The charismatic Sami Staitman stars in this series as Sami Sherman, a would-be actress doing her best to make it in New York. (If she can make it there ... oops, wrong song, wrong show.) Her life unfolds in a way that feels like an updated version of That Girl. It's sweet, but not saccharine. Nor is it too innocent, as Sami's hilarious YouTube commercial attests. But finding success isn't going to happen overnight, not when some of the roles she auditions for are of hilarious dubious quality (think of it: a musical version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo). Offering support along the way are her best friend, Sammy (Karim Hazime), her mother (Kerry O'Malley) and her grandmother (the great Cindy Williams in her final role).
In each episode, we're treated to just how gifted Staitman/Sherman can be, usually in the form of a song written by series creator and writer Bruce Kimmel. Along the way, she gets to perform with and for some stage greats like Karen Ziemba and Brad Oscar. My favorite song from the 10 winning episodes was Staitman by herself giving her all to a beautiful ballad called "Simply." Irresistible. Your choice could vary as strong arguments could be made for "Annie," O'Malley's over-the-top "I'm-on-a-Diet Blues" and Williams' hilarious "I Married a Schnook."
Their combined efforts and Kimmel's witty scripts make Sami a sure-fire winner. I'm looking forward to season 2.