Hot In Cleveland Season 4
Valerie Bertinelli, Betty White
23 Episodes 3 DVD
TV Land 2013
Although quite enjoyable, season 4 of Hot in Cleveland does not have the snap it used to have. The story of three forty-something women and one octogenerian sharing a house in Cleveland has usually had a bit of a bite and sometimes pushed the topical boundaries of the situation comedy. This season I feel this sitcom is mining more traditional and sometimes worn ground. Season 4 features 23 episodes on 3 DVD.
Still, a show with Valerie Bertinelli (One Day at a Time), Betty White (the great Sue-Ann Nivens in The Mary Tyler Moore Show), Jane Leeves (Daphne on Frasier), Wendie Malick (Just Shoot Me), and sometimes Georgia Engel (Georgette on Mary Tyler Mooreis still a lot of fun to watch.
This season Joy’s son, whom she gave up for adoption, returns with a child of his own. Also Victoria gets a part in a movie and starts dating the star. Both these plotlines start to wear thin rather quickly. In fact, Melanie is not the only one who wishes Victoria would stop talking about her new boyfriend. A nod to current events is present in one episode when Elka (White) touches up one of the church’s paintings and makes a saint look like an ape.
Heather Locklear shows up as Melanie’s new boss and the ex of the man she is dating. The storyline leads to a scene where characters end up on a ledge and misunderstandings lead to revelations. I was rather bummed that the Fantasticon story didn’t really go anywhere aside for an excuse to get Bertinelli in a tight costume.
William Shatner and Shirley Jones guest star in episode 13 DVD 2, It’s Alive, as an unconvincing mob guy and his mom. The episode was aired live.
The season ends with a rather odd cliffhanger.
Other guests on Hot In Cleveland Season 4 include Craig Ferguson as an ex, Dave Foley as a private eye, and Carol Burnett and Jean Smart with a short appearance by Tim Conway. The Mary Tyler Moore show gang gets reunited in the appropriately titled Love Is All Around.
The Bonus Feature is Look Who’s Hot Now, a blooper reel episode. An episode list would have been nice.