By Kendra Beltran

When I heard The Big Bang Theory was moving to a new night and time, I was distraught. Who was to cap my Monday nights after Two and a Half Men? Then there came Mike & Molly. The commercials caused chuckles and talk between my mom and I, but would it deliver for a whole half hour? A huge surprise was that it not only impressed me but many. Mike & Molly claimed the number-one new comedy title. Which raised the question, is fat in? A nation battling the bulge may finally have a show that mirrors their lives, or do they?

Finding anyone in a sitcom that’s not the definition of “in shape” is like finding out Paris Hilton is relevant for a skill. ABC Family tried and fell short with Huge, a show about teens at a fat camp. Kids were just more captivated by pregnant teens and dishonest beauties. Other than Mike & Molly, channel surfing will only find bigger people on shows about shedding their cupcake-induced waistlines. Mike and Molly met in an overeaters anonymous meeting, but have since left that chapter a little untouched. So weight loss has become less of a factor for the budding pair.

While the pair focuses more on their love and less on their weight, they’re also reviving a classic sitcom that’s been absent but shaking it up. Many shows have come and gone with a big dude married to an itty-bitty woman; Yes, Dear, Still Standing, and King of Queens just to name a few. However, this the first time since Roseanne a leading lady has had real curves.

So it seems America’s always been okay with husky men on their screens. Not a surprise in a society that worships minimalism in women. If that’s the case and I can speak on behalf of every woman who enjoys their life with a piece of cake, thank you Molly. If the success of Mike & Molly can garner some sort of on slot of curvaceous ladies in the media, it’d do us all good. Maybe most would even gain a pinch of confidence not having to stare and compare themselves to Gossip Girls.