“A to Z” is exactly what you think it will be. And then it isn’t. You may find yourself wanting to roll your eyes at another TV show trying to replicate the wild success of “How I Met Your Mother” by tackling the groundbreaking subject of trying to find love in your late 20s or early 30s. You may be trying to avoid “cutesiness” at all costs—it’s called A to Z and their names are Andrew and Zelda? Really? But each minute you spend watching this show, you get a little more incentive not to change the channel.
Cristin Milioti (of Broadway’s “Once” and the mother on “HIMYM”) and Ben Feldman (of “Mad Men”) who play Zelda and Andrew, respectively, are genuinely likable, and the show’s script measures up to the actors’ chops. The show can be cheesy, but it’s self–aware and, as a whole, it is so much more realistic than most others of its kind. These characters go to work, they interact with people other than just each other, and they even occasionally wear casual clothes (come on, where else do you see that on TV?). They are looking for love, but they don’t always say the perfect thing: they’re just people. I still have some questions, like what exactly does Andrew do at his job at an online dating website? “A to Z” knows that its viewers will have to suspend some of their beliefs but wants to be as true to life as it can. The show opens with a voice–over, telling audiences that Andrew and Zelda will only date for a little more than eight months, and that this show is their story. We watch them meet, get little glimpses into their everyday lives, and see a preview of what’s to come. In only half an hour, “A to Z” made me ever so slightly less cynical; I recommend you tune in and see for yourself.
