We've been talking up The Marriage Ref left, right, and center round these parts. And thankfully, the ratings have been strong enough to get it awarded a second season:
Paul Telegdy, the executive in charge of reality programming for NBC, made the announcement Monday, ordering three more episodes of “The Marriage Ref” for this season and 10 more (at least) for next season.
For Jay Leno haters out there, the news is even sweeter as The Marriage Ref has been posting double the ratings that the ill fated Jay Leno Show in the Thursday night slot had been generating.
The Marriage Ref show works because of tight production, strong editing and casting, "ref" Tom Papa's witty and breezy handling of hosting duties, and most of all because it lets its celebrity panels relax and have a good time with goofing on the couple's petty and sometimes bizarre squabbles. Jerry Seinfeld's thumbprint is over every inch of the show, have no doubt. This is the work of a meticulous and superior comic mastermind.
Check out some of our TV reviews from the freshman season of The Marriage Ref:
The Marriage Ref, "Sarah Silverman, Matthew Broderick, Martin Short": call of booty
"I'm gonna go husband, but I think they should get divorced." – Sarah Silverman
The Marriage Ref, "Adam Carolla, Gloria Estefan, and Donald Trump": get it on
"Does Donald Trump wears pajamas?" – Tom Papa
The Marriage Ref, "Jerry Seinfeld, Kelly Ripa, Alec Baldwin": crispy
"Mariah Carey's a no good hussie." – Motorcycle dude's wife
The Marriage Ref, "Madonna, Ricky Gervais, Larry David": this is getting weirder (and funnier)
Even without Jerry Seinfeld, this show has (rubber) legs to it.
The Marriage Ref, "Pilot": The Fonz returns
"Is this a perfect system? Not even close." – Host Tom Papa. It doesn't matter as this new show works.
