Don’t Trust the B**** in Apartment 23: One-Trick Pony or Buzz-Worthy Show?

Don't Trust the B in Apt. 23
James Van Der Beek, Krysten Ritter and Dreama Walker form an unlikely trio

Last week, I watched Don’t Trust the B**** in Apartment 23 on ABC (Wed., 9:30 pm ET, following Modern Family). You may think, “Oh, what an intriguing show,” but think again. The show is mean spirited, relies on too many tired gags, and is basically trying too hard.

Listen, I’m not a cynic. I always give new shows a try before I judge them, like New Girl or 2 Broke Girls or even Up All Night. Can you guess which of those three I like? Keep reading, and I’ll tell you at the end of this review.

Don't Trust the B in Apt. 23Don’t Trust the B**** in Apartment 23 is so cliche that it borrows a gag from Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle, but instead of Neil Patrick Harris, we get James Van Der Beek, who’s playing himself … sort of … In real life, he’s the married father of two kids and is unlike the playboy he plays on the show.

For people who don’t know Mr. Van Der Beek, he started on a little show called [amazon_link id=”B00008AOX3″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Dawson’s Creek[/amazon_link] where he played an aspiring filmmaker with big dreams. The show also made stars of Joshua Jackson (Fringe), Katie Holmes (Mrs. Tom Cruise) and Oscar nominee Michelle Williams (Heath Ledger’s ex). Van Der Beek is the only one from the show who went nowhere until the door to Apartment 23 opened up for him.

You may know the actresses in Apartment 23 — Krysten Ritter (no relation to the late John Ritter) and Dreama Walker. Ritter, whom you may have seen on Veronica Mars, Breaking Bad and Gilmore Girls, stars as Chloe, a con artist and b**** who will do anything and anyone to get her way.

In the pilot episode, Chloe is looking for a roommate to pay for half of her apartment. Enter June (Dreama Walker), a recent college grad in Economics who moves from Indiana to New York, much to her parents’ dismay. First day in the big city, she learns that her soon-to-be boss has embezzled billions of dollars, forcing the company into bankruptcy.

Mind you, she’s already put down a deposit on a luxury penthouse suite and guess what? Everything seems to spiral downward for this poor girl, including the fact that a previous tenant was a murderer who stalked his victims in the building.

Her only means of survival is the b**** (that would be Chloe) in Apartment 23. And everything is hunky dory until June learns that Chloe not only used her security deposit to buy jewelry, but also walks around naked in the apartment and hits on June’s boyfriend.

June gets revenge by selling all of Chloe’s stuff, but has to backtrack and find the ottoman that Chloe’s grandmother left to her. Except the only thing Chloe cares about is finding the Japanese energy pills she stored in the ottoman.

There isn’t much to go on here. Don’t Trust the B**** in Apartment 23 is a one-joke premise that’s going to die a speedy death. Sorry, B****, there are better shows on television.

And those two shows I like? New Girl and 2 Broke Girls.

Any thoughts on Don’t Trust the B**** in Apartment 23? Interesting premise or just another show with a clunky name and people behaving badly? 

Comments

10 responses to “Don’t Trust the B**** in Apartment 23: One-Trick Pony or Buzz-Worthy Show?”

  1. Linda Avatar
    Linda

    I actually really loved the show. I don’t remember the part about the previous tenant being a murdering stalker. Her luxury pent house was property of the company that she had originally moved to New York to work for, she never put down a deposit on it. Chloe also used the extra rent money to purchase a Alexander McQueen purse, not jewelry. The only reason that Chloe hits on June’s boyfriend is to show June that he’s been cheating on her. Did you watch the show or only read other reviewers comments about it? If you had read the reviews for the show you would know that it has been positively received by most critics and was recently named one of the Most Exciting New Series at the Critics’ Choice Television Awards. Many shows have actors that play a heightened version of themselves, it’s not as if Harold and Kumar is the most original movie out there. Then again you were probably watching this show high to get so many of the details incorrect. I look forward to upcoming episodes of the show, and watching the two main characters grow and learn from each other. Hulu already has the 2nd episode up for the show and it’s hilarious.

  2. Andy Travers Avatar
    Andy Travers

    I may have to add that it was an Alexander McQueen purse she bought, instead of jewelry. The apartment she was going to live in was the company’s property. Other than that, my review still stands. I’m not saying it’s bad for people, I just don’t care for it.

  3. Jane Boursaw Avatar

    Not a fan here either. I’m just tired of shows that revolve around characters behaving badly. And I’m always cognizant about whether it’s a family-friendly show or not, too. This one isn’t, and there are still kids up at 9:30 when it airs.

  4. Roxanne Avatar

    I’m no prude, trust me, but I’m annoyed at … if nothing else … that there are now TWO TV shows that refer to women as B******. It bugs me. And, yes, the meanness thing? I’m pretty sick of it.

  5. Melanie Haiken Avatar

    I gave this one a pass because I don’t like the actress; didn’t like her in Gilmore Girls, didn’t like her in Veronica Mars (in both cases unusual as the acting was top notch in general) — she plays the same snippy bitch character over and over with no depth. New Girls I really liked for awhile and then it started feeling in love with its own cuteness. Guess I’d better try 2 Broke Girls….

  6. Andy Travers Avatar
    Andy Travers

    2 Broke Girls actually has a premise about two girls starting a cupcake business and is the smartest writing for a comedy I’ve seen in a while.

  7. Peggy Avatar
    Peggy

    Well, if you say it’s not good, then I will not waste my time to take a peek at it. Will try the two shows you like.

  8. Susan Avatar

    I watched James Van Der Beek on Dawson’s Creek, but I have very little desire to watch this show. Even though I’ve been there, done that with roommates in the big city, it just doesn’t appeal to me.

  9. Cassandra Brown Avatar

    I really like the show. Love it actually!

  10. Drew Avatar

    I actually think Don’t Trust the B is up there with Freaks and Geeks and Selfie as the best comedies under 30 eps ever. LOVE IT. So demented, and dark, and funny, and mean-spirited… in a fun way. I also enjoy New Girl a lot. 2 Broke Girls has become stale.

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