One of the great things about living in the streaming TV era is that there’s so much great content being made today. Not only are you able to watch most TV shows on-demand; streaming gives you a chance to go back and watch things that maybe you wanted to see before, but never found the time to do. That’s where the subject of today’s entry, the short-lived Men of a Certain Age falls.
Men… was a TNT original series that aired from 2009-2011. The series starred Scott Bakula, Ray Romano and Andre Braugher. It tells the story of three college friends as they experienced the ups and downs of life as middle-aged men in 21st century America.
Ray Romano, who made his claim to fame with the hit Everybody Loves Raymond co-created the series and plays Joe Tranelli, a recent divorcee. As the series opens, Joe is trying to come to grips with his divorce, maintain a relationship with his adolescent children and get himself “back out there”. Joe owns his own party store, but his main character flaw is his gambling habit.
Scott Bakula has seemingly been in a bit of everything over the years – Quantum Leap, Star Trek: Enterprise, CSI, and a multitude of movies. Bakula plays Terry Elliot, a lifelong bachelor and the “cool guy” of the group. Terry is a working actor, having enjoyed his greatest success in the past. Of the three, he is probably the least mature.
While Andre Braugher has never really been considered a “leading man” he is a tremendous actor and proved himself to be an indispensable of any ensemble cast he’s in (his work on Homicide: Life on the Street (another grossly under-appreciated show) comes to mind. Braugher’s character, Owen Thoreau Jr. is happily married with children. Owen’s struggles come from his job where he is emasculated by his father (who is also his boss) and his younger, hungrier co-workers. Owen often has to prove to himself, and his peers, that he’s “still got it”.
How many middle-aged men are going to devote time to a weekly one-hour drama?
When I first saw ads for this show back in 2009,I was stunned that they had 3 big stars coming together together for a show like this. Men... does a great job of addressing the concerns affecting middle-aged men in 21st century America. It’s no surprise – given the premise of this blog and my place in life – that I immediately connected with this show. It was refreshing to see a show about middle-aged men, starring middle-aged men and addressing real middle-age male issues. Now to address the elephant in the room…
While the premise of Men… sounds great on paper and it taps into previously disregarded audience, it begs the question…How many middle-aged men are going to devote time to a weekly one-hour drama? To be honest, Men… was targeted at the tail-end of the coveted 18-49 year-old male demographic. I used to think of myself as something of a couch potato. Even today, at 49, I try to at least keep my finger to the pulse of popular culture. But the truth is I probably watch less television – at a time when we have more viewing options than ever, mind you – than I ever have in my life.
In 2011, TNT cancelled Men… after only two seasons. According to this CBS article, the show was averaging 2.7 million viewers per week during it final month on the air. The show received high praise for its writing – even winning a Peabody award. In addition, Andre Braugher was nominated for a best supporting actor Emmy. Unfortunately, even these accolades weren’t enough to save Men… Had the show come out a decade later, I think it would have received a new lease on life through one of the streaming services. Men of a Certain Age was simply ahead of it’s time. Its one of those under-appreciated shows that the world simply wasn’t ready for yet.
Men of a Certain Age is currently streaming on Max and available for purchase on Amazon Prime Video.
Thanks for stopping by Rebuilding Rob. Be sure to like, 👍 comment and subscribe to my blog below. It’s greatly appreciated! Also, feel free to follow me on social media as well! Check out my most recent posts as well as some earlier, related (and perhaps, not-so-related) posts:
- Rob’s Retro Movie Review: This is Spinal Tap (1984) – The Movie That Scaled to Eleven
- A Death in the Family (And My Disposable Income): My Life in Comics
- The Supporting Cast: Navigating the Eras of Male Friendship
- Life is What Happens: A Look Back at My Non-Existent 2025 Vision
- The Moment I Walked Inside a Hallmark Movie
The article “Rob Reviews: Men of a Certain Age” first appeared on Rebuilding Rob.
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