Listen Up (TV series)

{{Infobox television

| image =

| caption =

| alt_name =

| genre = Sitcom

| developer = Jeff Martin

| starring = {{Plainlist|

}}

| theme_music_composer =

| opentheme =

| endtheme =

| music = Brian Kirk

| country = United States

| language = English

| num_seasons = 1

| num_episodes = 22

| executive_producer =

| producer =

| editor =

| location =

| cinematography =

| camera = Multi-camera

| runtime =

| company = {{Plainlist|

}}

| network = CBS

| first_aired = {{Start date|2004|09|20}}

| last_aired = {{End date|2005|04|25}}

}}

Listen Up is an American sitcom television series created by Jeff Martin, that aired on CBS from September 20, 2004, until April 25, 2005. The sitcom was based loosely on the life and exploits of the popular sportswriter and sports-media personality Tony Kornheiser. Its principal executive producer was Jason Alexander, who was also the lead actor. Despite decent-to-good ratings, the show was canceled by CBS on May 18, 2005; "rising production costs" was the major reason officially given for the cancellation.

Premise

Tony Kleinman is a Philadelphia based sports show host whose sidekick is Bernie Widmer, a former NFL player; together they host the TV show Listen Up. While Tony does talk about sports on the show and in his newspaper column, he strays away occasionally to talk about the daily exploits of his family: his wife, Dana, a fund-raiser coordinator; his son, Mickey, a 15-year-old golf prodigy, and Megan, his 14-year-old, know-it-all, smart-mouthed, soccer-playing daughter.

Cast and characters

Jason Alexander as Tony Kleinman, a co-host of Listen Up, a sports talk show
Wendy Makkena as Dana Kleinman, an administrator at Philadelphia Zoo
Daniella Monet as Megan Kleinman, the teenage daughter of Tony
Will Rothhaar as Mickey Kleinman, the teenage son of Tony
Malcolm-Jamal Warner as Bernie Widmer, a retired NFL player and a co-host of Listen Up

Episodes

{{Episode table |overall= |title= |director= |writer= |airdate= |episodes=

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=1

|Title=Pilot

|DirectedBy= Andy Ackerman

|WrittenBy= Jeff Martin

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2004|9|20}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=2

|Title=Hammer Time

|DirectedBy= Andy Ackerman

|WrittenBy= Linda Videtti Figueiredo

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2004|9|27}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=3

|Title=Grandmaster of the Wolfhunt

|DirectedBy= Mark Cendrowski

|WrittenBy= Kenya Barris

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2004|10|4}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=4

|Title=Cool Jerk

|DirectedBy= Andrew D. Weyman

|WrittenBy= David Litt

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2004|10|11}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=5

|Title=Quest for Fire

|DirectedBy= John Whitesell

|WrittenBy= Dan O'Keefe

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2004|10|18}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=6

|Title=Mickey Swallows a Bee

|DirectedBy= Barnet Kellman

|WrittenBy= Dan Kopelman

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2004|10|25}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=7

|Title=The Gift of the Ton-i

|DirectedBy= Terry Hughes

|WrittenBy= Dan Kopelman

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2004|10|25}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=8

|Title=Sweet Charity

|DirectedBy= Andy Cadiff

|WrittenBy= David Litt

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2004|11|15}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=9

|Title=Thanksgiving

|DirectedBy= Bob Koherr

|WrittenBy= Daphne Pollon

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2004|11|22}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=10

|Title=Mickey Without a Cause

|DirectedBy= Andy Ackerman

|WrittenBy= Dan O'Keefe

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2004|11|29}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=11

|Title=Enemy at the Gates

|DirectedBy= Terry Hughes

|WrittenBy= Daphne Pollon

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2004|12|13}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=12

|Title=Tony the Tiger

|DirectedBy= Rob Schiller

|WrittenBy= Dan Kopelman

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2005|1|3}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=13

|Title=Snub Thy Neighbor

|DirectedBy= Bob Koherr

|WrittenBy= Linda Videtti Figueiredo

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2005|1|17}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=14

|Title=Weekend with Bernie

|DirectedBy= Bob Koherr

|WrittenBy= Erika Kaestle & Patrick McCarthy & Jamie Rhonheimer

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2005|1|31}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=15

|Title=Inky Dinky Don't

|DirectedBy= Bob Koherr

|WrittenBy= Dan Kopelman

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2005|2|7}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=16

|Title=Colon-Oopscopy

|DirectedBy= Lynn McCracken

|WrittenBy= Jamie Rhonheimer

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2005|2|14}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=17

|Title=Tony Whine-Man

|DirectedBy= Gerry Cohen

|WrittenBy= Erika Kaestle & Patrick McCarthy

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2005|2|21}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=18

|Title= Couch Potato

|DirectedBy= Leonard R. Garner Jr.

|WrittenBy= Dan O'Keefe

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2005|3|7}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=19

|Title=Waiting for Kleinman

|DirectedBy= Rob Schiller

|WrittenBy= Kenya Barris

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2005|3|21}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=20

|Title=Check Mates

|DirectedBy= Bob Koherr

|WrittenBy= Linda Videtti Figueiredo

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2005|4|11}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=21

|Title=Ebony and Irony

|DirectedBy= Bob Koherr

|WrittenBy= Dan Kopelman & Jamie Rhonheimer

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2005|4|18}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=22

|Title=Last Vegas

|DirectedBy= Bob Koherr

|WrittenBy= Erika Kaestle & Patrick McCarthy

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2005|4|25}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=

}}

Reception

=Critical response=

Critical reaction was largely negative. USA Today's Robert Bianco wrote that the show makes the "mistake of trying to build a star vehicle around a second banana".{{Cite web|url=https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/television/reviews/2004-09-19-listen-up_x.htm|title=Witless 'Listen Up' has a tin ear for comedy|website=USA Today|first=Robert|last=Bianco|date=September 19, 2004}} A New York Times review called it "a rickety vehicle for Jason Alexander".{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/20/arts/a-celebrity-on-tv-a-schlemiel-at-home.html|title=A Celebrity on TV, a Schlemiel at Home|work=The New York Times|first=Virginia|last=Heffernan|date=September 20, 2004}} Critics disagreed on the supporting cast – while USA Today noted, "When 'Listen Up' focuses on its supporting cast, the show works", The New York Times referred to a "stiff supporting cast".{{Cite web|url=https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Jason-Alexander-sitcom-chalks-one-up-for-the-2723758.php|title=Jason Alexander sitcom chalks one up for the 'Seinfeld' curse|website=San Francisco Chronicle|first=Tim|last=Goodman|date=September 20, 2004}} Matt Rouse of TV Guide wrote, "Forget about the 'Seinfeld' curse, this is just mediocre material and bad casting."{{cite magazine|title=Listen Up!|magazine=TV Guide|date=September 12–18, 2004|page=41}}

=Ratings=

The premiere episode drew 11.8 million viewers, while the final episode drew 8.9 million viewers.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/26/arts/television/sorry-newman-there-may-not-be-a-seinfeld-curse.html|title=Sorry, Newman: There May Not Be a Seinfeld Curse|work=The New York Times|first=Matt|last=Haber|date=March 26, 2006}}

References

External links

{{IMDb title|0411007|Listen Up}}
{{Epguides|ListenUp|Listen Up}}

Category:2000s American multi-camera sitcoms

Category:2004 American television series debuts

Category:2005 American television series endings

Category:American English-language television shows

Category:Television series about television

Category:Television series by CBS Studios

Category:Television series by 20th Century Fox Television

Category:Television series about radio

Category:CBS sitcoms