CBS’ “Life In Pieces” is premiering this Monday night at 8:30, following the return of “The Big Bang Theory” for its ninth season. Ahead of the new sitcom’s pilot episode, here are three things viewers should know about the James Brolin starrer.
1. "Life In Pieces" is comparable to "Modern Family"
The premise of following a family may have been best captured by "Modern Family" given its longevity and the reception it gets from viewers, but CBS' "Life In Pieces" is also giving this one a shot after the network failed to come up with a good post-"Big Bang Theory" show on its Monday night lineup. "Bad Teacher" and "The Crazy Ones" have come but stayed only for a short time on CBS. "We Are Men" on the other hand was axed after just two episodes.
TV Guide noted that the "Life In Pieces" is similar to "Modern Family" in the sense that it is a single-camera comedy that centers on family life. However, CBS' new sitcom intends to basically mirror parenthood to their adult viewers to give them a sense of solidarity with the onscreen family. Plus, there is also the humor apart from the dramatic moments which show creator Justin Adler said is very "authentic." He also said, "It comes from a real place. It's relatable."
2. The CBS sitcom has a format inspired by "Looney Tunes"
Though viewers will most certainly compare "Life in Pieces" with ABC's Wednesday night comedy "Modern Family," Adler has claimed that he has not seen the latter at all. He added that his show is actually inspired by "Looney Tunes" since it shows four six-minute vignettes in every 30-minute episode. What's more interesting is "Life In Pieces" introduces each part theater style by presenting a title card in front of a presumed live audience, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
Each story revolves around a specific storyline of a family member, and viewers can expect for the show to present real-life moments. Colin Hanks, who plays Greg, dished that one of his scenes with onscreen wife Jen, played by Zoe Lister Jones, captured a special moment in his life — bringing his newborn home with his wife. "That actually happened to me and my wife when we brought our eldest home. That one is actually ripped from the headlines, so to speak," he said.
3. The star-studded cast led by James Brolin and Dianne Wiest
Aside from the funny and dramatic moments in the series, viewers should also anticipate the acting of very familiar faces. James Brolin, who is known for "The Amityville Horror," is playing the patriarch of the Short family, and this is said to be his first regular role in a network comedy show. "Edward Scissorhands" star Dianne Wiest is playing Brolin's onscreen wife, Joan Short.
The couple have three grown children played by "Breaking Bad" star Betsy Brandt, "The Newsroom's" Thomas Sadoski and "Fargo" star Colin Hanks, according to New York Times. Other adult actors appearing in the sitcome are Zoe Lister-Jones, Angelique Cabral and Dan Bakkedahl.
"Life in Pieces" airs this Monday night at 8:30 p.m. EDT on CBS.
