By Jae-Ha Kim
Amazon.com
The second and third seasons of My Boys find Chicago sports columnist P.J. Franklin (Jordana Spiro) exploring a few relationships. But the show’s title doesn’t refer to her suitors, but rather her best friends, who–save for one woman–happen to all be men (who sometimes think like boys). A guy’s gal who can outdrink the boys and beat them at poker, P.J. hangs around with them seemingly 24/7. Still, all that insider knowledge of men and how they operate doesn’t help her as much as she’d like when she tries to navigate her way around dating. Her attraction to her friend and one-time fling Bobby (Kyle Howard) has grown stronger, and their scenes together–especially as Bobby romances another woman–are reminiscent of the initial mating ritual Ross and Rachel went through on Friends. But the writers don’t seem to know what to make of the P.J./Bobby relationship, leaving viewers a little confused as to why the two do some of the things they do. It’s not a question of, “Will they or won’t they?” It’s more like, “What are they waiting for?” The strongest episodes usually feature the gang gathered at P.J.’s apartment as they deal with their everyday triumphs and losses with humor. Through their laughs (and occasional tears), they convey that good relationships are possible when you are surrounded by good friends. My Boys is not must-see TV. But it is enjoyable, thanks in large part to Spiro’s likability and some fine acting by costars such as Jim Gaffigan, who plays P.J.’s brother Andy. Unfortunately, the DVD set doesn’t offer much more than the original 18 episodes divided onto two discs. There are no bonus features, not even any bloopers.
