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Review: Cupid's second chance at love may be too sweet to survive
Once upon a time, ABC aired a goofy show about a probably crazy guy who thought he was Cupid, the Roman god of love. It was a dramedy that starred Jeremy Piven as the title guy on a mission to help 100 couples find true love so he could get back to Mount Olympus. While it wasn't a surprise that Cupid only survived one 15-episode season, the fact that it became a cult favorite to the extent of being named one of E! Online's "Top Ten Shows Cancelled Before Their Time" was.
Whether creator Rob Thomas' second incarnation of Cupid is better or worse than the original will certainly be debated, but none of that really matters. It's a tough time to be a television show, and this new Jeremy Piven-less Cupid will have its work cut out for it when it premieres on ABC on Tuesday, March 31, at 10 p.m. ET/PT after Dancing With the Stars.
Bobby Cannavale stars as Cupid, or Trevor Pierce when he doesn't want to freak people out. While trying to help an Irish street musician named Dave (who is on his own mission to find an American woman he met in a Dublin pub), Trevor gets arrested and tossed in a mental institution. Trevor charms most he meets, but he does insist that he's the actual Roman god of love, Cupid. After being released from the institution he ends up under the care of psychiatrist and self-help author Dr. Claire McCrae (Sarah Paulson).
Claire soon learns that Trevor, aka Cupid, humored her to get released from the institution. He believes he's got to help 100 couples find true love, and he's not about to let a little thing like not having his magic arrows get in his way.
So is Trevor Cupid or just some poor deluded loony? There is evidence to support both theories, but don't expect an answer unless Cupid has a nice long run.
This first pilot episode, creatively called "Pilot," quickly digs into the simple premise. It's neither hysterically funny nor terribly dramatic. However, Cupid does grow on you, and in the end it touches the heartstrings just a bit.
Cannavale may not be Piven, but he does eventually inhabit the role. He's charming, and we like him. Sarah Paulson has the tougher role as the stuck-up Claire, who has certainly taken a romantic hit. But Paulson also becomes more endearing over time.
Cupid certainly seems too gentle and subtle for today's audience, which embraces shows like The Bachelor as something romantic. Is it actually possible for Cupid to succeed considering that no actual hearts were broken in the making of this television series? Let's hope so.
Cupid is a sweet throwback to what many of us want to believe romance should be. It's not slick or snide or manipulative, which by its very nature should mean it has no right to survive on television today. But thanks Rob Thomas and ABC, Cupid deserves another go, even if we're too grown-up to appreciate it ... again.
By sparrrownightmare at 10:33 AM ON 03/31/09
Cupid was not a Roman God. He was a Greek Demi-God, who was the son of Aphrodite. Either way, this was a very weird show.
By budgethero at 10:58 AM ON 03/31/09
i dont usually try ABC shows, but ill try this. finally something to counter the crass sex driven love of Grey's Anatomy.
By stormychris at 11:28 AM ON 03/31/09
Actually, Cupid is the Roman god, Eros was the Greek god upon whom the Roman's modeled Cupid.
Cupid - son of Venus and Mars
Eros - son of Aphrodite and Ares or alternately, created by Plenty and Poverty at Aphrodite's birthday, making him a primordial/primeval god. Some myths even have Eros being born of Chaos, at the same time as Gaea and the Titans.
That said, it would not surprise me to find them mixing Greek & Roman mythologies willy-nilly.
By al at 12:03 PM ON 03/31/09
So they're "trying" out show revamps because of the fan base, yet they still cancelled Pushing Daisies and Eli Stone while fans continued to rave about keeping them?
If you cancel a show, I'd expect you to replace it with a completely new show.
ABC, don't follow the Fox network. Either keep the shows and let them develop the proper ratings to go with the fan base or come up with better shows to take their place, not just a recast with the same story concept.
By Paul at 12:10 PM ON 03/31/09
Just wanted to point out that this show has nothing at all to do with science fiction. "SYFY" here we come!
By Deven Science at 12:20 PM ON 03/31/09
@Paul,
Neither is Eli Stone, they're both fantasy, but this site has been talking about that for three years or so. Didn't this site talk about Cupid the first time? That's even further in the past. This isn't new.
By Spinster at 12:43 PM ON 03/31/09
"Cupid certainly seems too gentle and subtle for today's audience, which embraces shows like The Bachelor as something romantic."
Wow. I cannot decide if this statement is elitist, rude, or scary.
By AngryJonny at 1:19 PM ON 03/31/09
It must be weird for Rob Thomas to create the same show again. His Veronica Mars was great!
I really liked the first version of Cupid with Jeremy Piven and Paula Marshall. This new guy looks weird, I hate his hair, and Sarah Paulson annoys me. At least she did on Studio 60. She's been okay in other roles, like Deadwood. Still, I just don't have much desire to see this new version.
Actually, I REALLY hate his hair. WTF is up with this current fauxhawk look? Do people not realize how utterly idiotic they look having their hair aimed toward the center of their skull? Forget it, I'm not watching Cupid simply because of the dumbass haircut they gave star.
By Sylver at 1:45 PM ON 03/31/09
The original was a charming show which did deserve a longer run. I'm only keen for this second chance to do well so the first incarnation might be released on DVD. As another member brought up the chances of this surviving when Eli Stone was cancelled (with a more well known cast) is highly unlikely. Still because of the shared creator I'll give it a go and hope for the best...
By budgethero at 9:21 AM ON 04/01/09
i liked it. it wasnt the best show. theres room for improvement. but nice so far.
By CJAnderson at 10:32 AM ON 04/01/09
In better economic times, this show would be off the air in 3 episodes. ABC had such a winner in Pushing Daiseys, does anyone really think that this rpogram has a snowball chance in hell?
They will probably let whatever they have in the can play out ,and then chop it with some other inane "reality' show. Leaving what ever fans have bought in to this unfulfilled!
THIS is why I no longer bother with either ABC or Fox shows any more.
THIS
By Rich In Seattle at 6:22 PM ON 04/01/09
I never really got into the first one, but I watched this one to give it a chance. The actor was off. I can totally see someone like Piven in this role over this guy who I think frankly, is a little too good looking for the role. I think Cupid needs to be an every day guy, not a Ricky Martin look-a-like. Plus I can't stand the actress from Studio 60. I wanted to like this how, I really did, but the casting really was a turn off. It just didn't fit for me. And I usually like stuff like this.
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Rich In Seattle:
I never really got into the first one, but I watched this one to give it a chance. The actor was off. I can total...More »