TV review: 'Funny Woman' isn't as marvelous as 'Mrs. Maisel'

Millions of TV fans mourned the end of "Succession" and "Barry." But for me, the biggest loss of 2023 was "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," the hilarious yet heartbreaking dramedy about a female comic facing challenges much more daunting than drunken hecklers.

Now that it's over, I was hoping "Funny Woman" would fill the gap. The series, premiering at 9 p.m. Sunday on PBS, has roughly the same premise: Barbara Parker (Gemma Arterton) escapes a life of marriage and housework by heading to 1960s London to star in the kind of sitcoms she watches religiously with her dad.

After a few stumbles, including a stint in a burlesque club, she gets her wish, landing a role in an "I Love Lucy"-type sitcom.

But there are a few problems. The show isn't very good, and neither is Parker — unless your idea of humor is seeing a gorgeous person make funny faces and burp.

The series, based on a book by Nick Hornsby, fails to capture the period with the same pizazz that "Maisel" did, relying heavily on a soundtrack that includes "Nowhere to Run" and "She's Not There." The historic references are limited to mentions of Peter Sellers, the Beatles and Michael Caine.

The biggest draw here is the will-they-or-won't-they relationship between Parker and her producer (Arsher Ali). The couple are super cute together. If only they were funny, too.

Also this week ...

Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist are expected to tie the knot in these live nuptials. The big question is whether Minnesota's own runner-up, Leslie Fhima, will attend. The show is promising that all the contestants will be on hand, but Fhima spent part of last week in the hospital, suffering from severe cramping and bowel blockage, which means she may not be able to fly. And then there's the matter of that broken heart. 7 p.m. Thursday, ABC

'The Power of Film'

Howard Suber taught at the University of California, Los Angeles for 50 years. Based on the first two episodes of this "lecture" series, either his students got ripped off or he's dumbing it down for the general public. Suber, who resembles Walter Mondale, uses all-too-short clips from classics (a lot from "The Godfather") to point out the obvious, like how great movies are about family and how heroes have to sacrifice something to win our hearts. Billy Madison would ace his tests. 7 p.m. Thursday, TCM

'General Hospital: 60 Years of Stars and Storytelling'

Long before "The Bachelor" came around, viewers relied on soap operas for a dramatic fix. Few have done it better than "GH," one of the few traditional soaps that have remained on the air. This prime-time special features tributes from past cast members, including pop singer Rick Springfield and "Joan of Arcadia" star Amber Tamblyn. 9 p.m. Thursday, ABC