'Life In Pieces' Season 2 Review

In a remarkably quick period of time, Life in Pieces has become one of the more consistent and delightful performers on TV. Based on the surprisingly simple concept of having four short vignettes based around the same family, it has created one of the more enjoyable comedies currently on the air. Part of it is due to the shortness of the concept - if you don't like one segment, it's on to the next one in less than five minutes - but mostly its because this series is based around one of the better casts on TV. James Brolin and Diane Wiest as the family heads, Betsy Brandt, Thomas Sadoski and Colin Hanks as the second generation, each now involved with a romantic partner who is equally funny, and the remarkably good group of children.

The series has become more intriguing with some of the concepts in the finale, most amazingly Heather and Tim's oldest son, who decided to get married just so he could have sex, but is now trying to follow through with it. (This led to a remarkably creepy funny sequence where Tim and Heather met with the guardians of the girl, a brother and sister played by real life husband and wife Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally who real seem like their sleeping together.) Matt is the process of proposing to his girlfriend in the season finale, which has just led to even more complications. And Greg and Jen (Zoe-Lister Jones) is trying to deal with the apparent miscarriage that happened in the season premiere.

The series is so enjoyable they can even make humor out of the passing of a recurring character. Last night, great grandmother Gigi passed away ( a necessity after Ann Guilbert passed away a few months ago). The series all dealt with the various reactions to it, whether it was comic (Tim accidentally shaved off one of his eyebrows before a photo shoot upon hearing the news), personal (Greg and Matt started a rivalry over which off them was going to make the best use of the inheritance they got) outright farce (concerned whether or not Gigi enjoyed her last days, John accidentally spent  a day in her nursing home) and strangely creepy (Gigi's last request was to be cremated and her ashes turned into a gem, which she wanted Joan to wear - which nobody really wanted to do) It was all very funny and remarkably moving at the same time.

In the year it has been on the air, it is clear that 'Life in Pieces' has become one of the more well-written and acted comedy series on TV, a show that has gone past it simple concept to become a well-done character piece. It has created real relationships, and done something that I haven't seen done so well since Parenthood came to an end: developed a real ensemble show where none of the characters seem underused. It hasn't really achieved that series' level of brilliance, but it seems like a show that just might be able to, given enough time.

My score: 4.25 stars.