2 Broke Girls

2 Broke Girls
Genre Sitcom
Created by
Starring
Theme music composer Peter Bjorn and John
Opening theme "Second Chance"
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 4
No. of episodes 91 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)
  • Michael Patrick King
  • Whitney Cummings
  • Michelle Nader
Camera setup Multiple
Running time 22 minutes
Production company(s)
Distributor Warner Bros. Television Distribution
Broadcast
Original channel CBS
Picture format HDTV 1080i
Audio format Dolby Digital 5.1
Original run September 19, 2011 – present
External links
Website

2 Broke Girls is an American television sitcom created for Warner Bros. Television by Michael Patrick King and Whitney Cummings. It premiered in the United States on CBS on September 2011, and is currently commissioned for a fifth season. Set in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City, the show's plot follows the lives of roommates Max Black (Kat Dennings) and Caroline Channing (Beth Behrs). Whereas Channing was raised as the daughter of a multi-millionaire, Black grew in poverty, resulting in differing perspectives on life, although together they work in a local diner while attempting to raise funds to start a cupcake business.

Since its debut, the series has received a mixed response from critics. The on-screen chemistry between the two lead characters has been praised, however others have condemned the show's reliance on sexualised humour and racial stereotypes. It was nominated for three 2012 Emmy Awards, winning for Art Direction.

On March 12, 2015, CBS renewed the series for a fifth season.[1]

Synopsis

The series chronicles the lives of two waitresses in their mid twenties: Max Black (Kat Dennings), the child of a poor working-class mother and an unknown father, and Caroline Channing (Beth Behrs), who was born rich but is now disgraced and penniless due to her father, Martin Channing, getting caught operating a Bernard Madoff-esque Ponzi scheme. The two work together at a Brooklyn diner, soon becoming roommates and friends while building toward their dream of one day opening a cupcake shop. Among those working with them at the restaurant are their Korean boss, Han Lee (Matthew Moy); Oleg (Jonathan Kite), an upbeat but perverted Ukrainian cook; and Earl (Garrett Morris), a 75-year-old African American cashier. Also featured starting late in the first season is their neighbour and part-time boss Sophie (Jennifer Coolidge), a Polish immigrant who runs the house-cleaning company Sophie's Choice.

During most of the first season Max is also a part-time nanny for the twin babies of Peach Landis (Brooke Lyons), who during the season adopts Caroline's horse Chestnut. At the end of each episode a tally shows how much they have made toward their goal of $250,000. Early in the second season, Sophie lends the girls $20,000, which is enough for them to start their business.

However, the business fails, and in the 18th episode they are forced to give up the lease of their cupcake shop with just enough money to pay off Sophie's loan, resetting the end of episode tally to $1.00. During the third season, the girls reopen the business in the back room of the diner, using the window as a walk up window. Max also enrolls in, and Caroline goes to work for, the Manhattan School of Pastry.

Cast

Main

Recurring

Special guest stars

Production

Development and Casting

Even before it went to series, the then-undeveloped pilot was the subject of a bidding war, with CBS landing the deal on December 10, 2010,[9] and ordering it to series on May 13, 2011.[10] It is one of two shows commissioned for the 2011–12 TV season in which Whitney Cummings is serving as producer and co-creator, the other being Whitney, which was picked up by NBC.[11]

Dennings was the first to be cast in role of Max on February 18, 2011.[12] A week later on February 25, 2011, Behrs won an audition to land the role of Caroline, beating out other established actresses.[13] Moy, Morris and Kite were the last three to be cast on March 16, 2011.[14]

Filming

The series is taped in front of a live studio audience with some sweetening.[15]

The first episode aired at 9:30 pm (E/P) after Two and a Half Men on September 19, 2011, and the show moved to its regular timeslot following How I Met Your Mother on Monday nights at 8:30 pm (E/P).[16] Production for the second season began on August 6, 2012. For its second season 2 Broke Girls moved to 9 pm ET/PT after Two and a Half Men was moved to Thursdays, and remained there until early in its third season. On March 27, 2013, CBS renewed 2 Broke Girls for a third season.[17] The show was first moved back to its original timeslot, which opened when We Are Men was cancelled, and stayed there until March 24, 2014. Beginning on April 7, 2014, 2 Broke Girls moved to 8 pm to replace How I Met Your Mother following its conclusion, with the show's former timeslot given to the short-lived Friends with Better Lives. On March 13, 2014, CBS renewed 2 Broke Girls for a fourth season. The network announced a premiere date of October 27, 2014.[18] The move was prompted by CBS' arrangement to air Thursday Night Football for the first several weeks of the season and their subsequent decision not to postpone the season premiere of The Big Bang Theory, which will occupy 2 Broke Girls' timeslot until October 20 and then return to its normal Thursday timeslot. The Fourth season will consist of 22 episodes.

Episodes

Season Episodes Originally aired
First aired Last aired
1 24 September 19, 2011 May 7, 2012
2 24 September 24, 2012 May 13, 2013
3 24 September 23, 2013 May 5, 2014
4 22[19] October 27, 2014 May 18, 2015[20]

International broadcast

Country Channel
United States CBS
Syndication: TBS
Canada City TV[21]
United Kingdom E4 [22]
Ireland RTÉ2[23]
Israel Comedy Central (HOT)
South Africa M-Net[24]
Australia Nine Network[25]
New Zealand TVNZ[26]
Philippines ETC (TV channel)[27]

Reception

Dennings and Behrs at 38th People's Choice Awards. January 2012.

2 Broke Girls has received mixed reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes the first season holds a rating of 68%, based on 34 reviews, with an average rating of 6.4/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs have undeniable chemistry, and although 2 Broke Girls is at times is bogged down by predictable jokes, this old-fashioned odd couple sitcom is rich with laughs."[28] earning an On Metacritic, the first season has a score of 66 out of 100, based on 25 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[29]

Much criticism for the show was focused on the perceived overuse of sexually based jokes and offensive racial stereotypes. Tim Goodman of The Hollywood Reporter said the show had potential but "squandered it away every week on cheap, predictable and unfunny jokes" and noted that many jokes were of a racist or sexual nature.[30] New Zealand critic Chris Philpott was especially offended by the rape jokes in the first three episodes of the series, calling the series the worst new show of 2012, stating that it "display[ed] a lack of understanding and creativity on the part of the comedy writer."[31] Andrew Ti, writing for Grantland.com, singled out the portrayal of Han Lee as "a fairly regressive portrayal" of the stereotypical Asian male: "a tiny, greedy, sexless man-child with infantilized speech patterns."[32] Elliot B. Gertel at Jewish World Review[33] similarly found that the show misrepresented "Orthodox" Jews in an episode. When asked about the racial stereotypes at a January 2012 press conference, Michael Patrick King said "I don't find it offensive, any of this".[34][35]

Emily Nussbaum of The New Yorker wrote that while the way the supporting characters are written is "so racist it is less offensive than baffling", she noted that the show has "so much potential", and compared it favorably to Cummings' other show Whitney.[36] Positive reviews such as one from Entertainment Weekly focused on the "potential" that the series has based on the acting and chemistry between Dennings and Behrs.[37] The series also received a B+ from The Boston Globe TV critic Matthew Gilbert, who was impressed with the casting and production: "The actresses – especially the Gwen Stefani-esque Dennings – transcend their types, and the pop-savvy humor has spirit thanks to producer Michael Patrick King from Sex and the City. After the forced opening minutes, it's the best multi-cam-com of the season."[38] The A.V. Club editor Todd VanDerWerff in writing his weekly reviews of the show, he hoped that the series would improve, but ultimately wrote: "Most of the problems—weird story construction, stereotypical characters, bad jokes—that have bedeviled the show have been there from the very beginning, though I will certainly say they've gotten worse as the season has gone along and the show hasn't bothered to diversify its rhythms at all."[39]

On January 11, 2012, 2 Broke Girls won the award for Favorite New TV Comedy at the 38th People's Choice Awards.[40]

Ratings

The series premiere was watched by 19.2 million viewers after its lead-in, the first episode of Two and a Half Men without Charlie Sheen. This marked the highest rating for a fall premiere of a comedy series since Fall 2001.[41] It scored a 7.1 rating in Adults 18–49.[42] With DVR viewers included, the premiere rose to over 21.5 million viewers and an 8.1 in adults 18–49.[43] The show has done well in ratings with college students and young males.[43]

Season Episodes Timeslot (ET) Premiered Ended TV season Nielsen ratings
Date Premiere
viewers
(in millions)
Date Finale
viewers
(in millions)
Rank U.S. viewers
(in millions)
Rating
(adults 18–49)
1 24 Monday 9:30 pm (premiere)
Monday 8:30 pm
September 19, 2011 19.37[44]
May 7, 2012
8.99[45] 2011–12 32[46] 11.29[46] 4.4/11[47]
2 24 Monday 9:00 pm September 24, 2012 10.14[48] May 13, 2013 8.94[49] 2012–13 32[50] 10.63[50] 3.7/9[50]
3 24 Monday 9:00 pm (Episodes 1 – 3)
Monday 8:30 pm (Episodes 4 – 21)
Monday 8:00 pm (Episodes 22 – 24)
September 23, 2013 8.88[51] May 5, 2014 6.94[52] 2013–14 37[53] 8.98[50] 3.8/10[50]
4 22 Monday 8:00 pm October 27, 2014 8.43[54] May 18, 2015[55] TBA 2014–15 TBA TBA TBA

Awards

Year Award Category Recipients and nominees Outcome
2012 People's Choice Awards Favorite New TV Comedy 2 Broke Girls Won
Excellence in Production Design Award Episode of a Multi-Camera, Variety or Unscripted Series Glenda Rovello, Conny Boettger and Amy Feldman Nominated
Teen Choice Awards Choice TV Breakout Performance – Female Beth Behrs Nominated
Choice TV: Comedy 2 Broke Girls Nominated
Emmy Awards Outstanding Art Direction for a Multi-Camera Series Glenda Rovello and Amy Feldman Won
Outstanding Cinematography for a Multi-Camera Series Gary Baum Nominated
Outstanding Multi-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series Darryl Bates Nominated
Casting Society of America Announces Artios Awards[56] Television Pilot Comedy 2 Broke Girls Nominated
2013 Excellence in Production Design Award Episode of a Multi-Camera, Variety or Unscripted Series Glenda Rovello Nominated
NewNowNext Awards[57] Coolest Cameo 2 Chainz Nominated
Young Artist Award Best Performance in a TV Series – Guest Starring Young Actor 11–13 Jake Elliott Nominated
Emmy Awards Outstanding Art Direction for a Multi-Camera Series Glenda Rovello and Amy Feldman Nominated
Outstanding Cinematography for a Multi-Camera Series Gary Baum Nominated
2014 People's Choice Awards Favorite Network TV Comedy 2 Broke Girls Nominated
Favorite TV Gal Pals Caroline Channing (Beth Behrs) & Max Black (Kat Dennings) Nominated
Emmy Awards Outstanding Cinematography for a Multi-Camera Serie Christian La Fountaine Nominated
2015 People's Choice Awards Favorite Network TV Comedy 2 Broke Girls Nominated

Syndication

On June 20, 2012, it was announced that TBS has secured the cable syndication rights to the sitcom, and will begin airing the series in 2015. The series has also been cleared on CBS and Weigel owned affiliates in 35% of the United States.[58]

Home media

The Complete First Season
Set details Special features
  • 24 episodes
  • 3-disc set (DVD)
  • 2-disc set (Blu-ray)
  • 1.78:1 aspect ratio
  • Subtitles: English, French, Spanish, Swedish
  • English: Dolby Digital 5.1 (DVD)
  • English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (Blu-ray)
  • 2 Girls Going 4 Broke
    • Behind the scenes with cast and creators
  • Unaired scenes
DVD/Blu-ray release date
United States Australia United Kingdom
September 4, 2012 October 17, 2012 October 22, 2012 (DVD only)
The Complete Second Season
Set details Special features
  • 24 episodes
  • 3-disc set (DVD)
  • 1.78:1 aspect ratio
  • Subtitles
  • English: Dolby Digital 5.1
  • Max's Homemade Cupcakes: Go Big or Go Broke!
    • Season 2 highlights and interviews
  • 2 Broke Girrllss! with Sophie Kachinsky
    • Cast and producers discuss the character
  • 2 Broke Girls at Paley Fest 2013
    • Highlights from the panel discussion
  • Deleted Scenes
  • Gag Reel
DVD release date
United States Australia United Kingdom
September 24, 2013 September 18, 2013 October 7, 2013
The Complete Third Season
Set details Special features
  • 24 episodes
  • 3-disc set (DVD)
  • 1.78:1 aspect ratio
  • Subtitles
  • English: Dolby Digital 5.1
  • Unaired Scenes
  • Gag Reel
DVD release date
United States Australia United Kingdom
October 14, 2014 October 22, 2014 October 6, 2014

References

  1. Rawden, Jessica (March 13, 2015). "2 Broke Girls Is Renewed By CBS". Cinema Blend.
  2. http://www.pluggedin.com/tv/0-9/2brokegirls.aspx
  3. ""Partners" makes its debut on CBS; new seasons start for other Monday night shows". CBS News. September 24, 2012. Retrieved November 8, 2012.
  4. "And the Group Head"". 2 Broke Girls. Season 3. Episode 4. October 14, 2013. CBS.
  5. 5.0 5.1 "And the Pastry Porn"". 2 Broke Girls. Season 3. Episode 9. November 18, 2013. CBS.
  6. 6.0 6.1 "And the First Day of School"". 2 Broke Girls. Season 3. Episode 10. November 25, 2013. CBS.
  7. Goldberg, Lesley (March 9, 2012). "'2 Broke Girls' Enlists Martha Stewart for Guest Gig". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
  8. Ehrich Dowd, Kathy (August 26, 2014). "Kim Kardashian to Guest-Star on 2 Broke Girls". People. Retrieved August 26, 2014.
  9. "CBS Nabs Michael Patrick King/Whitney Cummings Multi-Camera Comedy" from Deadline.com (December 10, 2010)
  10. ""Person of Interest," "Two Broke Girls" First to Series at CBS; Sarah Michelle Gellar-Led "Ringer" Shifts to The CW" from the Futon Critic (May 13, 2011)
  11. Updated: NBC Picks Up "Smash", "Prime Suspects" and Two More Sitcoms to Series, TV By the Numbers, May 11, 2011
  12. "Kat Dennings To Star In CBS' Whitney Cummings/Michael Patrick King Comedy" from Deadline.com (February 18, 2011)
  13. "NBC's 'S.I.L.A.' & CBS' 'Girls' Find Leads" from Deadline.com (February 25, 2011)
  14. "Scott Porter To Star In CW's 'Hart Of Dixie', More Actors Board Pilots" from Deadline.com (March 16, 2011)
  15. Cari Nierenberg (September 23, 2011). "We may hate laugh tracks – but they work, studies show". NBC News.com. Retrieved September 28, 2013.
  16. Seidman, Robert (June 29, 2011). "CBS Announces Fall 2011 Premiere Dates". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
  17. Kondolojy, Amanda (March 27, 2013). "'The Good Wife', 'Elementary', 'Person Of Interest', '2 Broke Girls', 'NCIS: LA', 'The Mentalist', 'Mike & Molly,' 'Hawaii Five-0' & 'Blue Bloods' Renewed by CBS". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved March 27, 2013.
  18. http://www.cbs.com/shows/cbs-fall-preview-2014/news/1002675/
  19. http://tvline.com/2015/02/24/arrow-nanda-parbat-spoilers-oliver-thea-malcolm-ras/
  20. Bibel, Sara (April 1, 2015). "CBS Announces Season Finale Dates for 'The Big Bang Theory', 'NCIS' & More; 'Stalker' Returns May 4". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  21. http://www.citytv.com/toronto/shows/2-broke-girls/
  22. http://www.channel4.com/programmes/2-broke-girls
  23. http://www.rte.ie/tv/programmes/2brokegirls.html
  24. http://mnet.dstv.com/shows/two-broke-girls-2/
  25. http://www.9jumpin.com.au/show/2brokegirls/episodes/
  26. http://tvnz.co.nz/2-broke-girls/video
  27. http://solarentertainmentcorp.com/channel/programs/etc/2_broke_girls_4-1414753644
  28. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/2-broke-girls/s01/
  29. http://www.metacritic.com/tv/2-broke-girls
  30. Goodman, Tim (October 24, 2011). "The Sorry State Of '2 Broke Girls': Racism and Lame Sex Jokes". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
  31. Philpott, Chris (February 23, 2012). "2 Broke Girls: the worst new show of 2012". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved March 4, 2012.
  32. "Yo, Is This Racist? 2 Broke Girls and the New Long Duk Dong We Never Asked For". Archived from the original on February 23, 2012. Retrieved February 21, 2012.
  33. "Move over intact Christian families, TV has decided Orthodox Jews ripe for mockery".
  34. "Michael Patrick King Defends '2 Broke Girls' Stereotypes: "I Don't Find It Offensive, Any Of This"". Archived from the original on February 23, 2012. Retrieved February 21, 2012.
  35. '2 Broke Girls' creator fights critics, denies racism charge, during riveting debate
  36. Nussbaum, Emily (November 28, 2011). "Crass Warfare". The New Yorker: 72–74.
  37. "'2 Broke Girls': Promising series nailed twentysomething poverty. NYC, not so much." from Entertainment Weekly (September 20, 2011)
  38. "Which new fall series make the grade?" from The Boston Globe (September 4, 2011)
  39. "2 Broke Girls episode review". Retrieved October 17, 2012.
  40. Schillaci, Sophie A. (January 11, 2012). "People's Choice Awards: The Winners". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
  41. de Moraes, Lisa (September 20, 2011). "Charlie Sheen-less 'Two and a Half Men' season debut draws record audience". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 29, 2011.
  42. TV Ratings Opening Monday: 'Two and a Half Men' Soars, CBS Wins; 'Playboy Club Gloomy + 'Castle,' 'Hawaii Five-0' and More, By Robert Seidman TV by the Numbers (September 20, 2011)
  43. 43.0 43.1 Live+7 DVR Ratings: 'Modern Family' Tops Absolute Gains, 'Supernatural' Tops % Gains In Season's Premiere Week
  44. Seidman, Robert (September 20, 2011). "Monday Broadcast Final Ratings: 'Two and a Half Men,' '2 Broke Girls,' DWTS Adjusted Up; 'Castle' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
  45. Kondolojy, Amanda (May 8, 2012). "Monday Final Ratings: 'DWTS', 'Two and a Half Men', 'The Voice', and '2 Broke Girls' Adjusted Up; 'Castle' and 'Smash' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
  46. 46.0 46.1 Gorman, Bill (May 24, 2012). "Complete List Of 2011–12 Season TV Show Viewership: 'Sunday Night Football' Tops, Followed By 'American Idol,' 'NCIS' & 'Dancing With The Stars'". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
  47. Gorman, Bill (May 24, 2012). "Complete List Of 2011–12 Season TV Show Ratings: 'Sunday Night Football' Tops, Followed By 'American Idol,' 'The Voice' & 'Modern Family'". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
  48. Kondolojy, Amanda (September 25, 2012). "Monday Final Ratings: 'How I Met Your Mother', 'Mike and Molly', 'Voice', 'Bones' Adjusted Up; 'DWTS', 'Revolution', 'Castle' 'Hawaii Five-0' & 'LA Complex' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved November 8, 2012.
  49. Kondolojy, Amanda (May 14, 2013). "Monday Final Ratings: 'The Voice', '2 Broke Girls' & 'Hell's Kitchen' Adjusted Up; '90210' & 'Castle' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved May 14, 2013.
  50. 50.0 50.1 50.2 50.3 50.4 Bibel, Sara (May 29, 2013). "Complete List Of 2012–13 Season TV Show Viewership: 'Sunday Night Football' Tops, Followed By 'NCIS,' 'The Big Bang Theory' & 'NCIS: Los Angeles'". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved May 30, 2013.
  51. Kondolojy, Amanda (September 24, 2013). "Monday Final TV Ratings: 'The Voice' & 'How I Met Your Mother' Adjusted Up; No Adjustment for 'Hostages' or 'The Blacklist'". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved September 24, 2013.
  52. Kondolojy, Amanda (May 6, 2014). "Monday Final TV Ratings: "2 Broke Girls" & "Dancing With the Stars" Adjusted Up; "Mike & Molly" Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved May 6, 2014.
  53. Kondolojy, Amanda (May 22, 2014). "Full 2013–2014 TV Season Series Rankings". The Deadline Team. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
  54. Bibel, Sara (October 28, 2014). "Monday Final Ratings: 'The Voice' & 'Scorpion' Adjusted Up; 'Dancing With the Stars', 'Castle', 'The Millers' & 'The Blacklist' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  55. Bibel, Sara (April 1, 2015). "CBS Announces Season Finale Dates for 'The Big Bang Theory', 'NCIS' & More; 'Stalker' Returns May 4". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  56. "Artios Awards: Casting Society of America".
  57. "2013 Logo NewNowNext Awards – Nominees". NewNowNext.com. March 2013.
  58. "TBS Snaps Up Off-Net Reruns of '2 Broke Girls'". The Hollywood Reporter. June 20, 2012. Retrieved November 8, 2012.

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