7 Things: Finales #7 – 2 Broke Girls

I’ve been wanting to dish (and, in a few cases, bitch) about season finales since the end of the traditional TV season. Obviously, that’s been a while, and since I haven’t been posting as I should, it’s all pent up. About time I release the demons, starting with 2 Broke Girls.

So, at the beginning of the season, I did enjoy 2 Broke Girls quite a lot. More than I thought that I would at any rate. The burgeoning friendship between the main characters provided a decent amount of heart, the jokes were reasonably funny, and the cast was enjoyable to watch together.

Round about mid-season, though, I started cringing at least once per episode. Then, it was more like three times per episode, and, sometimes, through an entire episode. After about three of these cringe-inducing episodes, I considered dropping 2 Broke Girls from the DVR, but every time I was ready to do it, the writers would throw out one genuinely funny line, and, since I largely watched it while working anyway, I decided it was decent enough as background noise.

I don’t envy the sitcom writer, and the universe knows the medium will never be my forte. Sitcom writing is a tightrope walk. The writers must provide enough plot and drama to make viewers care and enough comedy to make them consistently laugh. If viewers don’t consistently laugh, then writers have created a 30-minute drama, not a sitcom. Because even a drama can provide a few chuckles.

When sitcoms are bad (or go bad, as in the case of 2 Broke Girls), it’s because they don’t hold to the tightrope. They go too far one way or another. 2 Broke Girls started out with good balance and then, halfway across, they started leaning toward the comedy side and took a quality tumble. The writers were trying too hard to deliver a non-stop barrage of jokes and clever quips, and many of them just weren’t funny. The comedy became quantity over quality, the show’s heart fell out, and it finally got to that cringe-worthy point.

But, despite my qualms, I made it to the season finale. Watching that episode, I thought the show might very well have found its heart again somewhere inside Martha Stewart’s loving bosom. Every character experienced just enough growth to indicate the show actually has the potential to move forward as more than a comedy routine where half the jokes flop. Then, I realized it came too late. Because I just didn’t care anymore. So, though I actually enjoyed the 2 Broke Girls finale, it’s off my watch list for this coming season. I may watch it in syndication.