Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Best New Cable Show - Men of a Certain Age on TNT

The best new cable show on television is TNT's "Men of a Certain Age." A TV show that gives twenty somethings a glimpse of their father's world and something the old men to relate to. It is sort of the male version of "Sex in The City," I like to call it "No Sex in The City."

Scott Bakula, of Star Trek: Legacy and Quantum Leap, plays Terry, the older ladies man that Ray Romano and Andre Braugher live vicariously through. Episode 2, Let it Go, has Terry stealing a car of a crazy driver running a stop sign almost hitting him and a pedestrian. Prior to this incident, he confronts a family man that made him spill his coffee while he walked with Joe (Ray Romano) and Owen (Andre Braugher) from the coffee shop.

Sitting at lunch, Terry tries to talk Joe and Owen into going to the house of the coffee stop sign runner from earlier in the week (with no dice). However a work friend has a brother as a policemen, so Terry runs the license plate anyway. Terry doesn't know what awkward moment he is in for later in the episode.

Road Rage
Now if you run someone of the road, in society, it is ok to yell at them and get in a verbal fight at the scene of the crime, but don't go to their house to confront them later (as Terry did). It was sort of awkward to see the exchange between Terry and the Road Rage family. They even said they were going to call the cops. What has this society come to when people can run stop signs, while talking on cell phones, and then when confronted not apologize?



Andre Braugher, of cult TV classic "Homicide: Life on the Street" and my personal favorite "Hack" plays Owen, a 49 year old family man with three kids and a debt up to his ears. Working at his father's car dealership he finds out how fun it can be to work in the family business (hated it!). It reminds us that we make the bed we sleep in, which means to me, don't rack up a credit card bill and have three kids if you want to quit your job. Sure you have a lot of nice things but you end up painting yourself into a financial corner and their is no getting out. Forget about keeping up with the Joneses, Enjoy your freedom instead of material things.

Ray Romano, "Every body Loves Raymond" star, finds out in "Men of a Certain Age," that everyone doesn't love him anymore. Struggling with a gambling problem and separated from his wife of two kids, Joe (Ray Romano) struggles with a new life of gambling, beers, and great friendships. Recently losing $300 and having his bookie meet him during the day at his business of record, Joe decides that betting $2,000 can some how fill the empty hole that his wife has left in his life, after saying her and Joe should date other people.

Gambling in America
Gambling is everywhere, from friendly poker games to bookies breaking legs in back alleys. Joe's obsession with gambling breaks up his marriage and strains all of his other relationships. Gambling is a disease that can be all-encompassing. The need for a bigger and bigger rush can drive someone to continue to lose more and more money. Michael Brodrick quickly learned from War Games that the only way to win is to not play. CNBC tackles the issue of gambling and dives deep into the underground gambling life in a new segment The Big Business of Illegal Gambling, a must watch CNBC original.

If you enjoy drama with a funny streak, guys hanging out in coffee shops and hiking, then "Men of a Certain Age" is the TV show for you. I am now glued to TNT on Monday nights at 10pm PST for "Men of a Certain Age."

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