"Living With Fran"
By Laura Urbani
FOR THE TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, April 3, 2005
Fran Drescher returns to television in "Living With Fran," a new WB series that retains the same light-hearted jokes and unique voice that made her series "The Nanny" so popular. Drescher's shows may never make a list of the best television comedies, but they are fun to watch.
Drescher portrays Fran, a middle-aged mother of two who finds a new life after her divorce. Fran has let go of all the conservative and pretentious attitudes that made life with her husband bearable. Now, she wants to have fun.
Fran's new life includes a new interior design business and a new man -- a younger man. In fact, Riley (Ryan McPartlin) is only five years older than Fran's son. The age difference doesn't become a problem until Fran's son moves back home.
Since the divorce, Josh (Ben Feldman) has been out of touch with his mother. He sided with his dad, who was paying the tab for medical school. Josh never wanted to be a doctor, but he did want to keep his dad happy. That ended when Josh had a breakdown after working a 72-hour shift. Now that he's been kicked out of medical school and his dad's favor, Josh returns to his mother. Only things are not what he expected.
"The doctor said what I need now is to relax and regroup in a stress-free environment," says Josh.
That idea is tossed aside the second Riley walks in the room. Josh can't bear to think of his mother with another man, let alone a younger man. He also can't handle that Riley fits into the family better than he does. Josh doesn't recognize anyone now. His mom is different, the house is different and there's a new father figure. Even his 15-year-old sister, Allison (Misti Traya), seems different, even though she is still annoying.
"Who are you?" Josh keeps asking his mother.
"Sweetie, did you think everything would stay the same?" says Fran. "Things change. I've changed. That's what life is about. I'm trying new things. It is an exciting time for me."
Josh tries, but he can't accept the new man in his mom's life.
"You're only here because my mother is having a mid-life crisis," Josh tells Riley. "If she was a man, you'd be a Porsche."
"Living With Fran" exudes a charm and humor that is all Drescher. She never stretches to play challenging characters. She does what works for her and it works well.
McPartlin straddles the fine line between making his character a hunk who only needs to look good, and a man who is intelligent and offers some basic wisdom.
The show also promises some interesting guest characters. In future episodes, Marilu Henner and John Schneider portray Riley's parents. The showdown between Henner's mom and Fran is humorous and believable. Charles Shaughnessy, who costarred with Drescher on "The Nanny," will portray her ex-husband.