Men Of A Certain Age

TNT (ended 2011)
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Show Summary

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There are highs and lows to every age, but three best friends know what it's like to be Men of a Certain Age. Ray Romano stars in an honest, emotional and funny drama about what it is like to be a middle aged man in the modern era. Romano plays Joe, a divorcee, father of two, and party store owner who has unfulfilled dreams of becoming a professional golfer. His best friends are Owen (Andre Braugher), an overworked family man who is employed at his dad's car dealership, and Terry (Scott Bakula), an outlandish and dashing struggling actor. Created for television by Romano and Mike Royce, this TNT original production is executive-produced by Romano, Royce, Cary Hoffman, and Everybody Loves Raymond's Rory Rosegarten.

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6.4
out of 10
Average Rating: Fair
531 votes
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  • For those that look for less is more in TV.

    9.0
    "Superb"
    Romano. Braugher. Hell, even Bakula. These are TV giants. Bakula, the "worst" among them, still made this the best role he's been in, period. Braugher was looking for a stand-out performance after Homicide and this is it. And Romano... Oh man, love him or hate him, the man is unbelievable as a deadpan comic and his rhythm and timing is virtually unparalleled in the TV world.
    So why is it that after two seasons the show is no more?
    Demographics.
    US TV panders to 18-35s, with the accent being on under 30's. They feature shows with a) pretty people or b) exploding spy stuff or c) easily digestible family fun. That's 90% of the TV landscape.
    Men of Certain Age attempted to honestly, brutally and inconspicuously show us the lives of 40-somethings from 3 different, yet so familiar perspectives. They faced and re-faced their demons, changed their minds, kept being inspired and uninspired - as all of us actually would.
    But that's not what TV is (mostly) for. It is for "what could be" and "bigger and better" etc., so I really can't fault the company for letting it go.
    However, for me, it was the smartest, most honest thing on TV for two years and I'm just glad I had the chance to enjoy those two seasons.moreless

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    0 0
  • how could such a good show have such poor TV.com user reviews???

    10
    "Perfect"
    I think the show is great, I have watched it since Episode 1 & I give it a 10!!!

    I read some of the reviews and tv.com user scores and cannot beleive they think the show is so bad

    I will say i am a little biased because anything with Andre Braugher in it automatically gets a 10 :)

    the man is one of my favorite all time actors ever since Homicide: Life on the Street

    maybe because i am a 39 year old male i can relate to this type of show and I do find it hilarious for the most part

    Its very well written and permormed by the actors

    I hope this show is around many seasons to comemoreless

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    10 5
  • Intense, dark and depressing, "Men of A Certain Age" wasn't the quenching drink I had hoped for. Perhaps those looking for a trip into hopeless land will be able to appreciate the stable of magnificent actors that were assembled for this piece.moreless

    3.0
    "Bad"
    With Scott Bakula, Andre Braugher and Ray Romano at the helm, this show should be a home run flying out of the park, but like many pilots I couldn't find the hook. To be fair, as a middle-aged female, a series about men's dysfunction might be too far off the mark for me to interpret. It was more than that. The very first episode was so full of hopelessness, I couldn't even get all the way through it.

    I remember when I heard David Duchovny would be starring in "Californication." I couldn't wait to see him back on the screen. When I got halfway through that pilot I also realized I was in the wrong waiting room. My enjoyment of David Duchovny's acting wasn't enough to embrace what he was representing, although I know plenty of women who swooned at his sexual prowess onscreen. I simply couldn't get past the drugs and senseless sex coming from someone who's character was also a dad. It didn't make any sense.

    I don't know what I was expecting from "Men of A Certain Age." My only reason for tuning in was Scott Bakula. I've loved everything I've seen him do. He is an amazing actor and knows how to pull at the audience's heart strings, but to be honest I've only seen him in good roles.

    Knowing Bakula's traditional roles were the good guy and that generally speaking in the world of fame he himself is also one of the good guys, I was shocked to see him personify a bad boy. It was more than that. Scott Bakula is a REALLY GOOD actor and as such, the one thing that drew me to the show repelled me as well. I probably wouldn't have been as offended by his character had I never seen him in any other role. He made an exquisite scum bag.

    On the other hand, I have never liked Ray Romano's work. I was surprised to find (after reading a TV.com staff writer's review) the piece was his brainchild as all the advertising I had seen was for Scott Bakula. I've never been a fan of New York "it doesn't really matter" style humor that "Seinfeld" or "Everybody Loves Raymond" embraced. I champion shows that contain hope at their core, not diatribes about how bad life is and how it will never get better.

    I also found Ray Romano's acting in this piece far from the quality of both Bakula and Braugher. It was painful watching two amazing drama actors and someone who looked like he was still trying to be a comedian without a line of comedy in the script. I don't know a lot about Andre Braugher, but he had the goods on screen. Both he and Bakula put much more value into what was written in the script with their performances than Romano. I would go even further to say even the supporting actors were of such intense quality, had the script been better constructed I would have continued to watch the series.

    I'm not against shows about men finding their way. One show I was incredibly disappointed to see go was "In Case of Emergency." Sure, not a lot of people watched it, but it was hysterically funny regarding the very same topic "Men of A Certain Age" addresses - what do middle-aged men who's lives haven't exactly turned out to be the American dream do? From the very beginning "In Case of Emergency's" characters hooked you. There was something about the way they were composed that evoked compassion and hope, which is a commodity far too scarce these days.

    "Men of A Certain Age's" characters seemed to be composed of two guys who don't deserve our compassion and Ray Romano's character who drowning in his own self-pity and lack of self-esteem we don't even want to be around. Even thinking about the group, I start to feel like this piece was written with such a desperate need for Ray Romano to be a star that he purposely made the other two characters (an egotistical actor who sleeps with one woman after another and a spoiled lazy son expecting to inherit his father's business) archetypes that would seal that deal. If that was the case, it failed miserably.

    "Men of A Certain Age" may attract those who like stewing in the darkness of the underbelly of self-pity, but I personally want that 30 minutes of my life back. I don't fault Scott Bakula for wanting to stretch his acting skills by portraying a darker character, but in the future it would be nice if those types of roles came with a surgeon general's warning for those of us that would follow him anywhere. ;Dmoreless

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    12 17
  • A great show with depth perception.

    9.0
    "Superb"
    "Men of a Certain Age" is one of the best dramatic series that I've seen in years. Each of the three leads have uncannily balanced comedic and dramatic talents, yet manage to never overplay their hands for a cheap laugh or hollow emotion. Their characters, while flawed, are all likable and recognizably goodhearted. But the show is strongest when it shines a spotlight on their short-comings and honestly illustrates a complicated dance of self-actualization and co-dependence (on each other, their families, and their aspirations.) Yet, despite embracing some of the more socially acceptable and "instinctive" traits of manhood, there are moments where we're allowed a more telling glimpse into thoughtful, if blatantly philosophical, foundations. It's nice to see a show that looks at men, of a certain age, as more than just archetypes, caricatures, and cliches.moreless

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    7 2
  • Blends comedy and drama very effectively.

    8.0
    "Great"
    Although it's not always laugh out loud funny, I found myself giggling quite a bit. The best thing about the humour is it is much more subtle than the usual American humour.
    That is probably why someone else reviewing this show has given it a low score and constantly went on about how dark it is.
    Yes, it is dark but it's not black. It's great there is actually some emotion in this show. Some of the best emotional scenes are coming from Ray Romano. I never really enjoyed his character in 'Everybody Loves Raymond' which is probably why I'm finding his performance in this show so compelling.
    It's not just Ray though, I think the entire cast has been selected really well. The chemistry between the main characters is fantastic.
    I hope that when I am 20 years older and the age of the 3 stars, I have that kind of friendship with my best friends.
    I really hope this show sticks around!moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    4 5

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Baby Boomers, Buddies And Gal Pals, Depression, Destiny, Divorce