‘Call Me Kat’ review: Mayim Bialik stars in a Fox sitcom that’s more of a bother than a ‘Big Bang’



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Kat from Bialik is 39 years old and still single, a fact she has to explain repeatedly to her widowed mother (Swoosie Kurtz). This marital status only encouraged her to live her dream by opening a cat cafe, where her employees include a baker played by sitcom veteran Leslie Jordan, who does what he can to spice up the material.

The main wrinkle of the presentation – and lord knows that’s nothing new – involves Kat regularly breaking through the fourth wall and speaking directly to the audience, expressing her insecurities and awkwardness. Bialik was very good at it in “Big Bang”, but thanks to the predictable writing here, it’s mostly a big bother.

As for the story, the new development in Kat’s life centers around the return of Max (Cheyenne Jackson), a guy she had a major crush on in college. He’s lovable and single, but his discomfort around him – and the literal collisions that result – starts to get boring even before the pilot episode ends.

Fox has made four episodes available, and there’s a modest serialized progression in Kat’s story, but not enough to crash a hook. There are moments of sweetness and vulnerability, but the nicest thing that can be said is that everyone dives deep into the dumbest aspects, with a closing credits roll in which the cast tells the review in a playful manner, taking a curtain for the show they just performed for. you.

Hold the bouquets, but like “Friends,” returning “Big Bang” stars will be given an opportunity, and the network is giving “Kat” (whose producers include Bialik and former co-star Jim Parsons) a enthusiastic launch. The series will premiere after NFL football with a preview of an animated show from the producers of “Bob’s Burgers,” “The Great North,” about a family in Alaska. The latter is pretty much exactly what you’d expect, right down to the moose jokes, Nick Offerman providing the voice of the crisp single dad raising an eccentric brood.

As for “Call Me Kat,” even the concept of “cat cafe” feels underused, given the TV theory that you can never go wrong with cute animals. Granted, the image of “herd cats” exists for a reason, but they’re a fitting mascot for a sitcom that’s barely earning a living, let alone nine.

“Call Me Kat” and “The Great North” premieres Jan. 3 at 8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. ET on Fox.

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