In these jaded times, there’s something refreshing about watching a romantic comedy that intends to follow a relationship from its very beginning through all of its ups and downs…from A to Z. It helps to have to engaging, familiar faces in the roles of Andrew and Zelda. It’s also enjoyable to hear Katey Sagal (Sons of Anarchy) narrating their tale. Even if you’re not a fan of narration, her voice sets the tone for the journey of the heart that we are about to take. Ben Feldman (last seen as Michael Ginsberg on Mad Men) is Andrew, and Cristin Milioti (last seen as “The Mother” on How I Met Your Mother) is Zelda. He’s a hopeless romantic. She’s not interested in a relationship right now. Fate places them in each other’s paths, and then the fun begins.
I won’t give much away about the finer points of how they come together, because it’s better for you to see it for yourself, but it’s a novel twist on the “meet-cute”. It may not have happened the way Adam remembers it and Zelda seemingly doesn’t. It does seem, however, that their get-together is inevitable from the start (reminiscent of Milioti’s integration into the How I Met Your Mother world without ripping that off).
Beyond their relationship, I found myself drawn in by some of the supposed revelations on the show, from the ugly truth behind dating services to the conspiracy to keep our kids from having hoverboards (think Back To The Future II). These little bursts of something off the beaten path give me a sense that people who don’t want to sit through another romantic comedy will stay tuned for these oddball little moments, yet they’re not such a big part of the show that they would alienate the romantic comedy lovers. (The couple who went to Comic-Con as Nightwing and Starfire also satisfied the nerd in me, continuity-wise.)
What draws me in the most, however, is that the leads don’t have to be zany or wacky to amp up the comedy. They are probably like people you know. They may even be you.
As inevitable as the coming together of Andrew and Zelda is, I found my eyes glued to the screen in the final moments of the first episode. The premise may be predictable, but the journey that gets them there is worth the trip. Maybe it’s just me, but I enjoyed this half-hour break from the cynicism that has infiltrated our world—and certainly our television shows. A to Z is a show that anyone who believes in love should enjoy. I just hope it doesn’t get lost in the deluge of new shows nudging for ratings this TV season. It deserves a chance to make it, just as any couples do.
TV Gord’s Verdict: There’s a promising future for this show.
