Perfect Harmony

“Perfect Harmony,” NBC’s new comedy about a scrappy church choir entering the competitive circuit, acquits itself pretty well by the end of its first episode — especially because it somehow speeds through enough plot to fuel an entire season of “Glee” (the most obvious reference point for “Perfect Harmony”).

There isn’t as much cohesion in the broader group. Arthur’s reasons for sticking around the town, not to mention the town’s unquestioning acceptance of him, remain unclear by the end of the pilot. If Perfect Harmony really wants to follow in the footsteps of The Good Place or even Will & Grace, it needs to find the beat—and quickly.

It’s the kind of premise Andy Griffith might have considered years ago, but it’s not quite in tune with NBC’s other comedies.

A show with an engaging ensemble but a bit too many clichés and flat jokes in the premiere.

The pilot coasts along on the performers’ likability, but they could use some new notes.

What probably would have been a 100-minute feature film becomes a confusingly gutted 21-minute pilot in which every plot machination is unmotivated, every character shift illogical and every attempted emotional moment unearned. ... Camp does her bubbly best and gets the bulk of the first episode's secondary story, complemented by by Segers' deep-voiced innocence.

There are lots of jokes about the sexual and intellectual traits of white trash, apparently the only remaining socio-economic minority without PC protection, but out of respect for the billions of pixels leaping to their fiery deaths to bring you this review, we will say no more.