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Pilot view: NBC’s new comedy, ‘Outsourced’

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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.

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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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