Christopher Moynihan is the creator, writer and co-star in ABC’s new show “Man Up!”. It co-star Dan Fogler, Mather Zickel, Henry Simmons, Teri Polo and Amanda Detmer. This show is one of the funniest new show this year. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Christopher about his new show and what we can expect from the season.
Mike Gencarelli: How did you end up coming on board for the show “Man Up!”?
Christopher Moynihan: I created the show as part of deal I had for two pilots with ABC. This is the first one I came to as it has been in my head for a few years. My grandfather was wounded on the beach of Anzio, Italy in WWII and my father was a cop in the Bronx during the riots of the 1960’s. I am just a different breed of guy! I sit around and play video games and talk about “Spider-Man”. I think that we have the luxury in this day and age where we don’t have to go off and fight and do those types of things. Instead we have a person that volunteer to do those things for us which then allows us to be sort of over grown children. I always wanted to do something reflecting this modern man that doesn’t have a lot of chances to do manly thing. Things moved pretty quickly after I pitched the idea to ABC. They bought script and I wrote the pilot. We got really lucky with casting and everyone worked well. From there it moved onto series and things are going well.
MG: How do you go about getting into character and is it directly based on you?
CM: I kind of think that all the guys have pieces of me to them. My guy Craig reminds me of the guy I was in my 20’s. The way I break the three guys up is Will is really a man, Kenny is too much of a child to be a man and Craig is too much of a woman to be a man. I always think Craig is more in touch with his sensitive
side and its all in the writing. We spent the whole summer writing these episodes, so its always in my wheel house that Craig is more touchy feely than the other two guys. I think there is a big piece of me that is that so its not too hard for me to get there.
MG: Do you guys have a lot of fun on set?
CM: Yes we really do. I think these television shows live and die by the casting and we really got lucky. It feels like we know each of from when we were kids. We have a lot of fun on set with each other. I feel very fortunate that we all get along.
MG: How do you feel that the show stands out from other comedies currently on television?
CM: I think what you do is you hope your voice is unique and distinct. I have a lot of great writers and I have some bizarre things in my head that I want to get to the screen. I’m hoping that our stuff is different in the sense that it is a network sitcom and its in the vein of what’s working on ABC but you try and set yourself apart by taking different approaches on popular subjects. You have to find a way to put a unique twist on a classic storyline. I think that’s how you set yourself apart.
MG: How many episodes have you filmed so far and do you have a favorite?
CM: We are currently in the process of shooting episode 105 which would make this the fourth episode since the pilot that we have shot. I am really happy with everything we have done so far. Everything comes out of the scripts you write in the summer time. We had six scripts in pretty good shape even before we started shooting episode 102. Everything we have shot so far has been pretty good. I have only seen episode 101 and its really funny however its kind of like looking at your own baby. You think its cute but what do other people think. 
I really believe its funny and the network seems pleased.
MG: How many episodes have been green-lit?
CM: We have been green-lit the pilot plus twelve episodes. We are shooting number four right now.
MG: Can you give us a sneak preview of what we can expect this season?
CM: We have eight or nine scripts written and the other ones are loosely put together. When we come back Kenny’s ex-wife Brenda has brought a new guy into the group by the name of Grant. Our first episode back Craig and Will try to get Kenny to be friends with Grant as he found out that the other were hanging out with this Grant guy behind his back. The episode is called “Finessing the Bromance”. A lot of the first season is going to be the three guys getting Grant to be a part of their group.
