'Men of a Certain Age' Is One of TIME's 50 Most Underappreciated TV Shows
Time · LC · trust 25/100
Won’t somebody think of the middle-aged men? I kid, I kid. In truth, the friendships and inner lives of men young, old, and in between are chronically ignored by Hollywood, which would rather see even the elderly among them blow up bad guys than admit to having feelings. And so I would like to think that this sensitive dramedy about three best buddies pushing 50 reached a smaller audience than it deserved not because of its gentle subject matter, but because it was hidden away in the procedural wasteland of late-aughts TNT. Created by Ray Romano and Mike Royce, Men of a Certain Age finds each of its flawed but likable leads in the midst of a midlife crisis. Romano’s wry, hangdog default demeanor suits his character, Joe, a father of two who’s separated from his wife (Penelope Ann Miller) and living in a depressing motel. Once an aspiring pro golfer, he has settled for owning a party-supply store and nursing a sports-gambling habit. Lifelong bachelor Terry (Scott Bakula) can feel himself aging out of his womanizing years as well as his acting career. The real standout among the exceptional cast, though, is the late Andre Braugher as Owen, a diabetic who works a job he hates, selling cars at his hypercompetitive dad’s (Richard Gant) dealership, to support the wife (LisaGay Hamilton) and kids he loves. His tenderness and vulnerability sets the tone of the show, which takes men’s emotions seriously without lapsing into either the preachy hugging and learning of Ted Lasso or the manipulative melodramatics of, say, A Million Little Pieces . Some of the best scenes are just Owen, Joe, and Terry sharing a meal at their favorite diner, talking openly—and good-naturedly busting each other’s chops—about whatever happens to be going on in their lives.
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