Imaginary Mary
View on Wikipedia
| Imaginary Mary | |
|---|---|
| Genre | |
| Created by |
|
| Starring |
|
| Voices of | Rachel Dratch |
| Composer | Michael Wandmacher |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 9 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Camera setup | Single-camera |
| Running time | 22 minutes |
| Production companies |
|
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC |
| Release | March 29 – May 30, 2017 |
Imaginary Mary is an American live-action/animated fantasy sitcom television series created by Adam F. Goldberg, David Guarascio and Patrick Osborne that aired on ABC from March 29 to May 30, 2017.[1] The series is executive produced by the creators and was greenlighted to series order on May 12, 2016.[2] A first-look-trailer was released on the same day.[3] ABC reduced the number of episodes from thirteen to nine on September 28, 2016.[4]
On May 11, 2017, the series was cancelled after one season.[5]
Plot
[edit]The series follows Alice when an imaginary friend being from her childhood, named Mary, reappears when she is now a single public relations executive falling in love with a single father of three children. Mary hopes to guide (or misguide) her.
Cast
[edit]- Jenna Elfman as Alice
- Stephen Schneider as Ben Cooper, Alice’s love interest
- Nicholas Coombe as Andy Cooper, Ben's son
- Matreya Scarrwener as Dora Cooper, Ben's daughter
- Erica Tremblay as Bunny Cooper, Ben's daughter
- Rachel Dratch as the voice of Mary
Production
[edit]The series was first announced in 2015 as Imaginary Friend which was then changed to Imaginary Gary. In the original pilot, the main characters were both men and the love interest was a single mom.[6] When the series went into development, the genders of the characters were flipped. Elfman filmed her scenes first with a puppet in order for the animators to have a reference point, and then in a later take without anything to show what she was talking to. Dratch did her voice work separately in New York with the scenes already filmed. She said at the TCA press tour, "I have the freedom to go crazy."[7]
In September 2016, it was reported that the show's crew would make changes with the animation for the character, Mary, after it received a poor reception from ABC.[8] ABC then reduced the original thirteen-episode order for the first season to nine episodes in order to allow the show's crew to make changes with the animation.[8]
Episodes
[edit]| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Prod. code | US viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Pilot" | Shawn Levy | Story by : Adam F. Goldberg & David Guarascio & Patrick Osborne Teleplay by : Adam F. Goldberg & David Guarascio | March 29, 2017 | 100 | 5.39[9] |
|
Alice falls in love with a divorced dad but she then learns that he has 3 kids. Alice becomes consumed by her fears and contemplates giving up until her old childhood imaginary friend, Mary, comes back. | ||||||
| 2 | "The Mom Seal" | Shawn Levy | Sarah Haskins & Emily Halpern | April 4, 2017 | 101 | 3.45[10] |
|
Alice is tasked in taking care of Bunny. A task she takes too far. Ben pressures Andy to take his driving test. | ||||||
| 3 | "The Parent-y Trap" | Peter Lauer | Margee Magee | April 11, 2017 | 104 | 3.06[11] |
|
Alice learns the emotional highs and lows of being a parent when Andy considers auditioning for the school musical; Dora creates her own feminist musical. | ||||||
| 4 | "Prom-Com" | Richie Keen | Adam F. Goldberg & David Guarascio & Chris Bishop | April 18, 2017 | 108 | 3.15[12] |
|
Andy has a hard time finding a prom date while Dora keeps turning away a guy who persistently asks her, but Alice tries to convince her to go. Meanwhile, Ben struggles to deal with kids growing up and tries to scare away Dora's date. | ||||||
| 5 | "In a World Where Worlds Collide" | Paul Murphy | Brian Gallivan | April 25, 2017 | 103 | 2.88[13] |
|
After a hesitant Alice meets Ben's friends, Alice wants to meet Ben's friends, but Ben is hesitant. Later: he makes a startling admission after devising a plan to impress her. | ||||||
| 6 | "Alice the Mole" | Lev L. Spiro | David Guarascio | May 2, 2017 | 102 | 2.63[14] |
|
Alice faces the dilemma of whether she should play the role of parent or friend as she tries to connect with Dora; Ben wants Alice to be his personal mole; Bunny infiltrates the one place Andy feels cool. | ||||||
| 7 | "The Ex X Factor" | David Katzenberg | Daniel Libman & Matthew Libman | May 9, 2017 | 105 | 2.83[15] |
|
When Ben's ex-wife says she doesn't believe Alice is a good influence on the kids, Alice goes out of her way to prove her wrong; Andy and Dora fake being sick at school. | ||||||
| 8 | "Last Dance with Mary" | Fred Goss | Melody Derloshon & Danielle Uhlarik | May 16, 2017 | 107 | 2.80[16] |
|
When Ben and Alice get engaged, Mary disappears, as Alice apparently no longer needs her. However, when Ben begins discussing the realities of marriage, such as living together and possibly having more children, Mary reappears to help Alice cope. | ||||||
| 9 | "Sleep Over" | Luke Greenfield | Adam F. Goldberg & Chris Bishop | May 30, 2017 | 106 | 2.13[17] |
|
Alice is ready to sleep over at Ben's when his kids are in the house, but Ben worries the nightly rituals will put her off; when Alice gets rattled, she gets Mary's help in an attempt to fix the situation. | ||||||
Reception
[edit]Critical response
[edit]The series received a generally negative response from critics. On review aggregator site Metacritic, Imaginary Mary has a score of 39 out of 100 based on 13 critics indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".[18] On Rotten Tomatoes, the show has a 27% approval rating, based on 22 reviews, with an average rating of 3.9/10. The site's critical consensus: "Imaginary Mary's appealing cast is canceled out by uninspired material and a ridiculous premise whose deficiencies are compounded by an unfunny, ill-advised CGI creature."[19]
Ratings
[edit]| No. | Title | Air date | Rating/share (18–49) |
Viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Pilot" | March 29, 2017 | 1.4/5 | 5.39[9] |
| 2 | "The Mom Seal" | April 4, 2017 | 0.9/3 | 3.45[10] |
| 3 | "The Parent-y Trap" | April 11, 2017 | 0.8/3 | 3.06[11] |
| 4 | "Prom-Com" | April 18, 2017 | 0.9/3 | 3.15[12] |
| 5 | "In a World Where Worlds Collide" | April 25, 2017 | 0.8/3 | 2.88[13] |
| 6 | "Alice the Mole" | May 2, 2017 | 0.7/3 | 2.63[14] |
| 7 | "The Ex X Factor" | May 9, 2017 | 0.9/3 | 2.83[15] |
| 8 | "Last Dance with Mary" | May 16, 2017 | 0.8/3 | 2.80[16] |
| 9 | "Sleep Over" | May 30, 2017 | 0.5/2 | 2.13[17] |
See also
[edit]- Drop Dead Fred, a 1991 British/American dark fantasy black-comedy film with a similar concept.
- Son of Zorn, another live-action/animated hybrid that premiered in the 2016–2017 season.
References
[edit]- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (January 10, 2017). "ABC Midseason Schedule: 'Time After Time', 'American Crime', 'The Catch', 'Dirty Dancing', Others Get Premiere Dates". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (May 12, 2016). "Drama 'Notorious', Comedy 'Imaginary Mary' Picked Up To Series At ABC". Deadline.
- ^ Trailer for "Imaginary Mary" from YouTube
- ^ "'Imaginary Mary' Episode Count Cut From 13 to 9". The Hollywood Reporter. September 28, 2016. Retrieved September 28, 2016.
- ^ Snierson, Dan (May 11, 2017). "Dr. Ken and two more comedies canceled by ABC". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
- ^ "'Imaginary Friend' Live Action-CGI Comedy from 'The Goldbergs' Duo & Top Disney Animator Gets ABC Pilot Order". October 6, 2015.
- ^ Dresch, Cassie. "Beyond imagination: Jenna Elfman, Rachel Dratch star in new ABC comedy". TV Media. Retrieved March 27, 2017.
- ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie (September 28, 2016). "'Imaginary Mary' Order Trimmed By ABC". Deadline. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
- ^ a b Porter, Rick (March 30, 2017). "'Modern Family,' 'Survivor' and 'Chicago PD' adjust up: Wednesday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on March 31, 2017. Retrieved March 30, 2017.
- ^ a b Porter, Rick (April 5, 2017). "'NCIS' and 'The Middle' adjust up: Tuesday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on April 6, 2017. Retrieved April 5, 2017.
- ^ a b Porter, Rick (April 12, 2017). "'The Middle' adjusts up: Tuesday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on April 13, 2017. Retrieved April 12, 2017.
- ^ a b Porter, Rick (April 19, 2017). "'The Middle' adjusts up: Tuesday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on April 20, 2017. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
- ^ a b Porter, Rick (April 26, 2017). "'The Mick' and 'Agents of SHIELD' adjust up, 'iZombie' adjusts down: Tuesday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on April 26, 2017. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
- ^ a b Porter, Rick (May 3, 2017). "'NCIS' and 'The Middle' adjust up, 'Prison Break' adjusts down: Tuesday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on May 3, 2017. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
- ^ a b Porter, Rick (May 10, 2017). "'The Voice' adjusts up, 'iZombie' adjusts down: Tuesday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on May 11, 2017. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
- ^ a b Porter, Rick (May 17, 2017). "'NCIS' finale and 'Bull' adjust up, 'The Middle' adjusts down: Tuesday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on May 17, 2017. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
- ^ a b Porter, Rick (June 1, 2017). "'America's Got Talent' adjusts up, 'Imaginary Mary' adjusts down: Tuesday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on June 3, 2017. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
- ^ "Imaginary Mary Season 1 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
- ^ "Imaginary Mary: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved January 6, 2019.
External links
[edit]Imaginary Mary
View on GrokipediaPremise and characters
Plot
Imaginary Mary centers on Alice, a commitment-phobic public relations executive in her 30s, whose independent lifestyle is upended when she begins a relationship with Ben, a single father of three children. As Alice integrates into Ben's family dynamic, her long-dormant childhood imaginary friend, Mary—a chaotic, puppet-like creature—reemerges, providing unsolicited and often misguided advice that complicates her efforts to adapt. This reunion forces Alice to confront her aversion to commitment and family responsibilities, blending her single, career-focused existence with the demands of stepmother-like duties.[7][8] The series explores themes of adulthood and personal growth, particularly the fear of vulnerability in romantic and familial relationships, as Alice grapples with anxieties stemming from her own unstable childhood. It highlights the tension between maintaining autonomy and embracing interdependence, using Mary's imaginative interventions to underscore how remnants of youth can both hinder and aid in overcoming real-world obstacles. Through humorous scenarios, the narrative delves into the challenges of blending disparate lives, emphasizing imagination's dual role as a disruptive force and a tool for emotional resilience.[7][9] Episodes typically follow Alice, Ben, and the children as they navigate everyday family chaos, with Mary's overzealous meddling sparking comedic mishaps in Alice's romantic pursuits, professional obligations, and attempts at bonding with the kids. This structure allows the show to weave ongoing relational developments with standalone humorous predicaments, illustrating Alice's gradual evolution amid the whimsical turmoil.[10][8]Main characters
Alice is the central protagonist of Imaginary Mary, portrayed as an independent and career-driven public relations executive who has long suppressed her imaginative side to prioritize professional success and avoid emotional vulnerabilities stemming from her childhood. Her character arc centers on reconciling her suppressed past—marked by family disintegration and the creation of an imaginary friend—with the demands of adult responsibilities, particularly as she enters a relationship that introduces family dynamics she fears. This internal conflict drives much of the series' fantasy-comedy elements, as her rekindled imagination manifests in disruptive ways.[7][6][11] Ben Cooper serves as Alice's love interest, depicted as a divorced and laid-back single father whose stable, family-oriented life contrasts with Alice's solitary existence, ultimately representing the grounding force she needs amid her personal upheavals. As a charming salesman and devoted parent to his three children, Ben facilitates Alice's integration into a ready-made family, highlighting themes of commitment and domesticity in the show's comedic exploration of relationships. His easygoing nature often tempers the chaos introduced by Alice's imaginative tendencies and the children's antics.[7][6][12] Andy Cooper, Ben's eldest child and son, embodies teenage skepticism and sarcasm toward Alice's sudden presence in the family, often reacting with witty reservations that underscore the adjustment challenges for all involved. His role amplifies the comedy through generational clashes, as his reluctance adds tension to Alice's efforts to bond while contributing to the ensemble's humorous family interactions.[6][1] Dora Cooper, the middle child and daughter, is characterized by her artistic and imaginative spirit, which allows her to form a natural bond with Alice over shared creativity and helps bridge the gap in the blended family dynamic. Her enthusiasm for artistic pursuits provides lighter, relatable moments that contrast with the more chaotic elements of the series, reinforcing the theme of embracing imagination in everyday life.[6][1] Bunny Cooper, the youngest daughter, brings innocence and boundless energy to the family, frequently sparking the chaotic and endearing moments that propel the plot's comedic scenarios. As the most unguarded member of the household, her playful antics often highlight Alice's growth in handling unpredictability and foster heartfelt connections within the group.[6][1] Mary functions as Alice's foul-mouthed and sassy imaginary friend from childhood, reappearing as a visible, animated creature perceptible only to Alice, serving as both comic relief and an unwanted advisor whose raunchy, unfiltered commentary exacerbates rather than resolves Alice's dilemmas. This manifestation amplifies the show's fantasy-comedy hybrid by personifying Alice's inner voice, injecting irreverent humor into her attempts at adulting and family integration.[13][7][6]Production
Development
Imaginary Mary was created by Adam F. Goldberg, David Guarascio, and Patrick Osborne, with the concept originating from Osborne's experiences in animated shorts and personal anecdotes about childhood imaginary friends.[14][15] The series was initially pitched under the title Imaginary Friend in late 2015, featuring a premise centered on a single man's childhood imaginary friend complicating his romance with a divorced mother of three.[16][17] Following the casting of Jenna Elfman in the lead role, the creative team reversed the genders of the main characters to align with her as the career-focused protagonist, prompting a title change to Imaginary Mary to reflect the female imaginary friend.[17] ABC ordered a pilot for the project on January 22, 2016, which was directed by Shawn Levy.[18] The network greenlit the full series on May 12, 2016, initially for 13 episodes as a mid-season replacement, though this was later reduced to nine due to production delays, including challenges with the CGI animation that tested poorly in early screenings, necessitating redesigns of the CGI character.[19][20][21] Goldberg and Guarascio served as showrunners, overseeing the transition from the original gender-reversed concept to the finalized female-led narrative, which emphasized themes of adult relationships and family integration.[19][17]Filming and animation
Principal photography for Imaginary Mary took place primarily in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, where the production utilized local studios and exterior locations to represent the Seattle setting.[1][22] The series employed a hybrid live-action and CGI format, with the titular character Mary rendered entirely through computer-generated animation integrated into scenes during post-production. To facilitate actor interactions and scene blocking, a physical puppet version of Mary—operated by puppeteer Jeny Cassady—was used on set for rehearsals and a reference take, allowing performers like Jenna Elfman to react naturally before filming clean plates without the prop.[23][14][11] Mary's animation was handled post-production by Zoic Studios in Vancouver, a team of approximately 25 animators and artists who produced over 100 minutes of content across the season, relying on reusable assets like walk cycles and facial expressions to streamline the workflow. Following feedback from the pilot, where early CGI tests for Mary underperformed, the character's design was refined to appear less exaggerated—featuring softer features, bigger teeth, and a more endearing, integrated presence within the live-action environment for enhanced realism and appeal.[22][21][24] Rachel Dratch provided Mary's voice in separate recording sessions, drawing on her improvisational comedy background from Saturday Night Live to infuse lines with spontaneous humor and timing that complemented the character's sassy personality.[25][22] Production faced challenges with the animation pipeline's demands, including a compressed six-week post-production window per episode, which necessitated efficient techniques to balance quality and deadlines without excessive detailing like intricate fur simulations. In September 2016, ABC reduced the episode order from 13 to nine due to delays in the CGI process stemming from pilot revisions. Budget considerations aligned with the standard half-hour sitcom format, resulting in a 22-minute runtime per episode to accommodate commercial breaks and production costs.[22][26][27]Broadcast
Episode list
Imaginary Mary produced a single season consisting of nine episodes, all of which aired on ABC from March 29 to May 30, 2017. The episode order was reduced from an initial 13 to nine prior to production to allow additional time for the hybrid live-action and animation elements.[20] The series had a sneak peek premiere on Wednesday, March 29, 2017, at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT, before shifting to its regular Tuesday 9:30 p.m. ET/PT time slot for the remaining episodes starting April 4, 2017, with the finale airing two weeks after the previous installment. Episodes were edited for runtime and scheduled to optimize viewership, though specific production order details are not publicly detailed beyond the aired sequence.[28][29] The following table lists the episodes in aired order, including titles, directors, writers, original air dates, and brief non-spoiler synopses.| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot | Shawn Levy | Adam F. Goldberg, David Guarascio, Patrick Osborne | March 29, 2017 | Alice’s independent life is upended when she falls for Ben, a divorced father of three, prompting her childhood imaginary friend Mary to reappear and help her navigate the family dynamics.[18] |
| 2 | The Mom Seal | Shawn Levy | Sarah Haskins, Emily Halpern | April 4, 2017 | When Ben asks Alice to pick up Bunny from dance class for her first "mom-like" task, she overcompensates in her efforts to bond, while Ben encourages a nervous Andy to take his driving test.[30] |
| 3 | The Parent-y Trap | Peter Lauer | Margee Magee | April 11, 2017 | Alice dives into the emotional rollercoaster of parenting by supporting Andy's school musical audition, as Dora crafts her own version of a feminist production at home.[31] |
| 4 | Prom-Com | Richie Keen | Adam F. Goldberg, David Guarascio, Chris Bishop | April 18, 2017 | As prom season arrives, Andy faces challenges finding a date while Dora repeatedly rejects an admirer; Ben grapples with his kids maturing too quickly.[32] |
| 5 | In a World Where Worlds Collide | Lev L. Spiro | Robia Rashid | April 25, 2017 | After Alice's friends meet Ben with success, she pushes to meet his circle, but Ben hesitates and schemes to make a strong impression on her.[33] |
| 6 | Alice the Mole | John Fortenberry | Graham Viertel | May 2, 2017 | Alice struggles to build a connection with the reserved Dora and questions her place in the family, while Bunny's interest in Andy's activities forces him to confront his personal boundaries.[34] |
| 7 | The Ex X Factor | David Katzenberg | Onika Graham | May 9, 2017 | Ben's ex-wife Renee encounters Alice and questions her suitability around the kids, leading Alice to go overboard in proving herself; meanwhile, Andy and Dora scheme to skip school.[35] |
| 8 | Last Dance with Mary | Paul Murphy | Danny Chun | May 16, 2017 | With Ben planning a proposal, Alice grows anxious when the engagement ring goes missing after the kids donate a box of shoes to charity.[36] |
| 9 | Sleep Over | Fred Goss | Adam F. Goldberg, David Guarascio | May 30, 2017 | Alice prepares for her first sleepover at Ben's with the kids present, but Ben frets over disrupting family routines; she turns to Mary for guidance amid the adjustments.[37] |
