"The Odd Couple" has been officially renewed for season 2!
A few days prior to season 1 finale, the remake of the 1970s sitcom "The Odd Couple" has been officially renewed by CBS. Although receiving mixed reviews, Matthew Perry and Thomas Lennon return this fall for season 2. Here are the details available so far.
This week, CBS unleashed a list of renewed series, including the remake of the multi-camera TV sitcom that first premiered in 1970. "The Odd Couple" returns for season 2, despite the gradual decrease in viewership and largely mixed reviews from both critics and fans.
A report by TVSeriesFinale revealed that the show opened with roughly 13.5 million viewers in season 1 last February and experienced a gradual decrease throughout the 12 episodes. RottenTomatoes set "The Odd Couple" season 1 with an average rating of 4.1/10 and reported that "Stars Matthew Perry and Thomas Lennon make a fine Oscar and Felix, but The Odd Couple's flat jokes and canned laughter are pretty old hat."
The story of "The Odd Couple" revolves around Oscar Madison (Perry) and Felix Unger, portrayed by Thomas Lennon. The two have worked together on the 2009 film "17 Again" and have shown complete on-screen chemistry. Perry is also involved in "The Odd Couple" as a developer and executive producer.
In an interview with Esquire, Matthew Perry shared details about his exposure to the 70s series, which revealed that he had been a fan of "The Odd Couple" for a long while. He said, "When I was 10 years old I watched the movie and I know every line and have probably seen it 35 times."
"The biggest challenge for me was to not do a Walter Matthau impression," Perry continued. "He was just hilarious. Very laid-back, comfortable in his own skin, and there was a lot of heart to it as well, which we're hoping to add to this show. The character of Oscar is a womanizer and a drinker and a gambler, but he longs for his ex-wife. And we're very fortunate to have Lauren Graham play that part, and she's easy to long for."
"The Odd Couple" has been developed for various formats as in the stage, a film and even as a cartoon. CBS picked up on the idea of remaking the series, following Matthew Perry's pitch as he himself has been a fan of "The Odd Couple." Early last year, CBS ordered the production of "The Odd Couple" that is to be co-written Matthew Perry himself, and Joe Keenan. A few months after, a 13-episode series was in development.
