Reviews

There's only been one episode, and to be honest, it wasn't very good. There wasn't any real chemistry between the actors, the acting was mostly wooden and the plot wasn't very compelling.

The story was rushed and while fans of the original understand at some level what is going on, new audiences would likely be completely lost. They SHOULD have paced it better and done more like the premiere of the original and made it either a 2 hour episode or a 2 part episode (even though that wasn't exactly a great episode it helped drive the point home that Sam Beckett is in a dire situation and unable/unwilling to come home), while this new series throws some intrigue into the story that there is some Westworld-level machinations going on back home, it doesn't really give you much hope of being something worthwhile.

Don't get me wrong, I completely understand that new series sometimes take time to get the cast, writing and directing meshed with a winning formula, I'm honestly not optimistic that there is a solid and well constructed plan.

One thing the struck me as both good and bad is that although, to my memory, mostly all of you see and known about in the "present" in the original comes directly from Al's dialog (with rare exceptions like the premiere of Season 2 where Al is fighting to keep the project from being cancelled by Congress), this has a intermix which is much more in common with Time Tunnel than it is with it's predecessor. I say good because it's nice to see faces to the dialog, it's bad because it makes me think that they don't think the main character can carry the whole story as well as Scott Bakula.

It is certainly a made for TV film and the it is certainly a National Lampoon film; however, it deviates from the typical National Lampoon schlock that they are known for.

I've seen other reviewers who tore it to shreds that obviously saw it after the more popular big budget successor (Analyze This) and of comparing the cast....none of which is entirely fair. While the two movies have the same conceit, they are significantly different in that one was a big budget theater release with major (popular) cast and the other movie was a made-for-TV/cable movie with lesser known and/or actors who were no longer major actors. That's like trying to compare a Rolex and a Timex.....they may both keep time perfectly, one is appreciated for the craftsmanship and materials and the other for just being what it is and doing what it's supposed to do.....it doesn't mean that they should not both be appreciated for what they are.

The Don's Analyst in many ways is a bit more straightforward....an elderly mob boss is cracking up and ends up seeing an analyst who's life begins to fall apart and in fear for his life with the insanity of coping with the mob boss and his family, his wife, etc... The mob boss is struggling with failed relationships, regret over the past, etc...

While the special effects are schlocky and the acting and situations are intentionally over the top as you would expect in a National Lampoon release, I still find it the more entertaining between it and the newer film.

Opinions of course vary and some may appreciate it and others may not....but, as long as you are not expecting another entry in the Analyze This franchise and accept it for being a National Lampoon Made-for-TV film, it should be enjoyed.