Contrary to what many believe, the show is not a sequel to the film Two Girls and a Guy, starring Robert Downey Jr., and featuring a threesome with Heather Graham and Natasha Gregson Wagner.
By Owen K. Craig
Picture, if you will, Little Owen. Fourteen years young, enjoying with his little sister the plethora of great TV that the late ’90s had to offer. Unfortunately, Little Owen tended to enjoy the less popular offerings (i.e. easily cancelable). The delights of Seinfeld and Friends were not for Little Owen, and he had no interest in Ally McBeal or ER. For some reason, Little Owen was a fan of lesser-known shows like Something So Right and Stark Raving Mad. This is the story of Little Owen all grown up many years later, revisiting one of those shows.
Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place was a troubled show that never seemed to be able to settle on a title, a cast, a tone, or a time-slot. While it’s unlikely that most (if any) of these issues were the show’s fault, it definitely hurt its watchability. Now, years later through the magic of the internet, I have revisited the show and found it to be a viewing experience eliciting mixed feelings. It’s not the laugh-filled riot I remember it being, which is especially disappointing considering that the show was blessed with charismatic actors like Ryan Reynolds and Nathan Fillion. Season One of the show is especially irritating because it features scene-ruining characters like the gruff boss at the titular pizza place and the eccentric customer who claims that movie plotlines are his life story. Berg (Ryan Reynolds), Pete (Richard Ruccalo), and Sharon (Traylor Howard) are funny enough as the main characters, but they feel shallow and one-dimensional. Pete is a romantic stereotype with a life goal of finding “the one” (how many shows or movies have used that phrase to demonstrate a character is romantic?). Berg is a free-wheeling bachelor who doesn’t care about anyone but himself…including his friends, apparently. Sharon is defined by her hatred for her job, but even this doesn’t come much into play until Season Two. In fact, many things don’t come together in Season One, which was trying to find its feet. In Season Two, the irritating customers disappear, and while it’s kind of confusing that Pete and Berg seem to work for no one in particular, I prefer this confusion to the pointless characters.
Season Two actually leads to developments, such as Berg falling into unrequited love with a woman named Ashley (played by cast addition Suzanne Cryer), or Sharon settling down with a jukebox repairman Johnny (played by Nathan Fillion, who improved the show considerably with his presence). One significant problem emerges, however: continuity. I suspect the network is to blame for this, but the continuity on this show was terrible. The episodes are all out of order. For example, Sharon introduces her friends to Johnny in the episode before she meets him, and Berg twice picks medicine as his new career of choice. It made for a very confusing viewing experience, and some quick research showed me that it wasn’t just a faulty download order. This order is, in fact, the one in which the episodes originally aired.
Regardless, in addition to finding a more permanent cast, Season Two really starts to cement the tones and themes that would last for the whole series: friends treating each other terribly, and the inevitability of massive, sweeping life changes. I suppose both themes are valid enough, but they aren’t handled with as much care as is needed. So much time is spent on the characters making fun of each other that I started wondering why these people were even friends. A balance is needed to deal with both the themes and the humor, but it was never found. On top of that, the characters changed jobs almost as often as they changed clothes. Pete’s an architect, no — he’s a limo driver, no — he’s a career counselor, no — he’s an exec for a makeup company, no — he’s a fireman. And I’m not even hyperbolizing. After a point, it just becomes ridiculous.
The show finally settles down towards the end of Season Three and into Season Four. With a new title (Two Guys, and a Girl -the pizza place was written out), the show and the characters were allowed to mature a bit. Viewers were treated to some more interesting plot points such as Johnny and Sharon getting married (nice to see after the irritating proposal plotline), Pete settling on a job (fireman), and Berg getting involved in an unexpected relationship. The character of Irene was introduced to the show in a recurring role, and while she was annoying at first, she becomes a welcome presence as Pete’s creepy stalker. There is also a great storyline involving Berg and Pete in a fight that threatens their friendship. The show continued in this vein for the rest of the series until it was cancelled after an unfortunate cliffhanger that will never be resolved.
So, what does Adult Owen think after a leisurely stroll down memory lane? Adult Owen certainly didn’t enjoy the show as much as Little Owen did, but it’s still not bad in the end. Once it settled into itself, Two Guys, and a Girl (and a Pizza Place?) ended up being a half-decent watch. Definitely not up to the high standards that TV comedy enjoys these days (According To Jim excluded), but not too shabby for its time. I wonder if I could download Stark Raving Mad anywhere…
