Ben Feldman
Cristin Milioti
Henry Zebrowski
Lenora Crichlow
Christina Kirk
Hong Chau
Parvesh Cheena
Katey Sagal

Created by:
Ben Queen

2014
Comedy, Romance
NBC
TV-NR

“A to Z” has a somewhat promising pilot. It was made available online and On Demand on August 14, 2014, before the network series premiere on October 2, 2014.

“A to Z” traces a relationship from its beginning to some sort of end (from A to Z, which also stands for from Andrew to Zelda). We don’t know what that end will be, but we’re told how long the relationship lasts. This is like “(500) Days of Summer” if it were a chronological TV show narrated by Katey Sagal. The title of the pilot is “A is for Acquaintances,” so will B begin the title of the second episode and so on?

While the pilot is cute and sweet, “A to Z” will likely need plenty of episodes to establish itself because of its premise. The concept needs time and room for development, something that was more easily accomplished in film form by the aforementioned “(500) Days of Summer.” The pilot has charm, but the jokes don’t work. The timing’s there, but this show shouldn’t try to be funny at all. When it tries, it fails. I think that the actors can take care of that without forcing the issue. It’s not that the jokes are intrusive; they just don’t land.

One good sign is that the leads have chemistry. They will be the engine for this show. We have to like them to keep watching, and they accomplish that in this episode. So, “A to Z” goes into the “wait and see” category. …

After the second episode, my opinion of this show hasn’t changed. It has a nice style and story, but it’s not funny. However, it’s the best of the new romantic comedies on television during the 2014-2015 season. That’s not a major accomplishment, though.

Again, the leads are likable, but I think that “A to Z” should trust its premise more. Stop forcing things, already! I like the energy, the actors, the style, and the story. But I’m disappointed by the substance. If the situations don’t work, then the rest doesn’t matter much. It’s OK. …

After watching the third episode, I just can’t find a way to like this. I’ve tried. I like the actors and Katey Sagal’s voiceover, but that’s it. The material! Ugh!

Verdict: OK

About: (Source: atoz)

“A to Z” tells the story of Andrew (Ben Feldman, “Mad Men,” “The Mindy Project”) and Zelda (Cristin Milioti, “The Wolf of Wall Street,” “How I Met Your Mother”) – a pair that almost wasn’t – and all that happened from the day they met.

Featured as the narrator is Katey Sagal (“Sons of Anarchy”).

Andrew and Zelda will date for eight months, three weeks, five days and one hour. This program is a comprehensive account of their relationship – from “A to Z.”