There’s nothing original about Nick’s new sitcom, “Instant Mom,” but I think that’s the point: it’s a cookie-cutter comedy that’s inoffensive, intermittently chuckle-worthy and totally predictable.
And that’s not such a bad thing, especially for a family-friendly network like Nickelodeon, which churns out these types of shows like nobody’s business.
“Instant Mom” fits the Nick mold like a comfortable shoe — complete with the requisite hyperactive laugh track and the network is making a big promotional push for the show, particularly because of its star, popular Tia Mowry-Hardrict (“Sister Sister”), who also headlines Style’s “Tia & Tamera” with her identical-twin sib, Tamera. And it will air the series in two places: Sundays at 8:30 p.m . on Nick at Nite, then at 10:30 p.m. on Nick Jr. as part of that channel’s NickMom comedy block.
Nick has good reason to think the show will succeeed, not only because of Mowry-Hardrict, but also because of its supporting cast — nothing to sneeze at with sitcom vets Michael Boatman (“Spin City”) and Sheryl Lee Ralph (“Moesha”) lending their proven comedy chops to the proceedings.
The show’s title refers to Stephanie (Mowry-Hardrict), a food blogger “who can’t cook” and is trying to balance her work with her new role as the wife of Charlie (Boatman), a heart surgeon with three kids (Sydney Park, Tylen Williams and Damarr Calhoun) from a previous marriage.
Stephanie prides herself on being a “weekend mom” who enjoys the perks of being kid-less during the week. But her mothering skills are regularly tested by her step-children, particularly by the older, high-school-age Gabby (Park) and 11-year-old James (Williams). She’s also dealing with her hectoring-but-loving mother, Maggie (Ralph), who has definite opinions on how Stephanie should deal with the kids.
Mowry-Hardrict is a seasoned pro in terms of sitcom acting and timing — she’s been doing this for years — and she knows how to wait for, and not step on, the laughs. (T here are a few good lines here — including Charlie’s statement that “a decent hour on a school night is 3 p.m.” — but I wouldn’t exactly call it uproariously funny).
Boatman and Ralph are reliably professional, and the three kids are fine (Calhoun is around 7 years old so he’s not given much to do, which is understandable).
Expect “Instant Mom” to be an instant hit, but I’m guessing that, even if it doesn’t rate all-that-well in its debut, Nickelodeon will give it a chance to find an audience, due to its creative pedigree.
And maybe they’ll go a little easier on the over-caffeinated laugh track while they’re at it.