Tool Time

I caught the new ABC sitcom Family Tools. Probably because it was in-between The Middle and Modern Family.  The set-up, based on a British series, is pretty simple.  Tony Shea, who runs a fix-it business, suffers a heart attack. His adult son, Jack, whom he's never gotten along with--partly because his son is a screw-up who can't stick to things--comes back home to take over the business.

Meanwhile, there's also Jack's sister, the nagging Terry, and her weird teenage son, Mason, living in the house.  At work, there's hip, urban Darren, who doesn't get along with Jack, either.  However, Darren's sister, who also works at the hardware store, flirts with Jack.

It's not a particularly impressive pilot.  The show's is set at a highly unrealistic level--it starts with Jack on the floor after his heart attack but sis won't let the EMT guy in until he changes his ways--but doesn't have the correspondingly wild (and funny) jokes that would make it work.  And the idea of kids moving back in with their parents is a bit of a cliche. (The other new sitcom on ABC after Modern Family is How To Move Back With Your Parents (For The Rest Of Your Life).)

Still, the cast, including J. K. Simmons, Leah Remini and Kyle Bornheimer, are game.  I suppose I'll give it another chance (if ABC does), but it better improve fast.

PS.  The only business client we see in the pilot is played by Amazon Eve. They didn't especially play up her size.  Not to put down her histrionic talents, but that's why you hire "Amazon" Eve, isn't it?