Chelsea Handler, the star of her own late night cable talk show, "Chelsea Lately," has taken on a new role — sitcom star. "Are You There, Chelsea?" is a new sitcom on NBC's revamped Wednesday night lineup.
The show is based on Chelsea Handler's own life and memoir, "Are You There, Vodka? It's Me Chelsea." The book was a best-seller, but not all projects equal television gold. There are some definite holes in Handler's new show that are holding it back from its full potential.
To address one thing, Chelsea Handler does not play Chelsea Handler. This gets pretty awkward at times, as Chelsea is played by Laura Prepon, best known as Donna from "That ‘70s Show." While Prepon is talented as a comedic actress, it is hard to shake the image of Donna in this role, and she can't deliver one-liners quite like Chelsea would. Handler is still a part of the show, playing her pregnant, brunette sister Sloane, a fictitious version of her actual sister.
The show has received some criticism for its use of the outdated "laugh track." A laugh track is the pre-recorded sound of an audience laughing at all the parts intended to get the audience's reactions. It is customary for the laugh track to be used in sitcoms that are "multi-camera" and filmed in front of a live studio audience.
"Chelsea" is a multi-camera sitcom which has gone out of style since the turn of the century. The multi-camera format is commonly associated with television comedies. Traditionally, television dramas have not used any pre-recorded sound, and they are not filmed in front of a live studio audience. Shows such as "Law & Order: SVU," "Criminal Minds" and "Grey's Anatomy" are all examples of shows that have been filmed in the single-camera format. While the multi-camera format makes episode production more efficient, the single-camera format is known for its crisper picture on the screen.
Personally, I am a fan of the multi-camera format for sitcoms. In the last decade, a large majority of comedies such as "The Office," "Parks & Recreation," "30 Rock" and "Modern Family" have resorted to using the single camera format. At a certain point, I began to miss the feeling of the actors performing on set in front of a studio audience. For some reason, it makes me feel more connected to the show, as sets and decorations play a focal role in each episode. So for that, I commend the show and its attempt.
But the show can't seem to shake itself from the awkward casting. Prepon just cannot pull off Chelsea's sense of humor. On last week's episode, she appeared to nervously giggle before delivering a totally inappropriate line, which Handler herself would've pulled off without a problem. The premise of the show is that it is set in modern day, but it revolves around Handler's life in her 20s. I understand why Handler didn't want to play a younger version of herself, as that would be pretty difficult to work with. However, perhaps Prepon is the wrong choice for the lead character. As it stands now, I don't see her being able to keep it afloat.
Laura Prepon, of "That 70's Show", fame can't seem to escape her past role while starring in "Are You There, Chelsea'" a sitcom based on comedian Chelsea Handler's best-selling book
