‘I stopped wanting Mr. Right Now and wanted Mr. Right. It’s a great Harry Met Sally-meets Sleepless in Seattle. I’m hooked.’
– Post reader
Charlotte Jackson.
O N Saturday afternoon, twentysomething adventurous and gregarious loveable New York Post readers gathered at the home of this TV critic for the purposes of being introduced to “Cupid,” a show she very much loves and wishes others did, too.
They came to the critic’s apartment, from as far away as Philadelphia (*), these four brave men and 14 women, bringing numerous tasty additions to the posted menu of bagels and Krispy Kremes.
They saw the ABC bawdily romantic comedy-drama starring Jeremy Piven as Cupid, banished from Mount Olympus to Chicago until he refurbishes his matchmaking skills by bringing together 100 couples.
They were conquered by the writing, the my-goodness-how-did-they-get-that-past-the-censors? comedy, the Herculean acting skills of Piven, the chemistry with Paula Marshall, the lovely overthinker of a psychologist who has the hopeless task of supervising Cupid (clearly delusional), and the at times cinematic quality of the series that is shot in Chicago.
Not to mention the contributions of co-star Jeffrey D. Sams as an actor-bartender and roommate who too often gets caught in between Cupid and the week’s romantic targets.
They also were totally charmed by “Cupid” creator Rob Thomas, who, having flown in from the West Coast, dropped by to mingle with the Post readers who had responded with wit and humor to this critic’s invitation to “Knosh With ‘Cupid.’ “
Thomas, a tall, handsome and gentle soul, shared stories about the vagaries of dealing with censors, budgets and the frustration of having a genuinely wonderful series at a time when ABC lacks a genuinely wonderful timeslot in which it could reasonably expect to thrive.
“Cupid” started its life at p.m. Saturdays a slot even the TV-savvy knoshers agreed would mean it could not be appointment viewing for theyoung viewers ABC most values.
It was moved to 9 p.m. Thursdays two weeks ago, which put it 099 . 0005.05up against NBC’s “Frasier,” which even if disappointing this season, commands a formidable loyal following.
There was, however, no need for goosing of laugh tracks at the “Knosh.”
“What’s not to like?” summed up Marianne Fiorentino, a mom and cook, who came from Brooklyn with her medical transcriptionist sister Elaine Schillaci, who dubbed “Cupid” a “great show.”
Charlotte Jackson, an editor at the Butterick Company, said that by the end of the afternoon that “I stopped wanting Mr. Right Now and wanted Mr. Right. It is a great ‘Harry Met Sally’-meets ‘Sleepless in Seattle.’ I’m hooked.”
Kelli Weiss, a partner in Cafe Zupa in Williamsburg, declared the series “easily qualified as one of the best all-around shows I’ve ever seen.”
The last person to leave just as he’d vowed he would be was young actor-comedian Jerry O’Donnell, for whose standup appearance at Caroline’s the group will be asked to reconvene on March 8.
It was some five hours after the viewing party started.
The converts had gone in a flurry of promises to go forth and multiply.
And to get everyone who tries “Cupid” and likes it – which, they tended to agree is like the day following the night – to write to ABC and earn time for the show to find its audience.
We can ask no more.
(*) OK, so website designer designer Jay Rosenberg doesn’t always live in Philly, but that’s where he was working Friday when he headed back to New York to help us save “Cupid.”