‘Melissa & Joey’ and the Return of the Half-Hour Sitcom

Melissa & Joey is my new favorite, half-hour, sitcom. I’ve always loved those shows that made you laugh and relax on a week night. Friends, The Cosby Show, Cheers, Coach, Frasier; I miss them all. When I had my second daughter, it was the first time I nursed, so I was often awake in the middle of the night when everyone else slept and the house was so quiet. It was a lonely feeling, so I would watch reruns of these shows. They became such a comfort to me that I began looking forward to my middle-of-the-night feedings with my daughter. Even when she started sleeping through the whole night, I would stay up and watch.

ABC Family introduced Melissa & Joey this week and all those feeling of comfort came back as I sat and watched the pilot and first episode. It’s Charles In Charge all over again! The cast is wonderful, leading off with cute-as-a-bug, Melissa Joan Hart. I first saw Melissa in Clarissa Explains It All, a show my oldest daughter loved to watch back in the early ’90s, but she is internationally known as Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. I used to love that show! There was just something about Melissa that grabbed your attention every time she was on the screen. She has a wonderful sense of comedic timing, and there’s nothing more enjoyable than watching a pretty girl acting silly. She brings all that to Melissa & Joey.

Joey Lawrence is new to me, although I know he’s not new to television. I have not seen him in anything until last year, when ABC Family aired My Fake Fiancé. You can’t help but love Joey and Melissa together. There seems to be a level of comfort there that transforms to the screen, and they bounce off of each other very nicely.And he’s not hard to look at. 😉

Elizabeth Ho is Mel’s assistant, Rhonda, who keeps Mel in order but with a girlie flair. Taylor Spreitler and Nick Robinson round out the cast. If you haven’t had the chance to check this little show out, do so. It will put a smile on your face and give your brain a rest from all those procedurals that leave you hanging each week, trying to figure out the puzzle at the center of the show. I enjoy those too, but Melissa & Joey is a warm, comfy breath of relief.

Watch Melissa & Joey very Tuesday night at 8/7 central, on ABC Family.