Melissa & Joey – Episode 1-7 Review

Reviews, Shows

After she isn’t given her due credit for a project, Mel unsuccessfully tries to manipulate the media in the latest episode, “Up Close and Personal.” Despite her careful plans and rehearsed sound bites, well-meaning Joe steals the spotlight.

In an effort to help her reputation, Mel tries to get a news show to do a profile on her. Worried about projecting the right image, and the reporter twisting her words, she carefully rehearses every moment and has her PR manager Stephanie do the same. However, reporter Celeste senses this and finds it all boring, so when she suggests going to Mel’s house to feature scandal victims Lennox and Ryder, Mel reluctantly agrees to save her piece.

Though Lennox and Ryder answer with rehearsed lines as well, Celeste sets her sights on Joe when she discovers that the former executive is Mel’s manny. But Joe didn’t plan on participating due to his grudge against the media after they embarrassed him during the scandal. Because of this, he acts totally candid, which for him means charming and irresistible to Celeste. Later, Stephanie finds out that Celeste used her experience to paint an ugly picture of Mel, one that would damage her already-hurting reputation. Joe then goes to Celeste and convinces the reporter to air a different, more flattering story.

During all this, Lennox is hooked on the Wii game Just Dance, and gets Mel to join in so she doesn’t have to stop playing. No doubt there’s some shameless sponsor promotion here. But to be honest, I don’t really care because it actually is very funny. Sure, Mel not being the most graceful dancer is a cheap way to get laughs, but it succeeds, which is really what matters. I can’t help but remember a Sabrina the Teenage Witch episode, the one where Sabrina tries dancing in order to add some diversity to her extra-curriculars…but that’s irrelevant. Though given Melissa Joan Hart’s starring role in this show too, references to Sabrina are bound to pop up in my reviews once in a while (I was a big fan, can’t you tell?).

Anyway, I have to point out that Mel has a new sidekick this episode, Stephanie. She’s totally different from Rhonda – a slightly awkward, quirky kiss up. But like Rhonda, she’s also hilarious. Though as I’ve said, I love Rhonda, but I wouldn’t mind if maybe she and Stephanie had an even number of episodes throughout the season. Though, also as I’ve said before, I worry that one of them won’t really last the whole show. Now it’s a matter of guessing which one will be dropped first.

Melissa & Joey hasn’t faltered much since its premiere, but it really needs to step up the quality now that more established shows are airing their premieres in its time slot. New episode Dancing with the Stars of Toledo airs next week.