According to Jim (2001–2009) User Reviews

why all the hate?

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 19 August 2013]

Jim (Jim Belushi) and Cheryl (Courtney Thorne-Smith) have three kids in Chicago. Her brother Andy (Larry Joe Campbell) is his best friend. Her sister Dana (Kimberly Williams-Paisley) often makes fun of her brother-in-law.

It's easy to dismiss this long running family sitcom. All the stars are aligned for people to take easy pot shots.

1.Jim Belushi is NOT his brother.

2.Yet another fat boorish husband with a hot wife.

3.All the jokes have been done before.

4.No edgy stuff. Just so middle America.

But does that truly justify all the hate? The humor is cute enough. Larry Joe Campbell has some hilarious moments. All in all, I think it's has enough comedy to sit thru. Why not? Especially if you're sitting with your family and have little kids. Trust me, you don't want to sit thru something edgy with your little kids.

Good show

[nicorip22 · 6/10 · 1 September 2020]

If you like the naive funny shows this is for you. For me the best of the show is when jim and andy makes the scene together.

One of many mediocre sitcoms that filled the US panorama in recent decades.

[keelhaul-80856 · 5/10 · 1 November 2017]

I used to watch reruns of this-- simply because nothing was on at night.

It isn't the worst show I've ever seen, but it surely isn't the best.

If you have seen one episode, you have nearly seen them all. There are a few exceptions to this, but very few.

Jim is OK, but I think they felt sorry for him after his famous brother died, and gave him a bunch of work.

He is OK for a C-string actor in B-films, or whatever, but this show is about as bland and mediocre as it gets.

Every episode= Jim is a big, hungry, silly man that does something idiotic. His wife is hot and he just doesn't get what she wants from him, and vice versa. Her brother hangs around him all the time and is fat and silly. He inexplicably gets decent looking dates all the time-- because he is an architect? because he writes the episodes? because he is actually dreaming? I don't know. The hot brunette sister is the bitchy nemesis to Jim and his buddy and stuck on herself. She reminds me of the Fred Sanford/Aunt Esther dynamic, or a million others that were more original and recognizable. Jim plays some blues music and does stupid stuff, and then reconciles with the family at the end.

There are some funny moments, but this is mostly filler material that you just smirk at while eating leftovers at night, wishing you had something better going on in your own life. Luckily, I do now, and so I never watched this show since. LOL.

watch 'Jim'

[jellyneckr · 8 October 2001]

ACCORDING TO JIM is a show that will appeal to some and not appeal to others. Fans of Jim Belushi will be glad to see he finally has his own sitcom and people who don't like Jim Belushi will find this show unwatchable. I've been a Jim Belushi fan for a long time so for me, this show is a real treat. This is an absolutely hilarious show for all ages.

pretty good for a sitcom

[deni2730 · 7/10 · 22 August 2006]

I liked this show from the first time I watched it and there are very few sitcoms that I watch on a regular basis. I like all the characters except the brother Andy who is just plain annoying. I don't know who cast him in this role but with 2 beautiful sisters couldn't they have gotten somebody who was somewhat attractive?

And what Courtney Thorne Smith's character Cheryl ever saw in Jim is beyond me but it is a watchable and somewhat believable show. Jim is not that great of a father - he's more like those 1950 & 1960 fathers that supports the kids and that's about it.

Take out the laugh track and I'll give it an 8.

Great show

[enricoshapka · 8/10 · 18 September 2021]

Definitely underrated. It's a show that shouldn't be taken seriously, but more on the funny side.

The best of the worse.

[jkd15-1 · 6/10 · 15 August 2008]

This sitcom is barely watchable. I have tried many times to watch this show with little success.

Its just not that good.

I like Belushi a lot. He is a likable character but this sitcom is already done a couple dozen times and its not a good rendition at that.

Belushi's character is just not right for the show.

Actually I like the other male character better.

I think Belushi would do better cast in a cop show.

He seems so out of place. The show ends up being choppy.

How many times have we seen the same family plots over and over again.

If nothing else were on and I was watching a 12 station TV I would watch it.

Selfish deadbeats aren't funny

[hejsamester · 1/10 · 28 September 2009]

All the funny things happening in this sitcom is based on the main character Jim being either a bad father, a bad husband or generally just enormously selfish. How can that be funny? Of course a character in a sitcom has to be flawed, but Jim's character is flawed in an extremely unsympathetic manner.

And why it that? My guess is that it's because "he should now better". Jim's not a stupid guy, he can take care of things and he's got the opportunities to do so. But he chooses not to. It's a conscious choice he makes, when he chooses to not play with his kids, not go shopping because he doesn't want to buy "lady products" and it's a choice he makes, when he puts down his relatives.

The other characters seems to only be in the series so Jim can have someone to be a jerk to. If the Cheryl character was a real person, she would have left him years ago, and not stay with the deadbeat for 8 years. But alas, she's just a catalyst for Jim's quirky middle-class extreme selfishness.

Sweet, cozy and a good watch for the whole family

[patrickfilbeck · 8/10 · 6 October 2021]

This series is not a masterpiece of comedy sitcoms, but it i up in the higher levels of the genre. Belushi plays Belushi and therefore he does it perfectly and the other actors are good as well. The comedy is layered in the relation and interacting of the family members with Jim, a sometimes lazy but still caring father, who wants to be left alone but cannot help to care, even for his brother-in-law, who gets on his nerves so often. It's a classic sitcom with not much moving forward or connecting the eoisodes, but it works week to week. It's good to watch, it's light and it has humour in the small moments of life. Nice.

A Chicago father and his family are involved in comedic situations

[atomius · 6/10 · 7 July 2007]

According to Jim is a classic style sitcom about a chicago family, and in particular, the father Jim. The antics of the family as they try to fix all sorts of situations they 'get into' are quite amusing and despite being a bit simple it isn't altogether a bad show. The other main characters, Cheryl, Lana etc each have they're own character and style which finds itself entwined in situations which often lead to arguments. The classic 'disfunctional' family setting and plot isn't bad, and the 'local' chicago humour concerning the local sports teams and other exaggerated forms of chicago life are quite funny. Jim's constant pressuring of his son to be more of a man (including trying to make him a 'Bears' fan constantly) are often looked at by Cheryl as being too persuasive, but generally some form of agreement or situation forced resolution occurs to solve this. Comedy itself is in the classic American style, but isn't subpar.

Just another unrealistic "average family"

[Kalle_it · 4/10 · 28 December 2011]

Jim isn't funny. Jim is a self-centered, childish, manipulative, petty lying moron. The typical guy you'd hate to have as a coworker, relative or casual acquaintance.

The very basic question is: how did he manage to score such a hot wife? How come she didn't send him packing after a couple of months? Or years? See, that's the big issue I have with the typical "average slob with a hot wife" sit-com premise. Unless Cheryl has an IQ of 60 she should have grown tired of Jim's shenanigans a looong time before the events of the pilot episode.

Instead we get to sit through Jim's stupid antics, while his wife just frowns a bit but ultimately forgives him because apparently love conquers all, even self-respect...

The sidekicks are equally shallow, with the token man-child who's equally annoying as his leader, and the smart-ass girl who's there just to antagonize the main character.

And don't get me started on the kids... As usual, the little girls are the voice of reason and can act in the sassiest way possible because in the end they're right and teach the parents a lesson.

A show where kids are the most mature characters is either a kids' show or a very poorly written one.

Chalk one up for the latter...

Frankly I'm baffled many find the show funny, or even bearable. It's as hackneyed as it can get, without managing to be remotely funny.

Underrated, fun, and super cute! :)

[Daniel_Sweden · 9/10 · 25 December 2020]

I am revisiting old tv series on imdb, and am shocked to see that this good "old" gem has only 6.4 at the time of writing his review :(

What is wrong with you people? I had expected at least a 7+ rating on this one.

What I really like about it is the loveable characters, both the leads are just so good at giving and taking off each others energy - what great chemistry!

I really like how upbeat and fun this show is compared to, say, 2 and a half men, where everyone is just so mean, and ttat also to one another. I really like how the characters on this show mostly mean well instead, and usually have the best of intentions.

The lead couple is just so cute and adorable, and even some of the less looking friends of theirs are as well. Really a heartwarming show, that manages to make me laugh.

If you haven't seen it, give it a go :)!

The Andy character ruin the show

[de-lemos · 7/10 · 11 February 2023]

I love the show but I hated the way Andy was acting was absolutely ridiculous horrible. Sometimes I had to mute the tv. But Jim and Cheryl's relationship was amazing, funny and special. The way they so different made the show one of a kind. So if Andy wasn't so annoying I would give it an 8. But all the episodes where they showed the future ( especially with Kyle ) was so bad writing.

Jim's relationship with Andy and Dana was funny and even though he made so many pranks, he loved them and would do anything for his family. The things Jim did to get out of a lie or funny situation always made me laugh.

a regular guy just like us

[magicmmirror · 2/10 · 24 July 2007]

I wish I could say that this show was unusual in it's banality,but it is usual in every way.It has the dumb husband,his smarter but boring and conventional wife, along with the idiotic sidekick for "comic" relief-it sorely needs it.Stale predictable jokes, with even more predictable reactions from the laughtrack, punctuate this noxious mental narcotic's nauseatingly unimaginative plot lines to leave me either physically ill, or in a deep sleep more resembling that of an induced coma. But it might be on for a while yet because it gives the average American a personage to which they can truly identify.A "regular" guy just like you and me.I live in the southern U.S, so to me this show is just the opposite of escapism.Down here, that obnoxious character is everywhere, in some form or another.Seeing him on television is brutal overkill.

It's funny, dammit!

[ChuckCunningham · 8/10 · 26 November 2021]

Better than any sitcom on TV these days, that's for sure. I especially like the episodes where Jim and Andy cook up some crazy scheme that backfires on them. Gimme Jimmy!

Get your weekly "Cozy" right here, folks

[biznest · 1 April 2003]

I have watched this from its beginning and I find myself always wanting to watch when it's on. For me, it has a lot to do with the actors on it. I'm so glad Courtney Thorn Smith decided to do ATJ, because it shows a snugly, sweet, Earth Mother side of her that's really appealing. Kimberly Williams is very believable and refreshing as her Single Career Woman With Angst sister. Larry Joe (forgot his last name) is funny and sympathetic and happily helpless as her brother.

Lastly I mention Jim Belushi. He is just fab in his part as Courtney's hubby. It's both scary and exhilerating to watch him. It's like seeing John Belushi but all grown up and, well, normal (mentally). For years now, I've watched Jim and seen only John. Now, thanks to this show, I am finally seeing Jim for Jim. He is pure funny, great timing, great sincerity, and he knows how to be serious when it calls for it. Great dimension for a character who started out as little more than just a caricature. I've been delightfully amazed. He's quite good in this particular role (you know, like Ackroyd is just excellent as the balding Southern good ole boy of both Driving Miss Daisy and My Girl), and I hope this sitcom makes it for a few years so I can keep on enjoying it.

Courtney knows how to hold her own and then some against Jim. They walk the thin line between being the Bundies and the Bunkers and the Buchmans. Their chemistry is very on-target. Everyone's is, actually.

The arguments are quite believable. Good writing. I like the running joke about expanding vocabulary.

This show isn't Seinfeld or Cheers, but it is a solidly written comical commentary on married family life. Couples can watch together and both enjoy it, neither gender is spared, both are poked fun at and both are strongly represented. I agree with the previous post that if you dislike Belushi, you probably won't like it. Ditto for C.T.-S., although she might surprise you.

If you do decide to check it out, give it 3 chances. I didn't warm up to it til after that many episodes, and now I'm glad I gave it a chance. It's a nice change from Reality Everything.

I wish I could get the last 20 minutes of my life back

[homer_0331 · 1/10 · 30 August 2010]

I've gone on this site for years, but was never compelled to comment until now. I just completed my registration simply to warn the public about this train wreck. This may be one of the top 5 worst shows I've ever seen. Not only did I not hear one funny line the entire episode, but who ever was working the canned laughter button (every laugh track was the same pitch and length, and nothing was funny) needed to pick his or her moments. Sitcoms that are actually funny don't have the audience laughing every 3 seconds, let alone shows with no funny lines. Do the producers think that peppering every second with canned laughter will mask the horrible writing and convince an audience that there's a shred of humoristic value in the show? FYI,swimming in battery acid is a less painful way to spend a half hour of your life.

Good comedy

[pattythomas94 · 8/10 · 25 January 2020]

I was a late bloomer to this show. After having knee surgery I was able to watch all the episodes. I laughed and laughed. Andy and Jim are hilarious together. If you need to laugh out loud, this is the show to watch. Just enjoy it.

According to me, this is not a very good show

[TheLittleSongbird · 1/10 · 11 January 2011]

I have nothing against sit-coms, some sit-coms are among my favourites whether it is American or British. I love shows such as Fawlty Towers and Frasier, but I have never managed to get into According to Jim. This is a shame really, because I actually like James Belushi, he is always compared(and probably always will be) to the late comedy genius that was his brother John, but I have always found him watchable. And despite the fact I hate his character, Belushi does somehow make it watchable. So does Larry Joe Campbell, who has moments of comedy gold.

However, that is all I have to say that is good. I do love comedy in any shape or form, but that is the problem with According to Jim. For me, the humour just isn't funny. The writing is stale and makes me roll my eyes sometimes. There is the odd occasion where I've cracked a smile for a few seconds, but for a sit-com that lasted apparently eight seasons that isn't enough. Plus when there tries to be any poignant moments, the writers ruin it almost spontaneously by adding a corny, unnecessary joke. Then there is the canned laughter track, is there anyone else who finds it distracting? I often find it misplaced and obvious and that diminishes my enjoyment more. The story ideas are unimaginative too, not to mention predictable and bland, and I am very indifferent to pretty much all the characters, including Belushi's who can be seen as selfish. Aside from Belushi and Campbell, the other acting is poor. Courtney Thorne-Smith plays herself, while the kids are forgettable and annoying. I have never been impressed with the direction either, it comes across as... I don't know... too complacent, I guess.

I'm sorry, I just don't like this show. The concept may have been stale, but I was willing to watch for Belushi, and all I could see was bad writing, predictable storytelling and characters that I don't care for. 1/10 Bethany Cox

Such a great show...

[taylorkingston · 10/10 · 28 May 2016]

I absolutely love this show. It's so great. I cannot express how much it makes me laugh. Especially when you see something like someone getting a camera phone. Just because it's a decade old doesn't mean it doesn't still hold up.

This TV show is about a man, named Jim, duh, and his family. His wife, Cheryl, daughters Ruby, and Gracie, and son Kyle. Then you also have Cheryl's hilarious siblings, Andy, and Dana. Every episode shows a new, and hilarious adventure. Anyone who loves comedy, will definitely love this show.

Best part about this TV show: Everything.

Worst part about this TV show: Absolutely nothing.

Recommended for: Comedy lovers.

Overall, I give this TV show a 10 out of 10, which in my ratings book is: Freaking Ridonkulous.

Successful only because we're so many with TVs

[buddybickford · 2/10 · 15 October 2009]

You need to watch this show once to have seen them all, the formula is exactly the same in each episode. Jim does something his way he means well but he upsets his wife, at the end she finds out that what he did was really for her, she caresses his cheek and gives a gummy smile while he looks on bashfully. In fact the story lines are so lame and formulaic that I'll take a stab at one now.

Episode 'Valentines Pay'

Jims wife notices that all of Jims weekly pay has disappeared, he then explains to her he lost it at the casino. She screams and leaves the house lamenting how awful he is. Then on Valentines day he turns up in a limo with tickets to a Ball (hence explaining the missing wages). She realizes 'Her' mistake and the usual 'Oh Jim, you're so lovely'. ..The end

Another very obvious item is the fact that Jims character is based on Homer Simpson who as a cartoon character can get away with being belligerent and ignorant, when this is attempted with Human beings it does not work and Jim just comes over as an arrogant self centered jerk.

IMO the only reason that this is successful is simply because we're so many now in terms of Human beings with TVs, these days you could make a show about a man who insulates walls and you'd get an audience.

'Two and a half men' on the other hand is fantastic and hilarious.

I "get" this show

[alexpeychev · 10/10 · 19 January 2021]

Judging from some others' comments, it's apparent that some just don't "get" the show. Jim is not supposed to be our role model -- neither was Archie Bunker, nor is Ray Romano. But they are real people, despite the jerks they often are, and they add a gentler perspective of the types of guys we'd usually simply dismiss as complete asses. This show pokes fun at guys like Jim, and it does it very well. (Belushi obviously puts a lot of his self into his role). This is good comedy, (unlike SO MANY others that simply fish for laughs every thirty seconds, and provide their own laugh tracks, in case we don't know the 30 seconds has come around again).

I really didn't like any of the characters' first impressions; in one way or another, they all reminded me of someone I disliked. But now that I've gotten to know them, they've all "grown on me". I really hope other folks are giving this show the chance it deserves.

Funny Funny Funny, And Oh Yeah, FUNNY!!!

[emilyisasweetie · 6 July 2003]

Okay I'll admit it, the first time I saw the commercial for this show I didn't think it looked all that great, but I decided I'd watch it anyway, and I'm glad I did. Courtney Thorne- Smith plays Jim's wife, shes kinda annoying but she also makes the show really worth watching. Larry Joe Campbell who plays Andy is absolutely hilarious and him and Jim make a great comdedic team. This is the only tv show that I have actually fell off the couch laughing to. I give this show 11 out of 10 stars. This show is staying put and not goin anywhere!!!

Unoriginal, Terribly Unfunny and Lame Writing

[mattiasflgrtll6 · 1/10 · 5 February 2013]

Many sitcoms contains this particular stereotypical man; A man who is a fat, sexist, football- loving, mean-spirited idiot. Well, I don't really have anything against that. Just look at Peter Griffin in Family Guy; he may have all those things, but he succeeds to do it funnily and on occasions me may say some smart things or even care about his family a lot. And be nice to his wife, which seems to be the biggest problem in sitcoms. It was after all revealed in an episode that the reason he says so mean things to Lois sometimes is because he has bad self-confidence, and that's rather sweet. What Family Guy has to do with this show? Well, it's a sitcom that's much better, funnier and SMARTER! This show is none of that. Loose, uncreative plot with really boring characters who I've kinda already forgotten about! The show's jokes are bad enough, but the worst thing is that you can't feel for the characters, there's no heart in them, and you especially hate James Belushi's role. You just feel sorry for the writers that they have gotten to work on this s h i t.

This show was hilarious

[horrorflicklover · 8/10 · 26 December 2011]

This show made me laugh. Plain and simple. It didn't necessarily break any new grounds, or pursue any new formula. It just managed to be funny. Yes, Jim's character is a slob, a jerk, an insecure ass**** who needs reassurance. That is what drives a lot of the story lines, and I'm fine with that. But In typical sitcom fashion, he "learns a valuable lesson" in these said story lines to make him more manageable. Courtney Thorne-Smith plays his "long suffering" wife trying to cope with his antics. Yes, we've seen it before. But it was FUNNY. Kim Williams-Paisley plays Jim's SMOKING HOT sister-in-law, and of course those two are largely at odds with each other throughout the series run. But they also show true caring and affection for each other when the time comes. And Larry Joe Campbell plays Jim's best friend and brother-in-law, Andy. He plays the butt of many jokes regarding his luck with women, or for that matter life in general. I have no complaints, all of the main characters appeal to me just fine.

One of my favorite story arcs is where Jim is distraught over something regarding his infant son. For instance, his wife allowing him to wear a dress for Halloween. Or his wife buying him a Green Bay Packers football, despite Jim being a HUGE Chicago Bears fan (arch-rivals of the Packers), and hoping to pass that on to his son (like most parents do). This brings in a fantasy segment in which Jim speaks to a teen aged/young adult version of his son regarding the topic at hand. Yes, Jim may be a pompous jerk, an ass-hat, but he doesn't wrap the show up in "his" own viewpoints. There's still a moral, and still a concession made by such an opinionated man.

Really though, if you catch this one on TV, watch it. I don't see how Jim Belushi's character on this show is any harder to deal with then Doug Heffernan on King of Queens (who at first, I couldn't stand). It's got laughs, it's got solid plots (even if some aren't the most original), it's got a good time.