Pilot Scoop: About a Boy

One of NBC's midseason dramas is based on a movie that's more than a decade old, and it might be one of the most charming new series of the Spring. About a Boy relocates from the UK to San Francisco, and stars David Walton in Hugh Grant's role and Minnie Driver as the single mom with a precocious young son who befriends Will. Is the comedy worth watching, though? We're reviewing the pilot to let you know what to expect.

NBC
  • What it's about: Like the 2002 film, Will (Walton) cruises along with no attachments and very loose morals (he pretends to be a single dad with a cancer-stricken son to sleep with a single mom), until young Marcus (Benjamin Stockham) and his mom, Fiona (Driver), move in next door. Fiona and Will clash immediately (she's a meditating vegan; he loves his steak), but Marcus and Will bond when Marcus seeks refuge with Will after being bullied at school.
  • Where it works: Walton and Driver have great antagonistic chemistry, and the dialogue is funny and clever. Walton is also the perfect choice to play Will, because he makes his terrible behavior rakish and charming (yes, just like Grant).
  • Where it doesn't work: Walton is almost too charming. That's pretty much the only criticism I can come up with.
  • You might like this show if: You loved Walton (Jess's ex-boyfriend Sam) on New Girl.
  • When it's on: Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on NBC

Watch a preview of About a Boy: