Weird Loners is an American sitcom that was created by Michael J. Weithorn. The 6-episode first season was ordered straight-to-series by the Fox network in 2014.[1] The series is executive produced by Weithorn and Jake Kasdan.[1] The series premiered on March 31, 2015.[2]

Weird Loners
GenreSitcom
Created byMichael J. Weithorn
Starring
ComposerLyle Workman
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes6
Production
Executive producers
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time22 minutes
Production companiesHanley Productions
The Detective Agency
20th Century Fox Television
Original release
NetworkFox
ReleaseMarch 31 (2015-03-31) –
May 5, 2015 (2015-05-05)

On May 11, 2015, Fox canceled the series after one season. Kevin Reilly, the network President who had ordered the series from Weithorn's spec script in 2013, was fired a few months later leaving the series without a champion at the network.[3]

Premise

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Four people who fear personal relationships are unexpectedly thrust into one another's lives and form an unlikely bond while living in a townhouse in Queens, New York.

Cast

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  • Becki Newton as Caryn Goldfarb, a high-strung dental hygienist who was engaged to be married but suddenly decides to call off her engagement after a brief fling with Stosh.[4]
  • Zachary Knighton as Stosh Lewandowski, Eric's sleazy cousin, whose womanizing lifestyle has recently cost him his job. With no job and nowhere to live, he is forced to move in with his cousin Eric.[5]
  • Nate Torrence as Eric Lewandowski, a toll collector who is suddenly on his own for the first time after his father unexpectedly passes away. After the funeral, his estranged cousin Stosh offers to move in with him.[5]
  • Meera Rohit Kumbhani as Zara Sandhu, an angst-ridden artist, who befriends Eric after he buys one of her paintings.[6]

Recurring

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Critical reception

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Weird Loners received mixed reviews, with Rotten Tomatoes giving the series a score of 44% based on reviews from 25critics and an average rating of 5.5 out of 10. The website’s consensus reads: "Weird Loners strands its veteran stars in an overly familiar sitcom structure burdened with a preponderance of humdrum humor."[7]

Neil Genzlinger of The New York Times gave the series a positive review, stating: "[Weird Loners is] not loud or frenetic. It’s not particularly cutting-edge. It’s just funny, in a relaxed way that’s welcome somehow in a television spectrum full of pushiness and intensity."[8]

Gwen Ihnat of The A.V. Club wrote a positive review giving the series a "B+" grade. She observed that "What Weird Loners has in its corner is an appealing cast and some hard-hitting TV vets" and remarked that "Since [Jake] Kasdan and [Michael J.] Weithorn both know their way around a sitcom set, it’s not a surprise that Weird Loners soon adds more gravity than most new shows boast from right out of the gate."[9]

Episodes

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No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code
US viewers
(millions)
1"Weird Pilot"Jake KasdanMichael J. WeithornMarch 31, 2015 (2015-03-31)1AXS011.89[10]
Four very different individuals end up sharing a townhouse in Queens.
2"Weird Dance"Jake KasdanMichael J. WeithornApril 7, 2015 (2015-04-07)1AXS021.71[11]
Caryn visits her grandmother to tell her why she called off her wedding engagement. At the same time, Zara helps Eric deal with his father's death by pretending to communicate with the man from the hereafter.
3"Weirded Out"Bill PurpleDavid Litt & Michael J. WeithornApril 14, 2015 (2015-04-14)1AXS051.39[12]
Caryn and Zara are extremely pleased that Stosh is cooking dinners for them and Eric, until they discover he has been using food pilfered from their kitchen. At the same time, Stosh is in debt to "a very scary man named Tulip", and pays him off with some of the money Eric gives him to buy a new television for him.
Guest star: Jay Onrait
4"Weird Knight"Reggie HudlinDavid Litt & Michael J. WeithornApril 21, 2015 (2015-04-21)1AXS041.21[13]
Caryn does Eric a favor by going to dinner with a nerdy member of his human chess league, but is upset when the guy doesn't give her a follow-up call. Meanwhile, Stosh enters Zara in an art contest.
5"The Weirdfather"Christine GernonMichael J. Weithorn & Danielle UhlarikApril 28, 2015 (2015-04-28)1AXS031.42[14]
After Stosh meets his 12-year-old son for the first time, the two bond over watching The Godfather. Meanwhile, Zara must deal with Caryn after she turns clingy and overbearing in their budding friendship.
6"We're Here. We're Weird. Get Used to Us."Robert CohenRebecca Drysdale & Laura ValdiviaMay 5, 2015 (2015-05-05)1AXS061.55[15]
The gang goes to a lesbian bar where Caryn and Stosh compete for the same woman.

References

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  1. ^ a b Marechal, AJ (January 23, 2014). "Fox Orders 'Weird Loners' To Series, Drama Pilot From Lee Daniels, Danny Strong". Variety. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  2. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (May 12, 2014). "Fox 2014 Schedule: 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' & 'Mulaney' Join Sunday Animated Block, 'Glee' Held For Midseason". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
  3. ^ Goldberg, Lesley; O'Connell, Michael (May 11, 2015). "'Weird Loners' Canceled at Fox". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 11, 2015.
  4. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (February 21, 2014). "Becki Newton To Star In Fox Comedy Series 'Weird Loners'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
  5. ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie (February 19, 2014). "Nate Torrence To Star In Fox Comedy Series 'Weird Loners'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
  6. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (May 2, 2014). "Meera Rohit Kumbhani Joins Fox Comedy Series 'Weird Loners'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 2, 2014.
  7. ^ "Weird Loners". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  8. ^ Genzlinger, Neil (March 29, 2015). "Review: In 'Weird Loners,' Four Single New Yorkers Dodge Commitment". The New York Times. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  9. ^ Ihnat, Gwen (March 31, 2015). "Weird Loners surpasses the quirky roommate sitcom". The A.V. Club. The Onion, Inc. Retrieved November 28, 2015.
  10. ^ Bibel, Sara (April 1, 2015). "Tuesday Final Ratings: 'The Flash', 'Forever' & 'NCIS' Adjusted Up". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
  11. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (April 8, 2015). "Tuesday Final Ratings: 'NCIS: New Orleans' Adjusted Up; No Adjustment for 'Forever', 'New Girl' or 'Weird Loners'". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on April 12, 2015. Retrieved April 8, 2015.
  12. ^ Bibel, Sara (April 15, 2015). "Tuesday Final Ratings: 'The Flash', 'NCIS', 'The Voice', 'Fresh Off The Boat', 'Hell's Kitchen' & 'Person of Interest' Adjusted Up". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on April 18, 2015. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  13. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (April 22, 2015). "Tuesday Final Ratings: 'The Flash', 'Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.', 'Undateable', 'The Voice' & 'Hell's Kitchen' Adjusted Up; 'iZombie' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on April 25, 2015. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  14. ^ Bibel, Sara (April 29, 2015). "Tuesday Final Ratings: 'Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.', 'The Voice', 'NCIS', 'NCIS: New Orleans', & 'Chicago Fire' Adjusted Up; 'One Big Happy' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on April 30, 2015. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  15. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (May 6, 2015). "Tuesday Final Ratings: 'The Voice' Adjusted Up; 'iZombie' Adjusted Down + No Adjustment for 'The Flash' or 'Person of Interest'". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on May 8, 2015. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
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