The Random Years

The Random Years revolves around three men in their early twenties—Alex Barnes (Will Friedle), Wiseman (Joshua Ackerman), and Todd Mitchell (Sean Murray)—who have been friends since elementary school.[1] While sharing a loft apartment in Chinatown, Manhattan, they attempt to navigate life after graduating from college.[1][2] Storylines also focus on their bad dates.[3][4]

Alex is a rock music researcher for Music Week magazine, and dreams of becoming a music critic.[1][5] He is characterized as lovesick.[2] Following his mother's suggestion, the eccentric Wiseman works as a dental technician but has no interest in becoming a dentist.[5][2] Unemployed during the show,[1] Todd relies on "schemes to get what he needs".[5] He is also shown as having an obsession with Star Wars.[5]

Casey Parker (Natalia Cigliuti) helps Alex with his music website.[1] Portrayed as ambitious,[1][6] she works at a temp job while attending the New York University Stern School of Business.[5] In the second episode, she becomes the men's neighbor,[2][7] with assistance from Alex.[1] Steve (Winston J. Rochas), the building superintendent, had used the apartment to store his brother's stolen goods.[1] Casey enjoys watching Antiques Roadshow,[5] and he and Alex play a form of strip poker based on the show.[4] Alex, Wiseman, and Todd each want to date Casey.[8]

Nate Reger and his writing partner Mike Lisbe created The Random Years based on their experiences living in New York City after graduating from college.[6][8] Developed under the working title Life as We Know It, Big Phone Productions, in association with Paramount Television, produced the show.[8] Judd Pillot and John Peaslee were the show's executive producers.[9]

Prior to production, Friedle was scheduled to star in The WB sitcom Off Centre, but was replaced by Eddie Kaye Thomas at "the last moment". While discussing the casting changes, Friedle said, "I'm on the show that I really wanted to be on. And I'm doing what I really wanted to do". Murray had agreed to participate in The Random Years since David Lynch was originally attached to the series as a director. Murray described himself as a Lynch "fanatic".[10]

In January 2002, the United Paramount Network (UPN) organized panels on its then-upcoming programs, which involved their writers and cast members. The Random Years was one of the shows discussed. Television executive Les Moonves said the programs were scheduled for spring and summer releases. During the presentation, the Chicago Tribune's Steve Johnson wrote that The Random Years was another "conventional sitcom about still more New Yorkers in their early 20s".[11] Scott Sandell of the Los Angeles Times compared the show's premise to the sitcom Seinfeld due to their shared focus on "nothing". He likened Wiseman to Cosmo Kramer, a character from Seinfeld.[3] Television critics have described The Random Years as a buddy comedy.[1][12]

Premiering alongside the dramedy As If, The Random Years was broadcast on Tuesday nights at 9 pm EST;[13] the pilot episode was watched by 1.4 million viewers.[14] The series had a TV 14 parental rating, indicating that it was "unsuitable for children under 14 years of age".[15] UPN aired As If and The Random Years as mid-season replacements to occupy the timeslot previously filled by science fiction television show Roswell.[16] The Random Years was one of the lowest-performing shows tracked by Nielsen Holdings, and it was canceled after three weeks. Seven episodes were filmed, though only four were aired.[13] According to TV Guide, The Random Years is not available on any digital platform.[17]

Credits taken from Richard Irvin's 2016 book Forgotten Laughs: An Episode Guide to 150 TV Sitcoms You Probably Never Saw:[8]

The Random Years received a mixed response from critics. David Kronke of the Los Angeles Daily News praised its focus on post-graduate life, and felt it would benefit from better scripts.[18] Sandell wrote the storylines were entertaining yet formulaic,[3] and Caryn James for The New York Times summed up the show as "not painfully bad, just by-the-numbers and predictable".[19] Some critics dismissed it as a failed attempt to recreate a sitcom similar to Friends,[20][21] while Scott Sandell described it as a pale imitation of Seinfeld.[3] Others responded negatively to its comedy.[2][22] The Chicago Tribune's Allan Johnson criticized The Random Years as "pedestrian", and felt it lacked humor.[2] Scott D. Pierce of the Deseret News wrote that there "isn't a whole lot to hang a series on".[6]

While the Houston Chronicle's Ann Hodges criticized the cast as a "gang of lightweight newcomers".[21] Other reviewers had more positive responses to their performances.[3][4][6][7] Terry Kelleher of People cited Friedle, Murray, and Cigliuti as highlights, though he felt that Ackerman "pushes his oddball caricature too hard".[7] Newsday's Noel Holston wrote that Murray's performance in the strip poker scene was the only highlight of the pilot episode.[4]

• The Random Years at IMDb
• The Random Years at TV.com