My Big Fat Greek Life

The first show was not that good, as it left a lot to be desired from the original movie. However, if you stick with the series it got better, and I would say that now it is on par with the movie. My wife grew up with Greek friends, and she really enjoys the show as there is a lot of truth in their actions.

I loved the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding, but the TV show was not as good as I expected. I started seeing it but did not finish it, it has 1 or 2 good laughs but the rest of the show literally stinks. First of all, the names change and you get confused. Second of all, the story does not follow the movie. And third, there are no laughs, Ian, or as he is called in the show, Thomas, is a really bad actor, no talent at all, he is also not funny. It seems as they are beging for some funny moments, but they try to hard. I gave it a 2 out of 10.

Well, looks like Nia's Big Fat Greek Life is 'history' -- too bad.

Years ago, it was fairly common for a well received Film to move over to TV. MASH is the most notable. It was considered by many to be quite lame in its initial effort, but with time ... yes, you know the rest of THAT story.

Big Fat Greek Life could have achieved a status on par with Wedding. But it needed time to find its rhythm. And, reading between the lines of how TV operates, can imagine that Nia was handcuffed by the 'experts' in details of the show (i.e. - laugh track). She should have been left alone to develop the show in same way she was left alone to develop the Film (where's Tom Hanks when you need him ? ;-)

If some 'expert' had some patience, we may have been treated to a weekly, wonderful, eclectic view of America that is needed in our Land of McDonalds, Malls, Bimbo Blondes, and ignorant TV experts ... and TO those "experts" - what's the basic definition of Tragedy and Comedy ? (k, uncle ? ... alrighty, if YOU are a TV 'executive/expert' don't peek -- Comedy is something 'good' happening to someone who doesn't 'deserve' it ... Tragedy is something 'bad' happening to someone who doesn't 'deserve' it)

Thank You Nia ... you WILL be missed

ps - but it'll be ok in the long run ... just imagine, we'll only need to wait another 2500 years for the NEXT installment from the folks who invented Theater ... patience, patience

OK, so it's not supposed to be a sequel to the Movie. Moreover, it's a spin-off with a slightly different plot, some names changed and a different male lead.

The movie should have been left as it was, it just does not translate well to the small screen. The jokes, which in the movie where fresh and hilarious are all too predictable in the TV show. The acting seems flatter, the writing just doesn't have the same punch. Why? Because we've seen it all before! Unless the writers can think up some new material I don't think this show will be around much longer.

Pet hate: when, oh when, will US TV makers understand that canned laughter is annoying and unnecessary? DON'T DO IT!!

What was the first thing I noticed wrong about the sitcom version of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding"...besides the obvious absence of John Corbett? The stupid laugh track. I cringed when I heard that damn repetitious laughing at every stupid joke. As many of you, I greatly enjoyed the movie..and I was in the process of watching it on DVD when I realized that the TV show was about to come on. So, I put the movie on pause.

It was only when I got to the part where the family said to 'Thomas'..."You look different!" (a painfully obvious joke about the different actor, a lackluster Steven Eckhardt who played 'Mark' on "Friends").

'Cousin Nikki' was noticeably rounder..probably because she was either pregnant or just had her daughter when the pilot was filmed. No matter. It wasn't TOO noticeable. Gus was too..I don't know. Whiny, I guess. Lanie Kazan was pretty much the same. As was Nick, but more nosy about his sister's life.

Now to Nia. First of all, I think it was just plain stupid to change the two main character's names. Why did they find that this was necessary? I personally liked the name Toula. It was cool. It was different. And I liked the named Ian. It wasn't cool, but he had the same name as Gandalf. Just because it was a different actor playing the part didn't mean that they had to change the character. Her acting in the sitcom was only sub-par. She seemed to be trying to hard.

Now about Eckholdt. In the movie, Ian was sweet and willing to go the distance to be accepted into Toula's (or NIA's) family. Are we to believe that Thomas said "To Hell with it!!" after they married? It's possible. Maybe he decided he couldn't put up with her family's crap. Well, it has happened before. But I just found myself disliking Thomas more and more as the minutes droned on, until I wanted Nia to serve him some poisonous souvlaki to rub him out. The character I liked was Aunt Voula. Andrea Martin is wonderful. Thank God "MBFGL" still has her.

I'm being too negative. As the show progressed, it grew on me a little until Gus pointed out that the house was across from the restaurant, not next door to him. Of course, I'm sure the show will grow..let the actors settle back into their characters, give them some material to work with that will ignite genuine laughs, not like the uncomfortable laughs derived from me during the pilot. Material that will not just give a cheap laugh. Material that would've probably been in the movie if it was a little longer.