Critics aren't thrilled with Fox's new comedy series, Call Me Kat. Based on the late-2000s BBC series Miranda, the American version starring Mayim Bialik has a similar spirit but appears to miss the mark with its comedic tone. Some reviews acknowledge the comforting quality, yet most of the top critics have reached the consensus that Call Me Kat is bland, unoriginal, and simply not as entertaining as the original production starring Miranda Hart, who executive produces the Fox adaptation.
Call Me Kat follows a 39-year-old woman who feels pressure from her mother to marry. The series begins with spitting water gags and numerous fourth-wall commentaries which thematically align with its BBC predecessor. In the Call Me Kat series premiere, Bialik's character reunites with former crush Max (Cheyenne Jackson) and attends a party with her much-older friend, Phil (Leslie Jordan), who is identified as her significant other. As Kate contemplates the future, her mother Sheila (Swoosie Kurtz) worries that her daughter will become a "sad cat lady." Call Me Kat co-stars Kyla Pratt (Recovery Road), former MTV VJ Vanessa Lachey (Dads), and Lamorne Morris (New Girl).
Call Me Kat currently has a 17% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes (based on just 12 The Big Bang Theory), Call Me Kat doesn't establish a strong series identity. Here are the most skeptical takes on the Fox adaptation of Miranda:
"Bialik's bubbliness isn't enough to overpower the flabby storytelling and trite third act moralizing, but Call Me Kat has the potential to deepen its ensemble's characterizations over time."
CNN:
"A Fox sitcom that feels so tired and dated it's tempting to double-check the year. Loosely adapted from the British comedy Miranda, the show revels in pratfalls, but none bigger than the banana peel it keeps slipping on in its pursuit of laughs."
"The problem with 'Kat' is that it just isn't very funny. Try as the writers might, the dialogue is unnatural to the ear and the jokes are flat."
"Without a sharper central performance to ground it, nor cohesive enough directing and editing to stitch it all together, the show struggles to maintain its own pace and becomes more jarring than charming."
Call Me Kat seems destined to be a one-and-done series, yet some critics have found value in the throwback aesthetic and familiar aspects of the show. Meaning, the series may not seem like an immediate hit, but it may appeal to audiences who don't necessarily care about the thematic inspiration and just want to watch Bialik's character make fun of herself from episode to episode. And whereas some critics might feel that Call Me Kat doesn't seem timely or original, the series could be just odd enough to warrant the long-term attention of casual streamers who are looking for something different. Here are some positive takes on Call Me Kat.
"Kind of messy, kind of awesome - kind of kind of awesome, anyway - is not a bad description of this companionable, comforting series."
"If you're looking for a place to escape for thirty minutes of non-stop laughs, performed by some of the best in the business, Call Me Kat is absolutely the perfect choice."
As of now, Call Me Kat doesn't seem invested in original comedy that will appeal to curious streamers. Instead, the series seems content with a reliance on the fourth-wall angle, which does indeed work particularly well in Meredith, but only as a complement to the smart dialogue. In short, Call Me Kat feels like a lazy attempt to capitalize upon British humor, at least according to the reviews thus far.
