Is it too soon to feel nostalgic about a show that only ended in 2019?
Well, that is how I feel when it comes to Andrea Savage’s sitcom “I’m Sorry” which aired on TruTV for 20 episodes, spread out over two “seasons” from 2017-2019
Andrea Savage is a familiar face to many. She’s had roles on “Veep,” “Tulsa King,” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” as well as in such films as “Dinner For Schmucks,” and as a frequent contributor to “Funny or Die.”
She has also proven herself a top-notch talk show guest with appearances on everything from Drew Barrymore to Kelly Clarkson to Colbert. She is also a comedy writer.
In 2017, she got her first self-starring sitcom. Created, produced and starring her, it was (supposedly) based upon her real-life life as a working mother whose other job is comedy writer (often of some very adult—but very funny—material). Among the show’s executive producers were Will Ferrell and Andy Samberg.
Savage starred as Andrea Warren, the working mom/comic of the premise. Tom Everett Scott was her husband Mike Harris, who had a sort of fuddy-duddy job and, hence, LOVED having this irreverent, daring woman as his unpredictable wife. Child actress Olive Petrucci played their young toddler daughter, Amelia.
The program’s title, “I’m Sorry,” was based on Andrea’s (Savage and Warren’s, it seems) almost constant mantra which she always had to utter after her mouth and her humor, in various suburban social contexts, often got her into some deep trouble.
For example, when a group of fellow parents gathered one day and talked about how some cute little boy will, no doubt, grow up to be a “little heartbreaker,” Andrea takes it to the next step (probably a step too far) when she wonders if the little girl also nearby will grow up to be a little “c—k tease.” Silence envelopes the playground as the other parents look and her and each other aghast! “I’m sorry!”
Savage’s “Sorry” didn’t invent the cringe-com but it did stake its claim to it, that’s for sure.
A latter episode has the Harris-Warren family having breakfast when their daughter Amelia admits that while she likes her new friend, who happens to be African-American, but she admits that she thinks the girl’s skin color is just a little too dark. Um, would everyone like some major awkwardness with their orange juice this morning? The moment in the sitcom is major cringe, probably rather true life (kids say the darndest things), very brave and very funny.
When it debuted in July of 2017, “I’m Sorry” aired on the cable-net TruTV. TruTV has previously been CourtTV known best for its gavel-to-gavel coverage of real-life court cases. Then they decided to reinvent themselves. After doing a slate of all non-fiction TV, they launched a new identity pitching themselves as not-stop comedy. The tag line: “TruTV. Very Funny.” “I’m Sorry” was one of the cornerstones of the new launch while the prank show “Impractical Jokers” was another.
Some of Andrea’s misadventures:
She gets pulled into throwing a “Goddess Party” for an acquaintance. But she—like the rest of us—doesn’t even know what that is!
Andrea learns that Amelia’s new teacher formerly acted in porn, some very specific types of porn.
Another episode has Andrea reaching out to a lesbian couple who have a daughter about Amelia’s age. But almost no one plays with the little girl. Is it because she has two mommies? To right this wrong, and to teach Amelia that there are all kinds of families in the world, Andrea arranges a play date. But she finds out that the reason the little girl has no friends is because her two mommies are two judgmental, mean-spirited and critical….! Can Andrea extricate her daughter from all this without it looking bigoted to everyone?
Co-staring as Savage’s husband was Tom Everett Scott who we know from many things including the feature film “That Thing You Do!” His character, Mike Harris, was a refreshingly different type of male TV spouse. Rather than being the typical husband/dad on so many sitcoms (looking at your Ricky Ricardo!) constantly rolling his eyes at his wife’s antics or attempting to dull her light, he was, instead, endlessly amused by his wife’s humor and even her occasional awkwardness.
Others in the show’s cast were Kathy Baker as Andrea’s mom and Jason Mantzoukas as Andrea’s comedy writing partner.
During its first season, “I’m Sorry” aired ten episodes. Ten more constituted season two. A third season was planned—in fact, was said to already be in production—when COVID protocols curtailed it as did some “belt tightening” at TruTV who could, no doubt, continue with their prank show, etc., at a far less per-episode cost.
Had it been allowed to continue, “I’m Sorry” could have become a classic. The interpersonal dynamics of the ‘burbs and of modern mommies and working women offer plenty of fodder for tricky, embarrassing interactions and Savage and company seemed ready to continue to dive in.
Some critics had already compared “I’m Sorry” to “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and deemed it a worthy successor.
Thankfully, despite “I’m Sorry’s” truncated run, Savage has been able to continue. She’s now a regular on “Tulsa King.” But I miss her comedic voice.
I’m wondering if Savage is part of what I always thought of as a unique subset of women in showbiz. I have always thought that there was a group of women, though not stand-up comics, per se, but just naturally funny and a joy to behold on everything from talk shows to game shows. It’s a group that includes: Bonnie Hunt, Julie Brown, the late Arlene Sorkin, Ali Wentworth and a few others. Along with all being witty women, the other thing they have in common is that Hollywood really doesn’t have clue what to do with them.
For still far too many viewers, witty women are still a little threatening, though they’ll probably just call them “unfeminine” to be a bit of the safe—if stereotypical—side. And I’m NOT sorry I said that.
Is it too soon to feel nostalgic about a show that only ended in 2019?
Savage starred as Andrea Warren, the working mom/comic of the premise. Tom Everett Scott was her husband Mike Harris, who had a sort of fuddy-duddy job and, hence, LOVED having this irreverent, daring woman as his unpredictable wife. Child actress Olive Petrucci played their young toddler daughter, Amelia.
A latter episode has the Harris-Warren family having breakfast when their daughter Amelia admits that while she likes her new friend, who happens to be African-American, but she admits that she thinks the girl’s skin color is just a little too dark. Um, would everyone like some major awkwardness with their orange juice this morning? The moment in the sitcom is major cringe, probably rather true life (kids say the darndest things), very brave and very funny.
Andrea learns that Amelia’s new teacher formerly acted in porn, some very specific types of porn.