We LOVED Vice Principles. It surprised us by taking directions neither of us saw coming and escalated the tension in such unexpected ways. Plus the chemistry between McBride and Goggins is palpable. Their ambitions got the better of them and though they did terrible things I think their desire to improve things at the school is what kept me from hating them. The humor was mined from the insane way they sought to gain power. It got totally crazy!
Gemstones just doesn't have any redeeming characters. (Pun intended.) There's nothing I like about any of the characters. It has funny moments but what I think McBride did so well in East Bound as well as Vice Principles was have characters that may be egomaniacs or delusionally power mad far beyond their competence, but they also had some likeable qualities. The friendships or family elements felt real and you were rooting for them, even when they were being dicks because they meant well.
It's such a delicate balance with shows like this. Always Sunny in Philadelphia comes to mind. You have a selfish group of unintelligent, incompetent, drunk losers who scheme to take advantage of others, they step on the necks of anyone who stands in their way, and their lives are generally, miserable. The funny thing about it is that they are so delusional they rarely ever recognize their selfishness or misery and despite all this their friendship feels real. They might fight amongst themselves but at the end of the day they go to bat for one another.
With the Gemstones I just don't like them. At all. Their motivations feel empty and it's as if the writers don't know what the characters want. By extension if the characters don't know what they want it leaves the audience meandering, looking for a reason to care about what's happening.
All that aside, I think the actress that plays McBride's wife is stunning. I've got a crush on her.
