What sets Me, Myself & I apart from other sitcoms? Or better still, how many sitcoms with great characters transitioning are there in the coming-of-age genre? Not too many. Well, Me, Myself & I dared to stand out by telling the story of Alex Riley, from boyhood to adulthood, using three different actors — Bobby Moynihan, Jack Dylan Grazer, and John Larroquette. The CBS series aired only 13 episodes from 2017 to 2018 before its cancellation. Nonetheless, each episode delves into Riley’s transformative experiences across three distinct life stages.
In the story, Riley navigates life as a teen inventor to a successful businessman and father. At its heart, the Dan Kopelman-created series is driven by authenticity and richly developed characters. Regardless, it may have struggled to connect to a broader audience, leading to only a short time on TV.
Time-Jumping and Story-Splitting Get a Little Too Real in ‘Me, Myself & I’
Me, Myself & I offers a realistic portrayal of Alex Riley’s life, tracing his journey from adolescence well into his 60s. As Riley steps into his teenage years, he moves from Chicago to California with his mother, Maggie (Mandell Maughan), and stepfamily. The 14-year-old Riley is inquisitive and works on his dream of becoming an inventor by experimenting. However, he struggles with fitting in at his new school as one of the unpopular students. At the end of the day, he moves from being a child sitting with “the losers” in high school to winning the student council president election and getting a dance with the girl of his dreams, Nori Sterling (Reylynn Caster).
As Riley transitions from boyhood into adulthood, the show explores the challenges of adult life. He witnessed his marriage fall apart after his wife’s infidelity, all while battling for custody of his daughter. Amidst all that, he balanced the pressures of his career and as a single father. The story then shifts to 2042, where Riley is now in his 60s, reaping the rewards of a life well-lived. He has overcome his earlier struggles and is now a fulfilled man. His business has grown so much that it has turned him into a billionaire. Riley then retires, reconnects with and marries Nori, the woman he fell in love with at 14. Additionally, his daughter also enjoys success, thriving in her career.
Although short-lived, ‘Me, Myself & I’ May Return
Me, Myself & I started strong with 7.46 million views when it premiered on September 25, 2017. However, there was a viewer decline when it recorded 5.15 million views by the second episode. The continued drop led to its cancellation after six episodes, becoming the first show to face cancellation on CBS in the 2017 to 18 television season. Even at that, episodes 7 through 13 continued to air, and by the time they reached the last episode, Me, Myself & I had less than a million views. All indications suggest that a second season was unlikely despite its relatable storyline. So, what kept Me, Myself & I from connecting with a wider audience? Critics believe that Riley’s character switch could have led to the show not performing so well. To many, the argument remains that even though the three actors who played Riley in the three major phases of his life did great, the obvious physical disparities among the three of them might have hindered the audience’s emotional connection with the character, making the transitions less seamless.
If the show had somehow found a way to bridge the gap between its ambitious narrative structure and audience expectations, it could have made a better impact than it did. Furthermore, with time-hopping and three intertwined timelines, the story seems great, but sustaining the series could have proven difficult. As Kelly Lawler of USA Today says, “Me, Myself & I feels like it has an expiration date: Its high-concept fun is hard to sustain.” But if it did sustain, Me, Myself & I may end up becoming three forgettable comedies adding up to a forgettable whole.” Despite the show’s struggles to find its footing, the creativity centered on its premise and heartfelt story makes it worth remembering, even if only for its ambitious attempt to capture the full arc of a life well-lived. Whatever the argument may be, Redditors felt the show was great and even anticipated a second season.
For more timeline shenanigans, catch the short-lived sitcom on Prime Video.
