Help Save 'Men of a Certain Age'

Ed. Note: When I asked him to come on board as a contributor to make the case for “Men of a Certrain Age,” Jon told me he wasn’t a writer. After reading this debut piece, I have to disagree. Please welcome him aboard — JN.

I’m not a big television-watcher. I’ve had my fill of series devoted to assorted cops, lawyers and doctors, along with sitcoms that weren’t funny and reality shows that bored me to tears. But in 2009 the TV gods had mercy and directed me to a series that became one of my all-time favorites.

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“Men Of A Certain Age” is one of those rare shows that makes you glad Philo Farnsworth invented television. I was hooked at the opening intro — a montage of what looked like grainy Super-8 home movies of three kids growing up together, with the Beach Boys’ “When I Grow Up (To Be A Man)” playing in the background. The show’s basic storyline is deceptively simple: three male friends-from-childhood are shown living their lives and relating to each other, their families, workmates and friends.

Ray Romano plays Joe, newly-divorced party store owner, father of two teens and struggling gambling addict. Andre Braugher is Owen, married with young kids and selling cars for his overbearing father’s Chevrolet dealership. And Scott Bakula plays Terry, a usually-unemployed actor and ladies’ man who is finally breaking free from his extended adolescence.

What makes MOACA remarkable (and truly memorable) is its understated way of looking at ordinary lives. There is no “formula” to this show — you won’t find the stereotypical gay brother, smart-mouthed brats who disdain their idiotic parents or heavy-handed political messages. These friends are just attempting to support each other through their daily trials and tribulations while trying to remain good and decent men along the way.

The guys are all pushing 50 and some of the plotlines deal with various midlife issues, but never in a stodgy, “AARP” kind of way. The scripts are very well-written, with dialog that feels comfortable and down-to-earth situations that are totally believable. MOACA can be heartwarmingly funny and then serious within any given episode. The actors are superb, especially the three leads. These guys play “ordinary” so incredibly well, one never gets the feeling they’re “acting.” And the interactions between the guys are so true-to-life and often touching that the characters remind you of your own buddies. “Men Of A Certain Age” is a show that quickly becomes endearing and a must-see weekly appointment.

Sadly, after two seasons and 22 episodes, TNT Networks recently cancelled the series, to the absolute shock and dismay of its growing band of passionate fans. It’s frustrating that TNT didn’t give MOACA more of a chance, especially when the network began the second season in December, then split the season into two 6-episode mini-seasons divided by six months! Couple that with very little promotion from the network, and it’s no wonder potential viewers lost track of the show.

But then, something incredible happened. Fans of the series — who had never tried to save a TV show in their lives — began gathering together to bring MOACA to another network — ANY network. Uber-fan Jeff Martinous started a “Save ‘Men Of A Certain Age'” page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/notifications.php#!/SaveMenOfACertainAge), which has already attracted thousands of other fans who have been busy making phone calls, sending faxes, letters and emails, while maintaining an online petition — all in the hope of attracting a new home for the series. The campaign has the blessing of MOACA producers Ray Romano and Mike Royce, who are also working hard to keep the show alive.

Will we be successful? We’d like to think so. At the very least, we believe that “Men Of A Certain Age” is more than worth the effort. We hope you’ll agree and join us on Facebook. As television becomes evermore a vast wasteland, it would seem incredibly tragic that there couldn’t be a place for a truly exceptional show like “Men Of A Certain Age.”