'The Jim Gaffigan Show' pilot review: Jim Gaffigan heads to TV Land

Like the comedian in the title, The Jim Gaffigan Show is cheesy and predictable in a kind of nicely affable, likably sweet way that’s hard to resist. It’s quick to rehash a ton of stand-up comedian’s jokes and quips spouted almost ad nauseum at this point on stage and in his book, Dad is Fat. It’s premise, despite based on his real life, is fairly tired. But rooted inside is something heartfelt, relatable and warmly funny — even if it isn’t all necessarily fine-tuned just yet.

What’s perhaps most refreshing so far about the TV Land show is how it’s more character-driven than joke-based. Created by Peter Tolan in addition to Gaffigan — who also helped foster Rescue Me and catered fellow comedian Denis Leary in showrunning — it keeps the focus squarely on Jim’s relationship with his accepting wife Jeannie (Ashley Williams). There’s no opening monologue of Gaffigan doing stand-up. It doesn’t distract itself it random asides and topical humor. It firmly sets the foundation for their relationship, and they own up to the fact that she’s out-of-his-league too. Thankfully Jeannie’s more than just a doe-eyed wife and mother helping her successful husband in his way. She has her own flaws and insecurities, and together she and her husband help make the best of their hectic life.

What’s so hectic about his life? That’s one of the many similarities found between Jim’s real life and show life: he’s a father of five, living in New York in a one-bedroom apartment adapting as well as he and his wife can, even when the possibility of a sixth child almost becomes a possibility. As we see in this pilot, written by the creators, when the pregnancy ends up a bust we follow our titular character getting in a playful argument with his wife over whether or not he’ll get a vasectomy in nearly a week’s time.

Even for a comedy, the plot is perhaps a little too airy for its own good. But to Tolan and Gaffigan’s credit, they keep the pace moving quickly and steadily while the characters themselves remain the focus. Even though he’s essentially playing himself, the comedian handles himself with a charming and agreeable ease. He’s self-aware and depreciating as always and in just the right manner, never pushing too far outside his capabilities but not slumming on what he can do. He’s confident, but not afraid to get run over the punchlines.

But the standout of the sitcom right now is Adam Goldberg as Jim’s best friend, Dave. Practically a master of assholery at this point in his life, he’s warms himself into his cocksure, throw-caution-to-the-wind personality like a glove and nails almost every joke he’s given with his slick person. His dry delivery and overstated observations is a great fit and a fine catch from casting. It takes what should be a fairly tired character and makes the best friend type seem punchy enough to make it count and without overdoing it.

On a different note, though, while it’s always great to see Michael Ian Black getting work, his character — Jeannie’s former lover-turned-gay friend Daniel — unfortunately comes across too much like a stereotype. He never feels a genuine personality, and given the attention to realism by the creators, this is all the more jarring. His comments on not being allowed to get married are unintentionally outdated, but almost everything about him — from hitting on random men, like Jim’s doctor (guest star Fred Armisen), to making generically petty comments on Jim’s appearance — appears like a supporting replica of a different television era. Perhaps he’ll grow over time, and thankfully Black doesn’t overdo anything about him in his performances, but for now he’s something of a bad egg in a fertile basket of comedy.

As stated earlier, perhaps what’s most commendable about The Jim Gaffigan Show thus far is its look and its unusually strong attention to detail. Much like Louie, pilot director Seth Gordon (Horrible Bosses) gives the series a distinctive, well-tuned look. The lightning is intentionally regulated to not come across as loud and careless, giving proper attention to the way things are shot and making different locations — be it a subway or a comedy club — really stand out. There’s something of a cinematic look to the entire production. It makes it appear less a cheap comedy as much as a nicely down-to-earth series on marriage and parenting.

Comedian series are almost a dime a dozen, particularly these days after Louis C.K.’s success. Where The Jim Gaffigan Show works over, say, this fall’s Mulaney, though, is that it not only adopts the personality of the comedian but also lets such a character run the place at his own speed and with his own rhythm. It reiterates a lot of what fans have heard and seen before, but Tolan and Gaffigan make it clear they’re TV Land slot isn’t a fluffy “family matters” type program.

There’s a little toughness to this show, at least by Gaffigan’s standards. Tolan helps make the material come across a little meaner than the frontliner’s typical bits, but it’s never pushing for edginess in a way that makes these endeavors fail so often. There’s also a fine potential for rich, concentrated character comedy here, though, and it ultimately feels true where so many of these things come across so fake. This is Gaffigan’s moment, and he thankfully wants to make the most of it.

Image courtesy of ACE/INFphoto.com