‘No Tomorrow’ Mixes Up the Romcom Status Quo

A cute blonde falls for a hot British guy at a farmer’s market, then fate crosses their paths again and they hit it off right away. That totally impractical fantasy romance is just what one would expect from one of the CW’s many romcoms. However, “No Tomorrow” adds some novelty to this cliché plot when Xavier, aka “hot British guy” (Joshua Sasse), turns out to be a conspiracy theorist who believes the world is ending in eight months and 12 days. Alarms literally go off when Evie (Tori Anderson), our “cute blonde,” finds out Xavier’s wacky little secret. The pilot of “No Tomorrow” hovers in the gray area between a flop and a success. While the first episode lacks some critical elements, such as good characterization, its twists of novelty show potential.

The show’s strange twist on the romcom trope makes it entertaining, but the flat characters detract from the otherwise innovative concept. The protagonist, Evie, is a modern damsel in distress just waiting for her Prince Charming to rescue her from her mundane existence. Anderson makes little effort to add depth, so Evie comes off as merely another self-conscious girl with a pretty face and boy troubles. She’s quirky and relatable at times but overall isn’t a very satisfying character.

“No Tomorrow” relies heavily on physical comedy, which occasionally excuses the dialogue’s lack of wit but generally comes off as kitschy. The quick progression of Evie and Xavier’s relationship makes the “rom” component of the show difficult to savor. Consequently, there are few heartwarming moments, and so the show doesn’t stay true to its genre.

A significantly positive aspect of this show, however, is its diverse cast. The show includes actors from several different racial backgrounds and doesn’t adhere too closely to stereotypes, with the exception of Hank (Jonathan Langdon), the loud black best friend without whom no romcom would be complete. Evie’s boss, Deidre (Amy Pietz), is an independent female character—a breath of fresh air in the world of romantic comedy. Unfortunately, Deidre comes off as the stereotypical “bossy” female leader whose personality strikes fear in her employees, which ultimately thwarts the efforts of women’s empowerment. On the other hand, even though Evie may be a passive character in some respects, she ultimately stands her ground against the men in her life and makes her own decisions to improve her future.

Overall, the characters generally lack depth, but the show’s premise is clever, innovative, and even promising, assuming chemistry among the cast grows as the season progresses. “No Tomorrow” airs Tuesday nights at 9 p.m. EST on the CW.