Why Were Critics So Hard on Caroline?
Caroline in the City was slotted between Seinfeld and ER on NBC, so it became common for critics and viewers to say people only watched the show because it was something to do between those two episodes. However, when NBC eventually moved the show to a riskier spot on Tuesdays, it thrived against ABC’s highly hyped Spin City.
Lea Thompson was often praised for being a great sitcom lead, and the ensemble cast had good chemistry on-screen. Unfortunately, the reason Caroline in the City wasn’t as critically praised at the time or as well remembered may have been the shows it was compared to. Between Friends, Seinfeld, and another cultural phenomenon of a show with “in the City” in the title, Caroline wasn’t allowed to stand on her own merits.
