The Random Years
The Random Years is an American sitcom created by Michael Lisbe and Nate Reger that aired for four episodes on the United Paramount Network (UPN) in March 2002. The series centers on childhood friends Alex Barnes (Will Friedle), Wiseman (Joshua Ackerman), and Todd Mitchell (Sean Murray) and their lives after graduating college while living in Chinatown, Manhattan. Storylines focus on the characters' jobs and romantic relationships, often including their neighbor Casey Parker (Natalia Cigliuti) and their building superintendent Steve (Winston J. Rochas). Lisbe and Reger based The Random Years on their own experiences living in New York City. UPN produced the show, along with As If, as mid-season replacements for Roswell, which was not performing well with its ratings. Friedle was initially cast in Off Centre, a sitcom for The WB Television Network, but appeared in The Random Years after being replaced by Eddie Kaye Thomas in the former. The Random Years, along with As If, received the lowest ratings of any original program aired that season on network television. UPN canceled the series after four of its seven filmed episodes aired. Some critics described the show as enjoyable despite its predictability while others criticized it as too formulaic. Although certain actors were praised in reviews, the cast as a whole received negative feedback. Premise and characters The Random Years follows three childhood friends—Alex Barnes (Will Friedle), Wiseman (Joshua Ackerman), and Todd Mitchell (Sean Murray)—as they attempt to navigate life after graduating college. They were friends since elementary school and during the series, they are in their early 20s and share a loft apartment in Chinatown, Manhattan. Alex is a researcher and an assistant to a rock critic for Music Week magazine; he runs his own website, but dreams of being a music critic. A mama's boy, Wiseman only became a dental technician to please her and is not interested in being a dentist. At the start of the series, he strives to act more independently. The unemployed Todd does not have any plans for his future, and instead relies on schemes and is frequently shown watching television. He connects everything to Star Wars to the point of saying: "I don't make fun of your religion, you don't make fun of mine." The series characterizes Alex as lovesick, Wiseman as eccentric, and Todd as a slacker. Critics compared Wiseman to Cosmo Kramer from the sitcom Seinfeld, writing that both have uncontrollable hair and are idiot savants. Alex hires Casey Parker (Natalia Cigliuti) to help him with his website. Casey is a temp worker who attends New York University Stern School of Business. Having only recently moved to New York City, she struggles to make it on her own, but the show portrays her as ambitious. She moves into the men's building, with Alex's assistance, in the second episode. Her apartment was previously used by Steve (Winston J. Rochas), the building superintendent, to store his brother's stolen goods. Casey enjoys watching Antiques Roadshow, and she and Todd play a form of