The McCarthys (2014–2015) User Reviews

old fashion family sitcom

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 6 February 2015]

Arthur (Jack McGee) and Marjorie McCarthy (Laurie Metcalf) are the heads of a Boston Irish Catholic close-knit combative family. He coaches high school basketball. Gerard (Joey McIntyre) and Sean (Jimmy Dunn) are their twin sons ... fraternal twins. Their daughter Jackie (Kelen Coleman) gets pregnant from the old assistant coach who just passed away. Ronny (Tyler Ritter) is their gay son and the only one who doesn't get sports.

This is an old fashion family sitcom with a gay character. It's old in both good and bad ways. There are no risks in this show. There is no attempt at anything out of the box. This has been done for over 20 years. It might have been edgy back in the day to have a nice normal gay character. Television has moved on beyond that. The good is that it is safe. It's easy. The cast is terrific. I like everybody in the show. They all have an easy chemistry. It's a fair sitcom but is going to be forgotten soon after its cancellation.

Promising & Plenty Of Laughs

[alan_holloway_2 · 7/10 · 31 October 2014]

I had to write this after seeing the only other review describing it as 'Homophobic', something it certainly is not.

The McCarthys are a close knit Boston family who love sports, except for Mother and one of the three sons (there is also a daughter). the son in question is gay, but it is never presented as a bad thing. His family are in fact very supportive, even if their support is at times naive.

This is pretty much a standard family based comedy with plenty of laughs and good performances. The family are lovable dopes in the main, and the whole thing is harmless and often laugh out loud funny.

It may well be canceled (you never know these days) but it certainly won't be because some ignorant people think it's homophobic, thankfully.

A big family, a lot of comedy

[taylorkingston · 7/10 · 2 November 2015]

I really enjoyed this show, and I was sad to see it go. I do, however, always prepare myself that new shows, especially sitcoms, are often short-lives. Dozens of really funny shows, with very big celebrities starring, have been cancelled in the last five years. And sadly, The McCarthy's isn't any exception.

This show is about a big family, who all live in the same neighborhood. They go through family struggles, pregnancies, and just daily life, while trying to find time to be away from the family. Because frankly, they spend way too much time together.

Overall, I give this TV show an 7 out of 10, which in my ratings book is: Great.

glad to see it back on t.v.

[mroman1966 · 10/10 · 4 July 2015]

Finally, The McCarthys are back on television. How many reality shows are going to be on t.v.? This show reminds Of the shows I grew up with , Threes Company, Laverne & Shirley, The Cosby, etc. I was so sad to hear that it was cancelled without giving it a chance. I find this show to be very funny with an amazing cast starting with Laurie Metcalf. Then, to have John Ritters son as the main character who reminds me of his father, who was a comical genius, makes it an even funnier show. I hope cbs gives it a chance. Television needs more shows like the McCarthys. It's a family show, not like a those reality shows. Children should be. Watching funny family shows like this one.

Your typical family SitCom with the fake laugh audio track.

[Dr_Sagan · 3 November 2014]

The McCarthys is neither good or bad. It's your typical family SitCom with the fake laugh audio track.

Well, it is called "The McCarthys" so you expect that is all about a (for the TV at least) stereotypic family. The father (a coach in this one) who don't gives a damn, the mother, 3 adults-pushing-thirties sons (which 2 of them twins but faaar from identical) ans a daughter who, guess what she, is pregnant!

Ah! Of course one of the sons (not the twins) is gay. Not a big surprise either, since every show has at least one, to spice things up and give some, stereotypic also, laughs.

The pilot is all about a funeral and you get to see the insensitive side of this family, and the way the writers will try to be funny in the upcoming episodes.

Anyway, didn't hate it, but didn't love it either. It's your typical sitcom like the Millers etc. that I really don't care if it is canceled or not.

Network sitcoms don't get much worse than this

[duraflex · 1/10 · 20 November 2014]

The comedic possibilities of a large Irish family would seem endless.

Guess what - they ended with this waste of 22 minutes.

Laurie Metcalf is a funny woman but not in this show. The husband / father is a weak, humorless twit.

The rest of the family is an unlikeable bunch and of course the focus of everything is centered on the one homosexual son. Like being gay is so funny. Like how many sitcoms don't already include a gay character in a desperate attempt to garner laughs.

Once upon a time, pilots of shows like this were run before trial audiences in major cities. The show would be played in a hotel meeting room on several monitors to an audience of 100 or so invited guests. Based on their spontaneous reactions, follow-up Q&A and written feedback, a show would make it to air or not - or it would be tweaked and retried or it would bite the dust right then and there.

If THE McCARTHYS ever went through such a trial focus group, I don't know how it ever got a green light to air.

Horrible show that was cancelled after just 11 episodes.

Please cancel the Conners...

[mntwinsgrl · 10/10 · 4 June 2019]

So Laurie Metcalf can go back to the McCarthy's! The Conners is so unfunny whereas the McCarthy's was brilliantly funny!!

Very disappointing

[dgsride · 1/10 · 15 November 2014]

I am from Mass. & love Laurie Metcalf so I gave it a shot. Not only is the writing cringe-worthy but every person in the cast is nasty and unpleasant. The gay community should question the seemingly patronizing addition of the gay son/neighbor/friend/colleague/etc. who lately, in a number of shows in this enlightened age, seems to still manage to make the gay lifestyle a subject of ridicule and embarrassment, under the guise of entertainment. Joey McIntyre over-acts to the point of agonizing to watch which contributes to this shows embarrassing content on all fronts. Laurie Metcalf's considerable and awarded talent is wasted here.

dealing with a sports family & its funny members

[inanisumeet · 8/10 · 11 March 2015]

small , sweet , funny , lovely . deserves higher score on IMDb . this is a light hearted serial about a family with different personalities . The parents are conservative while grown up children are quite open minded . i personally like the father . this is like friends in a way as you can watch any episode without knowing about past incidents . The events are casual but reactions aren't. you can watch with family as jokes are clean mostly. Among brothers One has unconventional tastes , one is fond of food , one is delusional . The sister is too adventurous . Mother is manipulative . Father is always calm . The relationships between various characters is mix of emotions . No politeness or formality in this family .

Prime example of sit com by the numbers

[paul_marston · 1/10 · 31 October 2014]

Can forgive cliché filled one dimensional character, 30 yr old script, dull as dishwater delivery, inane premise, and obvious stereotypes (sports obsessed Boston family, idiot son, loose daughter etc). ALL of this could be forgiven if the show was funny!

This was done nearly 30 years ago and WAY WAY better in Married with children.

This genre can be funny, if it has a decent script. Just take a look at IT Crowd, Father Ted, or to a lesser extent Big Bang.

NONE of these are particularly original, but are funny! Surely the ONLY criteria a comedy is supposed to be judged on IMHO!

Not sure if it is going to be a big US hit, but it most definitely isn't going to cross the pond!

This show needs to be put out of our misery!

DULL DULL DULL

Best Comedy I Have Watched in Years!!!

[alexatahiraj · 10/10 · 6 November 2014]

I was shocked when I came here to see the bad reviews and wondered if we had watched the same show.

As others have said typical Irish-Catholic Boston family, if not a bit red-neck with a slight twist of All in the Family's Archie Bunker. That is the charm of the show.

Laurie Metcalf is Brilliant as per usual. I kind of recognized the rest of the family but came in IMDb to get more information on the show and actors. I have seen Jack McGee in other television shows which I have enjoyed. I recognized Joey McIntyre's name from NKOTB; however, I didn't know he was an actor as well. I was pleasantly surprised seeing John Ritter's son, Tyler Ritter in this show. I like so many other John Ritter fans were saddened and heart broken by his unexpected death. So now it feels like we have a little piece of him back. Kelen Coleman, I've seen on Men at Work (another great comedy I thought) and The Newsroom.

To me this looks like a great cast, great writing and lots of laughs. What more do we need for a successful comedy?

New television shows typically get better each episode as we get to know the characters more. I am really looking forward to more episodes and I hope they continue with the same formula they are using now for the show.

My favourite scene is the ending when the mom is sending off each child with a plate of food, while quietly telling them that each of them is her favourite. Until she is saying good bye to her daughter and doesn't tell her that she is her favourite but reminds her not to forget to bring the plate back.

Metcalfe Talent Is Completely Wasted

[voyageur0713 · 1/10 · 9 November 2014]

.. in this lazy, uninspired, homophobic, stereotype-laden piece of sitcom dung.

Metcalfe is the only one who seems to even be trying and even she falls onto the ledge of the overacting pit the rest of the cast wallows in on occasion. There are child actors on soap operas with more subtlety than even a single moment of this show. This show, should it last much longer, could just be a career killer for a couple members of the cast. The acting is just that bad!

While pilots can be uneven and not so great, the second episode will often then clean up and correct the problem areas. Or in this case, the show sinks even further into the well of awful.

McCarthy's is fun and funny !

[msroncon-955-943130 · 10/10 · 2 January 2015]

The show is great. Clever writing and the cast is awesome. Laurie Met calf is always a favorite. Ritter is cute and clever. The pregnant daughter storyline..eh...but now that the show has more episodes, it's getting funny. The show is great. They should cancel the lame, Two Broke Girls, and put it in to episodes outside of the home. The Dad is a natural talent. The rest of the cast is a refreshing pleasure from seeing the usual sitcom stars show up again and again. Too soon for us to forget the last sitcom. I hope the show stays on the air for a long time. The writing is fresh. Right now I'm binge watching this season. Still funny. Which made me feel compelled to give a review. Give the show a chance. Even Seinfeld took two seasons to catch on.

disappointed

[upfrontsandiego · 1/10 · 17 November 2014]

I was really looking forward to the pilot, but here we go again-how old or should i say bad are the writers on this show that they think quick zingers and cute play on words as well as predictable characters i watched in the 80's would work. We get it the funny out of touch dad with quick, funny comment after funny comment sitting is his easy chair, or the big oaf brother who seems just shy of brain damage, the almost Italian make player and the loser sister. Guys- look at your talent you are really screwing up here. You are wasting, which should be illegal, the greatest female comedian i have ever watched. FIRE the writing staff and regroup, spend the money and put the kind of material that does not use the or have to use laugh tracks, I think i heard some of the same laugh tracks that were used on the Carroll Burnett show. This is my first review ever and i am doing this because i hate to see such an amazing actress being cheapened.

THE MCCARTYS

[hotwheelerd · 8/10 · 2 May 2019]

Love this Show it is Funny and Hilarious. I think people should watch it the cast is Great and CRAZY. The MOTHER runs the Family.

Painfully Bad Homophobic Humor

[Man99204 · 1/10 · 30 October 2014]

It is amazing that something this poorly written could ever get made into a series. This has to have the most poorly written script of any series premiering in 2014.

There is no humor. It is just stupid,and not in the good way. The characters are incredibly one dimensional. There is not one sympathetic characterization in the whole series.

The entire series appears to have been "cut and pasted" from other painfully unfunny TV series. There is not one new or original idea in the whole muddled mess.

It does, however, feature some of the most painful unfunny homophobic jokes ever to appear on American television.

Catch the series now, it won't last past mid season.

Worth watching

[FactsLogic · 10/10 · 8 January 2015]

I watched every episode, it was hit and miss for the first couple episode, but they found their niche.

They recently had an episode with Jane Kaczmarek, that was a GREAT episode. She plays the sister of Laurie Metcalf, the two of them have funny chemistry together.

The lead character is Tyler Ritter, he is good enough to carry the show. The rest of the characters are getting better. The show is has old fashion sitcom feel to it. Some of the jokes fall flat but its happening less and less.

Watch that episode instead, don't bother with the pilot episode.

crap

[daisyicecreamco · 1/10 · 3 February 2015]

TERRIBLE! Pure garbage! Do not waste your time with this filth. This is the stupidest show I have ever seen. I don't know who their audience is and I say "is" because there cannot be more than one person who likes this vomit. I didn't even get a smile let alone a laugh from this crap. Whoever signed these people to a contract should loose all voting rights in this country since they have no human intelligence! My God what is wrong with you people!?! The canned laughter gets more insulting as the show goes on.For crying out loud you would think you were going insane watching this. Ignore the comments of the ignorant that actually like this since they are vermin.

Entertaining fun show!

[jtungsten16 · 10/10 · 3 November 2014]

this is a fun, upbeat new comedy on the CBS network and I must say I enjoyed every second of it! The Mccarthys is a show that centers around a catholic, sports loving family. I am not into sports, but they don't throw it in your face. They do feature a gay character which I enjoyed immensely the actor portrays the character in a realistic way. I think people should give this funny offbeat comedy a chance to find its roots and I always think that comedy shows usually find there roots in the second season. I think the actors are more comfortable in their roles and they are not trying to hard to win the audience over. The Mccarthys mom played my Laurie Metcalf plays the role in such a dry emotionless, funny way and I really enjoyed her in episode one, I can't wait to see what she will do next. Please give this show a chance and remember that it was only the first episode before you write bad reviews.

lost me ant the first scene en i could not watch the 2the episode.

[janickdemarie · 1/10 · 3 July 2015]

looks like the luck of the Irish finally ran out. this is bad like really bad. i watch a lot of shows like really a lot of shows and when i'm watching something bad i mostly see the good in it an finish is and go to the next show. but this was really bad is stopped watching after 15 minutes because if is just not fun to watch. it's a irish comedy show wel poor Irish i'm sorry you guys are not funny at all. i get that not all shows can be good but come on this is written so poorly and lazy i could even do a better job. did they even find this filth funny themselves i hope not. an last but not least plz stop using laugh montages its so outdated and really irritating.

Bring back the McCarthy's!!!

[mntwinsgrl · 10/10 · 4 June 2019]

I very much enjoyed it! Now I get to see the reruns on Crackle! But they cut it before the baby was born, whether or not Gerald married Katrina and it was just way to fun to watch! One season wasn't enough!!

Typical show about the Irish

[reann-155-831933 · 1/10 · 9 November 2014]

I would think in this day and age the writers could come up with some other idea about the Irish, other then the typical stereotypes. Not all Irish are drunks, Irish sons are not stupid, Irish women and daughters are not tramps, Irish Mothers have the best interest of their families and Irish fathers work and guide their families. The Irish made this country!

This show is not a true indication of how Irish families are. It seems that the only thing this show does is try to get laughs at the expense of the Irish. So called laughter can only get this show just so far, after that there has to be a reason to watch.

i did not think this show was funny, it was more insulting than funny!

Do something to make this show real or it will not last!!

Hoping for the best!