CBS Summer Playhouse (TV Series) Coming to America (1989) User Reviews

A little bit LESS please!

[planktonrules · 3/10 · 27 June 2020]

In 1988, "Coming to America" was a huge hit for Eddie Murphy and director John Landis. So, it's not surprising that the networks would consider making a weekly television series of this story. The problem is that the pilot just wasn't particularly good.

In this pilot where much of the movie is essentially rehashed, Tommy Davidson is given the lead...which is most unusual since he hadn't a single movie or television credit at this point in his career. He's strike it pretty big on "In Living Color" in 1990...but this was a year off and here Davidson is expected to support an entire television show...which is quite a burden. On top of this, his character turns out to be much louder and more 'in your face' than Eddie Murphy's version of Prince Tariq...so much so that it became tiresome very quickly. Had the director and writer told Davidson to dial it back a bit, it might have worked...but here it's just too much!

Damn shame what they did to that dog...

[lopezemm · 5/10 · 10 April 2021]

This is a pilot for a situational comedy based on the hit Eddie Murphy movie Coming to America, it centers around the Irresponsible Prince Tariq of Zamunda has been exiled to attend college in America by the king, his brother Akeem. It however, takes only nine days living in Queens, New York for Tariq to blow his allowance. So in order to make ends meet, Tariq and his assistant Oha, find jobs in the diner owned by their landlord, Carl Mackey. Its very hard to review from a critical stand point however the best I can describe it is Perfect Strangers meets Family Matters, meets Three's Company. Although Tariq and Oha are decent in there roles (even though Davidson wasn't given enough room to try to make the role his own), and the addition of the "landlords family" messes with there potential dynamic it was decent. The jokes relied to heavily on pop culture references, and Davidson's impressions shoehorned into his character. However this could have worked if they just allowed for Tommy Davidson to make this role his own, and didn't shoehorn the family aspect. This could have been an African American Odd Couple instead it stays a pilot. For potential episodes "The King of Queens"- Prince Tariq believes they are next in line to take the thrown after using this to get fresh with the ladies, he latter learns his brother Akeem (guest star in potential episodes) has died and he has truly become the King. "Goodnight New York"- Prince Tariq, and Oha are forced to leave New York for there royal duties Tariq asks Carl Mackey's daughter to head out to live like the princess she deserves to. Although originally choosing not when the Mackey's say goodbye to there tenants, she reveals she has a ticket and joins them together to the plane as the credits role. It's not the greatest pilot in the world, however it is an interesting case study in the struggles to adapt films, into sitcoms. Sadly this sitcom, couldn't come to America.