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    Originally posted: March 17, 2008
    'Miss Guided' hits comedic mark

    Posted at 10 a.m. Monday, March 17

    Miss1

    Chris Parnell (from left), Earl Billings, Judy Greer, Kristoffer Polaha and Brooke Burns star as faculty members in ABC's sitcom "Miss Guided."

    Anyone who ever felt like an outsider in high school will relate to Becky Freeley in ABC’s sweet new sitcom “Miss Guided.”

    As played by the charming Judy Greer, Becky is a formerly uncomfortable, unpopular high school student who returns to Glen Ellen High as a guidance counselor. The series premieres at 9:30 pm. Tuesday after “Dancing with the Stars.”

    Although she’s lost the braces, the wild hair and (mostly) the bad fashion sense, Becky’s just as socially clumsy and insecure as ever. Despite being super positive, polite and seemingly happy, she still cringes ever so slightly when reminded of the indignities she suffered as a teen.

    It doesn’t help that she keeps repeating all her adolescent behaviors. She’s crushing on an auto-shop-teacher-turned-Spanish-instructor, Tim (Kristoffer Polaha). The attraction makes her do stupid things, like nearly running down another teacher with her car just to park close to Tim.

    Tim is “only one language lab away from the students,” he says, “but when Señor Levine got his hard drive seized by the FBI, they needed someone to fill in.”

    Missash “Miss Guided” is funniest when delivering toss-away lines like Tim’s. And there are plenty of them delivered by an outstanding ensemble. All the roles seem perfectly cast, including Brooke Burns as Becky’s former classmate Lisa, who’s still smart, beautiful and full of herself—and the new English teacher. “Saturday Night Live” alum Chris Parnell makes a riotous turn as vice principal Bruce, who has some unhappy high school memories of his own.

    If there’s one criticism I have for the show, it’s that Tuesday’s debut relies heavily on having cast members speak directly to the camera. That seems like lazy writing to me, especially when the scenes without that device are so good.

    Thankfully, the first of another two episodes this week—beginning at 7 p.m. Thursday—remedies that problem. It also gives us a treat: Series producer Ashton Kutcher (above) guest stars as a substitute Spanish teacher names Beaux. Yes, that’s with an “x.”

    He’s slick and smarmy, trying to woo Becky in order to get Tim’s full-time Spanish instructor gig. He ends up with prettier Lisa, who believes Beaux when he says Becky was hot for him.

    It’s high school all over again for Becky.


    in Broadcast networks, Comedy | Permalink

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