Bunny (Nathan Lane) reunites with his best friends Jerry (Matt Bomer) and Arthur (Nathan Lee Graham) at a funeral. He invites them to move in to his Palm Springs mansion with him and his mother Sybil (the late, great Linda Lavin). Mid-Century Modern was conceived as a “Gay Golden Girls.” The pilot makes the connections clear. Cynical Arthur and naïve Jerry are upset when the romantic Bunny nearly abandons them for a new boyfriend. Just as Blanche nearly abandoned Dorothy and Rose in their pilot. The Golden Girls parallels are so blatant that it takes this sitcom a while to develop its own identity.
What Works
The Golden Girls was groundbreaking for its portrayal of mature women forming a chosen family. Queer media is no stranger to chosen family tropes. But happy stories about mature gay men are still rare.
Nathan Lane is a master of tragi-comedy. He finds the anger, longing and humor of a man who can love everyone but himself. He finds the warmth in his prickly relationships with his mother and sister (a surly turn from Pamela Adlon). Lane can switch between subtle heartbreak and broad physical comedy within the course of an episode.
Nathan Lee Graham finds layers in his cranky character. Allusions are made to past work in the fashion industry, and a temper that left him unhirable. Now the only ones to take his frustrations out on are his friends. Luckily, he can deliver a string of acidic put-downs without becoming insufferable.
Linda Lavin makes everything look easy. Her long career in theater and television puts her at ease with a studio audience. Her mother role could be a twinkly darling or a brassy harridan. Lavin finds the complicated person underneath. She can sell a hacky joke. But her moments of clear-eyed honesty provide the highlights of the series. A fitting send-off to a true talent.
The show’s pedigree invited sitcom royalty for a series of walk on roles. I won’t spoil the cameos but the stars often have more chemistry with them than with each other. Which leads me to…
The Challenges
These men never feel like life-long friends. Scenes of them bantering around the kitchen table or performing self-conscious musical numbers are often cringe worthy. It doesn’t help that the writers over-explain their jokes.
The weakest link is Matt Bomer. Jerry is an ex-Mormon himbo who left a wife, a daughter and the church three decades ago. In that time, he’s become an experienced lover while remaining a naïve clown. Bomer reads as too intelligent to pull off the Betty White gags. He can play a sincere monologue about the Mormon church. But whenever he has to say something foolish it feels like an ill-fitting coat that he’s eager to remove.
One of the strongest episodes acknowledges the sexy elephant in the room. Bomer is extremely handsome and Lane’s character struggles with his attraction to him. Graham’s frequent jabs at Bomer’s pretty privilege suggest he does as well. It raises questions as to why they’ve platonically supported him for so long.
The weakest episode is a reluctant attempt to address current politics. The privileged trio fawn over a conservative congresswoman. Then are shocked to learn she’s supporting a bill to fire LGBT+ teachers. The premise is solid but the writers seem afraid of the subject matter. There are half-hearted “both sides” jabs at liberal smugness and conservative hypocrisy. Director James Burrows brought the same timidity to the overtly political episodes of Will & Grace. I’d rather they skip the subject entirely if they’re going to waste the opportunity.
There’s more to do with this premise but the retro sitcom format and uneven performances are unsatisfying. The passing of Linda Lavin casts a pall over the final episodes. At its best I see the potential that brought director James Burrows and his cast on board. At its worst Mid-Century Modern is lukewarm comfort food. I don’t need a second helping.
You can find more of my reviews on The Avocado, Letterboxd and Serializd. My podcast, Rainbow Colored Glasses, can be found here.