After having its premiere over the weekend after Olympics coverage, About a Boy moves to its regular time slot tonight, and having TheVoiceas its lead-in isn’t such a bad thing.
The first episode, directed by Jon Favreau, showed that lead actors David Walton (as rich, womanizing bachelor Will) and Benjamin Stockham (as the precocious man-boy Marcus) have an innate chemistry, and although she’s by default a third wheel in this dude bonding equation, Minnie Driver also put in solid work as Marcus’ New Age influenced mom.
Jason Katims has proven films can successfully be adapted into inspired television shows (Parenthood, Friday Night Lights), and now he’s going for another creative home run with About a Boy.
“This was far and away the best piece of television I had read in forever,” said Driver, who also starred in the acclaimed yet unfortunately short-lived FX series The Riches. “The people attached were so wonderful. The cast, and Jason Katims, and the producers. It just seemed like a great confluence of aspects.”
Click on the audio bar below to hear Walton explain why Will, even though he’s a womanizer and perpetual bon vivant, is actually a pretty likable guy.
Tonight’s episode, titled “About a Pool Party,” airs at 9 pm et/pt (NBC).
