David Schwimmer's Post-Friends Crime Drama Series Was Panned By Critics
While David Schwimmer was perfect as Ross on Friends, his attempt to break into the crime genre was just too dark and weird for audiences at the time.
David Schwimmer, best known for his role as Ross Geller in Friends, was given another chance at acting in television after the show's cancellation in 2004. In 2016, Schwimmer took on two crime drama series: American Crime Story and Feed the Beast. While the former was well-received by critics, the latter met with mixed reviews.
American Crime Story was praised for its storytelling, while Feed the Beast struggled to find its footing. The show, based on the Danish series Bankerot, follows two best friends' attempt to open an upscale Greek restaurant in the Bronx. Schwimmer portrayed Tommy Moran, a sommelier dealing with grief following his wife's death.
During the show's press tour, Schwimmer expressed enthusiasm for the premise, stating, "This is something I've never seen." However, critics were less impressed. Rotten Tomatoes gave Feed the Beast a 23% critics score, with TVLine noting that the pilot was challenging to watch and Entertainment Weekly stating that the series failed to effectively combine its narratives.
Despite the lukewarm reception, AMC canceled Feed the Beast after one season due to low ratings. Schwimmer, while loving the show's tone and the character's backstory, admitted it might not have resonated with American audiences. He appreciated the character's struggle to move on after loss and the mix of dark humor and violent crime.
Despite the poor critical reception, Feed the Beast did receive a more favorable audience score of 77% on Rotten Tomatoes.
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