Rebounding from the ill-conceived Watching Ellie, Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Seinfeld) at last finds a character ideally suited to take full measure of her prodigious comedic gifts. Christine is "all tension and teeth," a working mother amicably divorced from her husband. Two developments rock her already rocky world in the pilot episode: first, she enrolls her son in an exclusive private school, where she is at the mercy of snooty "meanie moms," and second, she learns that her ex-husband Richard (Clark Gregg) is dating a younger woman, also named Christine (Emily Rutherfurd). The New Adventures of Old Christine puts a sitcom sheen on "discomfort television" as practiced by Seinfeld creator Larry David in Curb Your Enthusiasm, as each episode brings some fresh humiliation, such as discovering that a one-night stand (guest star Andy Richter) is derisively known around the school as "Sad Dad," or throwing an arts and crafts birthday party that earns her son the nickname "poor kid" from his classmates, or discovering that her new friend is the maid of one of the meanies. One drawback here is that the ensemble is not as balanced as Seinfeld's: the only two who hold their own with Louis-Dreyfus are the always dependable Wanda Sykes as Christine's sassy "black friend" (as Christine so tactlessly introduces her at one point), and Hamish Linklater as Matthew, Christine's slacker brother. Refreshingly, the "new" Christine is not a bimbo, but rather a sympathetic character who does not want to upset “old” Christine and Richard's "healthy dynamic." Another plus is that Christine's son Ritchie (Trevor Gagon) is no precocious sitcom kid. In the 13 episodes of this 2006 first season, the show is still finding its feet, though Louis-Dreyfus has already scored an Emmy. DVD extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette with interviews of the cast and series' creator Kari Lizer, as well as deleted scenes, and a gag reel. Recommended. (D. Liebenson)
The New Adventures of Old Christine: The Complete First Season
Warner, 2 discs, 278 min., not rated, DVD: $29.98 Volume 23, Issue 2
The New Adventures of Old Christine: The Complete First Season
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