Listen Up! (TV series)

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.

Listen Up
GenreSitcom
Based onThe books of Tony Kornheiser
Developed byJeff Martin
Starring
ComposerBrian Kirk
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes22
Production
Camera setupMulti-camera
Running time30 minutes
Production companies
Release
Original networkCBS
Original releaseSeptember 20, 2004 (2004-09-20) –
April 25, 2005 (2005-04-25)
External links
Production website

Premise

Tony Kleinman is a 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

Episodes
No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1"Pilot"Andy AckermanJeff MartinSeptember 20, 2004 (2004-09-20)
2"Hammer Time"Andy AckermanLinda Videtti FigueiredoSeptember 27, 2004 (2004-09-27)
3"Grandmaster of the Wolfhunt"Mark CendrowskiKenya BarrisOctober 4, 2004 (2004-10-04)
4"Cool Jerk"Andrew D. WeymanDavid LittOctober 11, 2004 (2004-10-11)
5"Quest for Fire"John WhitesellDan O'KeefeOctober 18, 2004 (2004-10-18)
6"Mickey Swallows a Bee"Barnet KellmanDan KopelmanOctober 25, 2004 (2004-10-25)
7"The Gift of the Ton-i"Terry HughesDan KopelmanOctober 25, 2004 (2004-10-25)
8"Sweet Charity"Andy CadiffDavid LittNovember 15, 2004 (2004-11-15)
9"Thanksgiving"Bob KoherrDaphne PollonNovember 22, 2004 (2004-11-22)
10"Mickey Without a Cause"Andy AckermanDan O'KeefeNovember 29, 2004 (2004-11-29)
11"Enemy at the Gates"Terry HughesDaphne PollonDecember 13, 2004 (2004-12-13)
12"Tony the Tiger"Rob SchillerDan KopelmanJanuary 3, 2005 (2005-01-03)
13"Sub Thy Neighbor"Bob KoherrLinda Videtti FigueiredoJanuary 17, 2005 (2005-01-17)
14"Weekend with Bernie"Bob KoherrErika Kaestle & Patrick McCarthy & Jamie RhonheimerJanuary 31, 2005 (2005-01-31)
15"Inky Dinky Don't"Bob KoherrDan KopelmanFebruary 7, 2005 (2005-02-07)
16"Colon-Oopscopy"Lynn McCrackenJamie RhonheimerFebruary 14, 2005 (2005-02-14)
17"Tony Whine-Man"Gerry CohenErika Kaestle & Patrick McCarthyFebruary 21, 2005 (2005-02-21)
18"Couch Potato"Leonard R. Garner Jr.Dan O'KeefeMarch 7, 2005 (2005-03-07)
19"Waiting for Kleinman"Rob SchillerKenya BarrisMarch 21, 2005 (2005-03-21)
20"Check Mates"Bob KoherrLinda Videtti FigueiredoApril 11, 2005 (2005-04-11)
21"Ebony and Irony"Bob KoherrDan Kopelman & Jamie RhonheimerApril 18, 2005 (2005-04-18)
22"Last Vegas"Bob KoherrErika Kaestle & Patrick McCarthyApril 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".[1] A New York Times review called it "a rickety vehicle for Jason Alexander".[2] 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".[3] Matt Rouse of TV Guide wrote, "Forget about the 'Seinfeld' curse, this is just mediocre material and bad casting."[4]

Ratings

The premiere episode drew 11.8 million viewers, while the final episode drew 8.9 million viewers.[5]

References
  1. "Witless 'Listen Up' has a tin ear for comedy". USA Today.
  2. Heffernan, Virginia (September 20, 2004). "A Celebrity on TV, a Schlemiel at Home". The New York Times.
  3. Goodman, Tim (September 20, 2004). "Jason Alexander sitcom chalks one up for the 'Seinfeld' curse". San Francisco Chronicle.
  4. "Listen Up!". TV Guide. September 12–18, 2004. p. 41.
  5. Haber, Matt (March 26, 2006). "Sorry, Newman: There May Not Be a Seinfeld Curse". The New York Times.
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