The TV Chick

In a lineup full of new, weak comedies, Partners was a very pleasant surprise. It’s one of two comedy pilots (The Mindy Project being the second) that I legitimately liked and that made me laugh out loud. The show, from the creators of Will and Grace, focuses on two polar opposite best friends, Louis and Joe. One is gay, one is straight, and both are incredibly involved in each other’s professional and personal lives. Louis is played by the very funny Michael Urie and Joe is played by the lovely David Krumholtz. As strong as they are as actors, the supporting cast is just as strong. One Tree Hill fans will rejoice at Sophia Bush’s return to TV as Allie (Joe’s fiancee) and adorable Brandon Routh plays Wyatt, Louis’ boyfriend.

Partners is getting a lot of mixed critical buzz, but I say it’s always worth giving a show a shot. Partners is clever, with a very Will and Grace/HIMYM type feel. I think Sophia Bush is great in a comedic role, and each actor plays off each other very well. The dialogue is witty and smart, and there are some great one-liners in there, too. It wasn’t a perfect pilot by any means (I think few shows ever achieve that) but the premise has a ton of potential and ability to go anywhere with it. The tag line that CBS is using to describe the show is “Four friends. Three couples,” and that sums it up very well. If you enjoy friendship comedies, you will enjoy Partners. I don’t love laugh tracks either but hey, nothing’s perfect. Give it a chance, you may end up liking it!

Partners premieres tonight at 8:30 PM on CBS.