Listen Up! (TV series)

Listen Up!
Genre Sitcom
Created by Jeff Martin
Starring Jason Alexander
Wendy Makkena
Malcolm-Jamal Warner
Will Rothhaar
Daniella Monet
Composer(s) Brian Kirk
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 22
Production
Camera setup Multi-camera
Running time 30 minutes
Production company(s) Regency Television
CBS Productions
Distributor CBS Television Distribution
Release
Original network CBS
Original release September 20, 2004 (2004-09-20) – April 25, 2005 (2005-04-25)
External links
Production website

Listen Up! is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from September 20, 2004 until April 25, 2005. The sitcom was based loosely on the life and exploits of the popular sportswriter and sports-media personality Tony Kornheiser. Its principal executive producer was Jason Alexander, who was also the lead actor. Despite decent-to-good ratings, the show was canceled by CBS on May 18, 2005; "rising production costs" was the major reason officially given for the cancellation.

Premise

Tony Kleinman is a sports show host whose sidekick is Bernie Widmer, a former NFL player; together they host the TV show Listen Up! While Tony does talk about sports on the show and in his newspaper column, he strays away occasionally to talk about the daily exploits of his family: his wife, Dana, a fund-raiser coordinator; his son, Mickey, a 15-year-old golf prodigy, and Megan, his 14-year-old, know-it-all, smart-mouthed, soccer-playing daughter.

Cast members

Main characters

Actor Role
Jason Alexander Tony Kleinman
Wendy Makkena Dana Kleinman
Malcolm-Jamal Warner Bernie Widmer
Will Rothhaar Mickey Kleinman
Daniella Monet Megan Kleinman

Response

Critical reaction was largely negative. USA Today's Robert Bianco wrote that the show makes the "mistake of trying to build a star vehicle around a second banana." [1] A New York Times review called it "a rickety vehicle for Jason Alexander." [2]

Critics disagreed on the supporting cast. USA Today: "When 'Listen Up' focuses on its supporting cast, the show works." The New York Times referred to a "stiff supporting cast." [3]

Matt Rouse of TV Guide wrote, "Forget about the 'Seinfeld' curse, this is just mediocre material and bad casting."[4]

Episodes

Episode # Episode title Original airdate
1-1 "Pilot" September 20, 2004
1-2 "Hammer Time" September 27, 2004
1-3 "Grandmaster of the Wolfhunt" October 4, 2004
1-4 "Cool Jerk" October 4, 2004
1-5 "Quest For Fire" October 18, 2004
1-6 "Mickey Swallows a Bee" October 25, 2004
1-7 "The Gift of the Ton-i" November 8, 2004
1-8 "Sweet Charity" November 15, 2004
1-9 "Thanksgiving" November 22, 2004
1-10 "Mickey Without a Cause" November 29, 2004
1-11 "Enemy at the Gates" December 13, 2004
1-12 "Tony the Tiger" January 3, 2005
1-13 "Snub Thy Neighbor" January 17, 2005
1-14 "Weekend With Bernie" January 31, 2005
1-15 "Inky Dinky Don't" February 7, 2005
1-16 "Colon-Oopscopy" February 14, 2005
1-17 "Tony Whine-Man" February 21, 2005
1-18 "Couch Potato" March 7, 2005
1-19 "Waiting for Kleinman" March 21, 2005
1-20 "Check Mates" April 11, 2005
1-21 "Ebony and Irony" April 18, 2005
1-22 "Last Vegas" April 25, 2005

Ratings

Premiere: 11.8 million

Last episode: 8.9 million[5]

References

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