Liking Samantha Who? I Am. But Andrea...Not So Much

I am enjoying Christina Applegate's new show Samantha Who. It's no Scrubs, Office, 30 Rock, Arrested Development, Sports Night, Seinfeld, Newsradio... (you get the picture), but it is entertaining and better than most comedies that are currently on.

There is one thing I'm having a problem with - the Andrea character, played by Jennifer Esposito, is barely likable. Now, I get that Andrea is Samantha's best friend from before Sam's coma when Sam herself was quite the Grade A bitch from everything we've been told and shown and so her best friend would likely be similar to that, but for the show's sake (and my own), I wish she wasn't quite so unlikable.

It's not a stretch to think that Sam's best friend before the coma could be nice, since her boyfriend Todd (Barry Watson) is extremely likable to the point of wondering why he was ever with her (but, then, don't we all know someone like that in real life?). We've met a few other friends of Sam's from before the coma, and they were shallow and superficial, but still kinda likable and entertaining, like the woman who disinvited Sam to her wedding and kicked her out of the wedding party.

Now, I will admit that one of the problems could be Jennifer Esposito's portrayal of the character Andrea. It's nothing to call home about. I much prefer the scenes that include Melissa McCarthy to those with Jennifer, and it's not just because I prefer Melissa's character's personality, it's because I find her portrayal more believable and realistic. Jennifer, who I think is a decent actress, sometimes seems to have peaked with Spin City. I've seen her in good things since, but more times than not I have felt that her acting is not effortless as it should be. She always seems to be trying so hard. Like with Andrea, she is trying way too hard to be the life of the party. I'm not buying it. I mean, when we see Sam in flashbacks, she may be bitchy, but she sure as heck is also funny. Can't really say the same for Andrea, or at least not enough to excuse her rather sour disposition.