"Animal Practice"

[MuffyBee]

http://www.hitfix.com/whats-alan-watching/review-nbcs-animal-practice-better-with-monkeys-than-people
Review: NBC's 'Animal Practice' better with monkeys than people
Everyone loves Annie's Boobs, but will they love Justin Kirk and friends?
August 11, 2012



NBC has four new sitcoms debuting this fall, and has chosen two of them to sneak preview during its Olympic coverage — a glorious two-week stretch where people are actually watching NBC again. One of those sitcoms is "Go On," which aired last night; the other is "Animal Practice," which will air a commercial-free version of its pilot episode tomorrow night in the odd timeslot of 10:38 p.m.
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There are human actors on "Animal Practice" as well — Justin Kirk from "Weeds," JoAnna Garcia Swisher, Tyler Labine and Bobby Lee, among others — but if you were watching the ads for it during the Olympics, you'd be forgiven from assuming that all of them pale in importance to Crystal, the monkey actress who has previously appeared in the "Night at the Musuem" films, "The Hangover Part II," "We Bought A Zoo" and — perhaps most of interest to NBC comedy viewers — "Community," where she played a character named Annie's Boobs.

People like monkeys. Well-trained monkeys can be very funny, particularly when the monkeys can be trained to act enough like humans do, as Crystal does throughout the "Animal Practice" pilot as "Dr." Rizzo, who assists the human characters in gambling and other shenanigans, but doesn't help them actually practice veterinary medicine. (Not yet, anyway, but let's wait until November sweeps before we dismiss that as a plot point.)
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[MuffyBee]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/tv/on-animal-practice-only-the-monkey-shines/2012/08/09/45fcd520-dd98-11e1-9ff9-1dcd8858ad02_story.html
On ‘Animal Practice,’ only the monkey shines
By Hank Stuever, Published: August 9 | Updated: Friday, August 10, 1:21 P


(NBC/CHRIS HASTON /NBC) - Crystal as Dr. Zaius, Justin Kirk as Dr. George Coleman in “Animal Practice.”

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BECAUSE REALLY ALL WE WANT TO SEE IS THE MONKEY.

This is the sad, stark truth that awaits “Animal Practice” as soon as it begins: In every scene without the monkey, viewers will ask, WHERE IS THAT LITTLE MONKEY NOW?

Crystal, the crafty capuchin who single-handedly saved “The Hangover Part II,” is cast as Dr. Rizzo, the hospital’s mascot. Rizzo makes his daily rounds on a tiny ambulance and acts as a bookie when the staff decides to stage an impromptu gerbils-on-turtles race in the exam room. This monkey can also do anything the other actors can — convey emotions, nail a cue, roll its eyes in mock disdain.

I thought I was immune to Crystal’s charms until NBC brought her to a poolside party during the Television Critics Association press tour a few weeks ago in Beverly Hills, where she mingled with journalists, guests and other celebs. For Crystal, “mingling” means climbing on people’s shoulders and giving them a kiss on the cheek. Who else is going to do that at this kind of party? (Who else besides Giuliana Rancic, I mean.)

I have never seen a fresh-faced celebrity work harder to please, with barely a hint of a treat or a reward coming. Crystal did everything she was asked and then some; she apparently decided it is her job to save NBC from itself. She chirped hello and granted face time to anyone who wanted to meet her, in sharp contrast to the celebrity all the way over on the other side of the pool, Sarah Palin, who was there ostensibly to help promote her husband Todd’s NBC reality show, “Stars Earn Stripes.” Palin played it cool and remote — that whole don’t-talk-to-me shtick that famous people pull when they’re pretending they don’t want any attention. If only they could all be more like Crystal and get with the program.
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(30 minutes) special post-Olympics premiere airs Sunday at 10:38 p.m. on NBC. Regular season begins Sept. 26.

Photo gallery at link

[MuffyBee]

I will probably not watch this program, because I don't watch a lot of television, and when I do I'm pretty selective.  But I've seen "Crystal" the little monkey and she's really cute.  I posted the articles here for monkeys who might be interested in watching this little monkey.