GROUND FLOOR

**1/2 (out of ****)

This seems to be the perfect time for a premise like that of Ground Floor, even if the show treats it more as its particular gimmick, as opposed to a way to shine a light on society, which isn’t really TBS’ strong suit. Skylar Astin (Pitch Perfect) plays a 1 percenter, or at least a guy getting groomed to become one. On the GROUND FLOOR of his building works Briga Heelan (not Pitch Perfect, so who cares?) She’s (supposedly) the blue collar employee whose life couldn’t be more different than that of Astin’s. They of course hook up, and spend the rest of the pilot wondering if their differences will prevent this one night stand from becoming something more. He has a boss who says that he needs to work instead of slum it with groundfloorers. She works in a department filled with losers who also don’t want her to persue a relationship with a dreaded suit. She doesn’t think she’s looking for a relationship. He can’t believe he’d be jumping at the chance to be in a relationship with him. But since this show isn’t a will they/won’t they, but instead a “they will and how”, everything is worked out by the end of the first episode.

That’s fine. We don’t need or expect a long drawn-out courtship in a multi-camera sitcom. Ground Floor gets to the point quickly and ably. What’s missing, though, is any sort of bite whatsoever. The two leads are likeable, which is neat, but are nothing like their colleagues, either in the world of the show or in our world. If the point is that you never know who you might meet in the world – that fourthfloorers might not be demons or that groundfloorers might be capable human beings – then that would be one thing. But it’s not, because it is overtly attempting to get its drama from the differences of the two worlds. And its got to get its drama from somewhere, because its comedy doesn’t seem like its going to set the world on fire.

There’s some performances that work OK, or at least you find yourself hoping they will. It’s always nice to see Dr. Cox on TV, and podcast fans will recognize mainstay Rory Scovel’s voice. Everybody seems capable, and its a show  that tries real hard. But it’s also very much a TBS show, which means the priority of mass appeal will always feel like it stole from the lesser priority of saying something.

-Ryan Haley