Free Agents

Premiers Wednesday, September 14th, at 10:30PM on NBC

by Marshall Fine

Hank Azaria and Kathryn Hahn star in this delightful new workplace sitcom as Alex and Helen, two colleagues at a P.R. agency. Alex is newly divorced, and Helen’s recovering from the death of her fiancé. Then they hook up - but now what? It’s an awkward situation at work, particularly because neither wants their fling to be office gossip. Do they continue? Do they call it quits? The writing is sharp enough for this show to find its legs and become a hit, because the romantic tension is real and strong. Azaria and Hahn are wickedly funny, whether working together or with their castmates. Their struggle to keep things simple and the situations it puts them in - like a pal asking a reluctant Alex to be his wingman on a double date - lead to big laughs. Watch it once, and you’ll be hooked - it’s the funniest new series since Modern Family.
(3.5 stars out of 4)