Pilot view: NBC's new comedy, 'Outsourced'
Editor’s note: We offer our first impressions of the original pilots for fall shows. Keep in mind these are not reviews and the networks may make significant changes to these shows before they air. We reserve the right to love them or hate them more later.
"Outsourced" is a single-camera comedy set in all-American company, Mid America Novelties, which sells anything from wallets made of bacon to whoopee cushions. Its call center has been outsourced to India, and 25-year-old Todd Dempsey has been transferred there to manage it. He quickly realizes his staff needs a crash course in all things American if they are going to help him increase sales, and he needs to learn more than a few things about India.
Who's in it: newcomer Ben Rappaport (off-Broadway's "The Gingerbread House") as Todd; Rizwan Manji ("Privileged") as Ranjiv; Sacha Dhawan (BBC’s "Five Days II") as Manmeet; Rebecca Hazlewood (BBC’s "Doctors") as Asha; Parvesh Cheena ("Help Me Help You") as Gupta; Anisha Nagarajan (Broadway’s "Bombay Dreams") as Midori; Diedrich Bader ("The Drew Carey Show") as Charlie; and Jessica Gower (Network Ten’s "The Secret Life of Us") as Tonya.
Who made it: Robert Borden ("The Drew Carey Show" and "George Lopez") created it and is producing it.
Thumbs up: It's a workplace comedy with a relatable, topical bent. The cast is fresh and impressive. Rappaport is a charming lead.
Thumbs down: It hasn't quite found its comedic rhythm, but when it's funny, it's funny.
Verdict: If we can't beat the outsourcing, why not join it? Potential here.-- Maria Elena Fernandez
twitter.com/writerchica
Video credit: NBC
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As a big fan of the film, I found the pilot to be inane, silly and verging on racist.
The scenes with Todd trying to teach his new charges about America are, in the movie, set up with a lot of solid character development. In the sitcom, those same scenes lack any of that context and are almost heartstoppingly silly.
I didn't find any of the sitcom pilot the least bit funny.
Posted by: Sheldon | July 01, 2010 at 02:20 PM
OMG, will someone please support the American worker side. Im so tired of all things Indian.
Posted by: Naven | July 02, 2010 at 08:18 AM
I find this show in bad taste. There are many American's who have lost there job due to Outsourcing to foreign countries including India due to cheep labor. Why would you as a American Company want to make money at other Americans expenses.
Posted by: Diania | July 08, 2010 at 03:55 PM
Figures this would be a comedy put out on NBC since JW created the whole outsourcing fiasco which has put this country in unemployment due to cheap slave labor. Do we really need a show to rub it in our faces that our jobs, income and livelihood are being taken away by greedy corporate companies like GE ? What happened to America ? We used to be a country that worked hard, created new things and manufactured products (ie: capitalism) and now we are a country that does nothing and depends on services from other countries (ie: socialism)...Greedy corporations have sold the US out, we are nothing more than a streetwalker looking for its next buck.
Posted by: Jack Belch | July 14, 2010 at 09:55 AM
This looks funny. People shouldnt be trying to read into sitcoms as something real. This is fake, its for entertainment. If you dont like it, guess what, watch something else. Greys Anatomy is bland and dosent require you to think.
Posted by: Damnyoutall | July 16, 2010 at 12:43 PM
I love the show Outsourced, the cast is a wonderful recipe for comedy, hats off to all!
Posted by: Peggy Arena | February 24, 2011 at 05:21 AM