]
Hunt added local color in casting of minor roles. She told Yates, "I cast one woman who mentioned she was from Louisville when she auditioned because her character works at a hotel, and I needed her to say 'Welcome to Louisville!' Anyone from Louisville knows how hard it is to get people from somewhere else to say that correctly!" The woman cast for that role grew up near Seneca Park in Louisville.[6]
Animal safety
In an interview, Bialik said the cats used in filming are neither drugged nor tethered. Several trainers are on-set to supervise the cats.[22]
Broadcast
Call Me Kat premiered on January 3, 2021 at 8/7c on Fox. On January 7, 2021, the series moved to Thursdays at 9/8c, its regular Thursday timeslot, alongside Last Man Standing.[23] It can also be seen on CTV in Canada.[24]
Reception
Critical response
The series has received mostly negative reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an approval rating of 21% based on 14 critic reviews, with an average rating of 4.8/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "More gimmick than sitcom, Call Me Kat buries a charming Mayim Bialik in a sandbox of toothless jokes and shallow characterizations."[25] On Metacritic, the series has a weighted average score of 41 out of 100, based on 10 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[26]
Ratings
No. | Title | Air date | Rating (18–49) | Viewers (millions) | DVR (18–49) | DVR viewers (millions) | Total (18–49) | Total viewers (millions) |
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1 | "Plus One" | January 3, 2021 | 1.4 | 5.63[11] | 0.3 | 1.58 | 1.7 | 7.21[27] |
2 | "Double Date" | January 7, 2021 | 0.7 | 3.30[12] | 0.4 | 1.87 | 1.1 | 5.17[28] |
3 | "Vacation" | January 14, 2021 | 0.6 | 2.84[13] | 0.3 | 1.72 | 0.9 | 4.56[29] |
4 | "Therapy" | January 21, 2021 | 0.6 | 2.53[14] | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
5 | "Cake" | January 28, 2021 | 0.6 | 2.48[15] | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
6 | "Gym" | February 4, 2021 | 0.5 | 2.55[16] | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
References
- Andreeva, Nellie (September 19, 2019). "Mayim Bialik To Star & EP, Jim Parsons To EP Fox Comedy Series 'Carla' Based On UK's 'Miranda'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
- Otterson, Joe (September 19, 2019). "'Big Bang Theory' Alums Jim Parsons, Mayim Bialik Set Comedy at Fox With Series Commitment". Variety. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
- Goldberg, Lesley (September 19, 2019). "Mayim Bialik, Jim Parsons Reunite for Fox Comedy". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
- Goldberg, Lesley (May 11, 2020). "Mayim Bialik's 'Call Me Kat' Ordered to Series at Fox". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
- Andreeva, Nellie (November 10, 2020). "Fox Sets Winter Premiere Dates; 'The Masked Dancer', 'Call Me Kat' & 'Last Man Standing' Get Post-NFL Launches". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
- Yates, Kirby (December 30, 2020). "How purrfect: New FOX show 'Call Me Kat,' about a fictional cat cafe, is set in Louisville". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
- "(KAT-103) "Vacation"". FOXFLASH. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
- "(KAT-106) "Therapy"". FOXFLASH. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
- "(KAT-107) "Cake"". FOXFLASH. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
- "Shows A-Z - call me kat on fox". The Futon Critic. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
- Metcalf, Mitch (January 6, 2021). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 1.3.202". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
- Metcalf, Mitch (January 11, 2021). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Thursday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 1.7.2021". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
- Metcalf, Mitch (January 15, 2021). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Thursday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 1.14.2021". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
- Metcalf, Mitch (January 25, 2021). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Thursday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 1.21.2021". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
- Metcalf, Mitch (January 29, 2021). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Thursday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 1.28.2021". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
- Metcalf, Mitch (February 5, 2021). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Thursday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 2.4.2021". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
- Andreeva, Nellie (February 12, 2020). "Swoosie Kurtz Joins 'Call Me Kat' Fox Comedy Series Starring Mayim Bialik". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
- Andreeva, Nellie (February 13, 2020). "Kyla Pratt Joins 'Call Me Kat' Fox Comedy Series Starring Mayim Bialik". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
- Andreeva, Nellie (March 6, 2020). "Cheyenne Jackson To Star In 'Call Me Kat' Fox Comedy Series With Mayim Bialik". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
- Petski, Denise (April 2, 2020). "Leslie Jordan Joins 'Call Me Kat' Fox Comedy Series Starring Mayim Bialik". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
- Petski, Denise (April 28, 2020). "Julian Gant Joins 'Call Me Kat' Fox Comedy Series Starring Mayim Bialik". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
- Miller, Gerri (December 24, 2020). "Mayim Bialik Finds Her Purr-fect Role in the Comedy Series 'Call Me Kat'". Jewish Journal. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
- Scoop, T. V. "Scoop: Coming Up on a New Episode of CALL ME KAT on FOX - Thursday, January 7, 2021". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
- "Call Me Kat". Bell Media. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
- "Call Me Kat: Season 1 (2021)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
- "Call Me Kat: Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
- Pucci, Douglas (January 16, 2021). "Live+7 Weekly Ratings: 'The Rookie' Third Season Premiere Leads Overall Raw Gains on New Year's Week". Programming Insider. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
- Pucci, Douglas (January 21, 2021). "Live+7 Weekly Ratings: 'This Is Us' Winter Return on NBC Tops Overall Raw Lifts". Programming Insider. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
- Pucci, Douglas (January 27, 2021). "NBC Dramas are Four of the Top Five Gainers Among Adults 18-49". Programming Insider. Retrieved January 29, 2021.