Worst Week

{{Infobox television

| image = Worst week intertitle.png

| caption =

| genre = Sitcom

| based_on = The Worst Week of My Life by Mark Bussell & Justin Sbresni

| developer = Matt Tarses

| starring = {{Plain list|

}}

| opentheme =

| composer = David Schwartz

| language = English

| country = United States

| num_seasons = 1

| num_episodes = 16

| executive_producer = {{Plain list|

Matt Tarses
Jimmy Mulville
Adam Bernstein

}}

| producer = Matthew Nodella

| camera = Single-camera

| runtime = 30 minutes

| company = {{Plain list|

}}

| network = CBS

| first_aired = {{start date|2008|9|22}}

| last_aired = {{end date|2009|6|6}}

| related = The Worst Week of My Life

}}

Worst Week is an American sitcom television series that premiered on CBS on September 22, 2008. The series was based on the British sitcom The Worst Week of My Life. It was adapted for American audiences by Fox under the title Worst Week of My Life, but a series didn't materialize after the pilot was filmed.{{cite web |last1=Bennett |first1=Steve |title=America imports the Worst |url=https://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2007/08/07/5625/america_imports_the_worst |website=Chortle |access-date=March 29, 2022 |date=August 7, 2007}}

The series aired on CBS Mondays at 9:30pm ET/PT, following Two and a Half Men. The premiere attracted 11 million viewers but lost a third of its lead-in audience.{{cite web |title=2008 - 2009 Cancelled TV Shows: Eight CBS Series That Won't Be Back for 2009 - 2010 |url=https://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/2008-2009-cancelled-tv-shows-eight-cbs-series-that-wont-be-back-for-2009-2010/ |website=TV Series Finale |access-date=March 28, 2022 |date=May 23, 2009}} Ratings dropped to a low of 8.4 million viewers with the sixth episode, but then began to climb steadily, reaching a high of 12.12 million viewers with the eleventh episode before declining again.

On May 20, 2009, CBS cancelled the series after one season and the series finale aired on June 6, 2009.

Cast

=Main characters=

Kyle Bornheimer as Samuel "Sam" Briggs
Erinn Hayes as Melanie "Mel" Clayton-Briggs
Nancy Lenehan as Angela Clayton
Kurtwood Smith as Richard "Dick" Clayton

=Recurring characters=

Nick Kroll as Adam
Jessica St. Clair as Sarah
Ken Jeong as Phil
Parris Mosteller as Scotty
Brooke Nevin as Chloe Clayton
RonReaco Lee as David Clayton
Hayes McArthur as Chad
Fred Willard as Paul Briggs
Olympia Dukakis as June Clayton
Phillip Baker Hall as Reverend Lowell

Episodes

{{Episode table |background=#FF7F00 |overall= |title= |director= |writer= |airdate= |prodcode= |viewers= |country=U.S. |episodes=

{{Episode list

|Title=Pilot

|DirectedBy=Adam Bernstein

|WrittenBy={{StoryTeleplay|t=Matt Tarses}}

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2008|9|22}}

|ProdCode=101

|EpisodeNumber= 1

|Viewers=11.04

|ShortSummary=In the series premiere, Sam and Mel intend to reveal her pregnancy to her parents after a quiet dinner. However, when Sam misses the train after having a drunk girl throw up on him, the dinner starts becoming increasingly unlikely.

|LineColor=FF7F00

}}

{{Episode list

|Title=The Bird

|DirectedBy=Adam Bernstein

|WrittenBy=Matt Tarses

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2008|9|29}}

|ProdCode=102

|EpisodeNumber=2

|Viewers=9.31

|ShortSummary=Sam tries a different method of winning Dick's approval: impressing his wife, Angela. However, Sam's well thought out plan backfires, when Dick's prize birds get involved.

|LineColor=FF7F00

}}

{{Episode list

|Title=The Monitor

|DirectedBy= Chris Koch

|WrittenBy= Gail Lerner

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2008|10|6}}

|ProdCode=103

|EpisodeNumber=3

|Viewers=8.79

|ShortSummary=Sam's friend Adam visits the Claytons's house, and immediately falls for Mel's sister.

|LineColor=FF7F00

}}

{{Episode list

|Title=The Truck

|DirectedBy= Adam Bernstein

|WrittenBy= Gregg Mettler

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2008|10|13}}

|ProdCode=104

|EpisodeNumber=4

|Viewers=9.78

|ShortSummary=Sam and Mel continue to keep their upcoming nuptials secret, however it explodes and more in front of the entire Clayton family.

|LineColor=FF7F00

}}

{{Episode list

|Title=The Club

|DirectedBy= Michael Fresco

|WrittenBy= Luvh Rakhe

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2008|10|20}}

|ProdCode=106

|EpisodeNumber=5

|Viewers=9.90

|ShortSummary=After inviting too many co-workers to the wedding, Sam tells a risky lie that takes on a life of its own.

|LineColor=FF7F00

}}

{{Episode list

|Title=The Ring

|DirectedBy=Michael Spiller

|WrittenBy= Gregg Mettler

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2008|11|3}}

|ProdCode=107

|EpisodeNumber=6

|Viewers=8.40

|ShortSummary=Melanie and Sam are handed down the family wedding ring for use in their marriage, however disaster strikes when Sam loses it.

|LineColor=FF7F00

}}

{{Episode list

|Title=The Vows

|DirectedBy= Rob Greenberg

|WrittenBy= Lon Zimmet & Dan Rubin

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2008|11|10}}

|ProdCode=108

|EpisodeNumber=7

|Viewers=9.62

|ShortSummary=Sam winds up in hot water, literally, trying to impress the Clayton family minister.

|LineColor=FF7F00

}}

{{Episode list

|Title=The Cake

|DirectedBy= Eyal Gordin

|WrittenBy= Sam Laybourne

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2008|11|17}}

|ProdCode=109

|EpisodeNumber=8

|Viewers=10.37

|ShortSummary=The in-laws finally meet up, as Sam's parents meet Mel's folks for the first time.

|LineColor=FF7F00

}}

{{Episode list

|Title=The Wedding

|DirectedBy=Michael Lehmann

|WrittenBy=Gail Lerner

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2008|11|24}}

|ProdCode=110

|EpisodeNumber=9

|Viewers=10.35

|ShortSummary=Sam has to resolve an argument between Mel and Angela.

|LineColor=FF7F00

}}

{{Episode list

|Title=The Apartment

|DirectedBy=Fred Savage

|WrittenBy=Lon Zimmet & Dan Rubin

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2008|12|8}}

|ProdCode=111

|EpisodeNumber=10

|Viewers=10.60

|ShortSummary=When Angela decides she wants to rent the apartment upstairs from Sam and Mel to be closer once the baby comes, Mel tries to prove that she doesn't need her help.

|LineColor=FF7F00

}}

{{Episode list

|Title=The Gift

|DirectedBy=Adam Bernstein

|WrittenBy=Allison Brown

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2008|12|15}}

|ProdCode=112

|EpisodeNumber=11

|Viewers=12.12

|ShortSummary=When Sam learns that Dick gives Angela the same Christmas gift every year, he decides to help Dick find the perfect present.

|LineColor=FF7F00

}}

{{Episode list

|Title=The Article

|DirectedBy=Phil Traill

|WrittenBy=Neil Goldman & Garrett Donovan

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2009|1|12}}

|ProdCode=113

|EpisodeNumber=12

|Viewers=10.45

|ShortSummary=When Sam tries to clear his mind from the experience of accidentally walking in on Angela at the gynecologist's office, he writes down his private thoughts - which accidentally wind up in the wrong hands.

|LineColor=FF7F00

}}

{{Episode list

|Title=The Puppy

|DirectedBy=Michael Spiller

|WrittenBy= Gail Lerner

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2009|1|19}}

|ProdCode=114

|EpisodeNumber=13

|Viewers=9.58

|ShortSummary=When Sam sees a litter of puppies being born, he worries he might not be able to handle the birth of his own child.

|LineColor=FF7F00

}}

{{Episode list

|Title=The Sex

|DirectedBy=Michael Lehmann

|WrittenBy=Gregg Mettler

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2009|2|2}}

|ProdCode=115

|EpisodeNumber=14

|Viewers=10.04

|ShortSummary=When Sam and Mel babysit their nephew, he captures a photograph of them in a compromising position that he plans to bring to school for a family photo exhibition.

|LineColor=FF7F00

}}

{{Episode list

|Title=The Epidural

|DirectedBy=Michael Spiller

|WrittenBy= Luvh Rakhe

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2009|2|16}}

|ProdCode=116

|EpisodeNumber=15

|Viewers=8.70

|ShortSummary=When Mel calls Sam to let him know she is in labor, he misunderstands the name of the hospital and winds up at the wrong one.

|LineColor=FF7F00

}}

{{Episode list

|Title=The Party

|DirectedBy= John Fortenberry

|WrittenBy= Sam Laybourne

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2009|6|6}}

|ProdCode=105

|EpisodeNumber=16

|Viewers=1.91

|ShortSummary=When Sam gives it his all to help the Claytons prepare for Dick's birthday party, he loses his pants and some dignity in his effort to make everything perfect. (This episode was aired out of order; its events pick up directly from the end of episode 4, "The Truck."){{Cite web|url=http://www.cbspressexpress.com/div.php/cbs_entertainment/original/release?id=5004&dpid=56&rid=21903|title=Viacom CBS Press Express}}

|LineColor=FF7F00

}}

Critical reception

Verne Gay of Newsday graded it A and said it "may be the best new comedy on network TV this season."[http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/ny-ettel5852111sep22,0,5661478.column?track=rss Newsday review]

Less enthusiastic was Tim Goodman of the San Francisco Chronicle, who said, "Though there are plenty of hard-earned (some might say forced) laughs here and Bornheimer is a real find, you can't help but wonder how they'll keep up the pace. After all, the British series ran for only two seasons and had a mere seven episodes each season...So how is CBS going to stretch this into 22 episodes without stretching it too thin?...In many ways, Worst Week seems incapable of being made into an American version (there were previous attempts that failed), because not only does the title not make sense, but not having a payoff for all the freaky, not-so-karmic woes Sam endures will be frustrating to the viewing audience . . . [It] is a series that may end up being on a short leash."{{cite web |last1=Goodman |first1=Tim |title=TV reviews: 'Worst Week,' 'The Mentalist' |url=https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/TV-reviews-Worst-Week-The-Mentalist-3268578.php |website=San Francisco Chronicle |access-date=March 29, 2022 |date=September 22, 2008}}

Linda Stasi of the New York Post called it "one of the worst new shows of the week" and added, "Only a man (or a couple of them) could get paid big bucks in Hollywood to come up with such a lame-o rip-off and perpetuate the fantasy that gorgeous women can't help but to love out-of-shape guys who do everything wrong."{{cite web |last1=Stasi |first1=Linda |title=FIST HEADED |url=https://nypost.com/2008/09/22/fist-headed/ |website=New York Post |access-date=March 29, 2022 |date=September 22, 2008}}

Home media

Universal Studios Home Entertainment has released a DVD of the complete series.

References

External links

{{IMDb title|1197632}}
{{Official website|http://www.cbs.com/primetime/worst_week/}}
{{cite web |title=CBS Goes All Out on 'Gary,' Adds to 'Worst Week' Order|url=https://www.tvweek.com/in-depth/2008/11/cbs-goes-all-out-on-gary-adds/ |website=TVWeek |access-date=March 29, 2022 |date=November 14, 2008}}
{{cite web |last1=Kimball |first1=Trevor |title=Worst Week: CBS Pulls Low-rated Sitcom for One Week, Good News for Gary Unmarried |url=https://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/worst-week-cbs-pulls-low-rated-sitcom-good-news-for-gary-unmarried/ |website=TV Series Finale |access-date=March 29, 2022 |date=October 24, 2008}}
{{cite web |title=Worst Week: Petition to Save CBS' Bad Luck TV Show |url=https://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/worst-week-petition-to-save-cbs-bad-luck-tv-show/ |website=TV Series Finale |access-date=March 29, 2022 |date=November 10, 2008}}

Category:2000s American single-camera sitcoms

Category:2008 American television series debuts

Category:2009 American television series endings

Category:Television shows set in Virginia

Category:Television series by CBS Studios

Category:Television series by Universal Television

Category:American television series based on British television series

Category:CBS sitcoms

Category:American English-language television shows

Category:Television series by Hat Trick Productions