It's kind of like those shows where the teenage couple has illicit sex and the girl ends up pregnant, and they face the disapproval of their whole family and the drama that ensues. Except here, the teenage couple gets married and has to face the disapproval of their whole family and the comedy that ensues. And I actually like this--that's a pretty big difference, too.
(This is where I would post a photo, if Blogger let me. Dammit.)
Tom and Jessie get married based on a game of Truth or Dare, and end up living in the attic of Tom's parents' house. Which is right next door to Jessie's parents' house. Tom's parents are rigid and conservative. Jessie's are hippies who don't mow their lawn. It's honestly a shock the six of them don't just kill each other in the first episode and call it a wrap.
It's a simple enough premise, which means the clever scripts and comedic skills of the cast can really shine through. The plot doesn't try to overshoot itself, if that makes sense. (I mean that as a strength.) Jessie and Tom are silly, sometimes immature (though they try), and make a cute couple. I think getting married at 18 is incredibly stupid, but I still find myself rooting for them. Both sets of parents are believable in a "they do crazy things that stretch your belief, but then they turn around and do something so real that it grounds them firmly in the believable regardless of how crazy they act" kind of way. The funniest parts of the show are when the four parents are all together--their dynamic is hilarious.
Sadly, the show only got two seasons (Netflix streaming has both), but every episode I've seen so far has actually, literally made me laugh like a loon. Which is quite a feat, considering my hard, embittered heart. But by far, my favorite aspect of the show is the sense of sincerity infusing it all, making it not only funny, but truly charming as well.
This is a good one, guys. I'd recommend it highly.
(True: Day two of ignoring Prada before I leave home, and she didn't bark at all. Woohoo!)
Yay! Go Prada!
ReplyDeleteI'll have to get Hubs to find this for me and check it out. We always seem to stumble on a show we like only to find out it's no longer in production. We loved Chuck (though the last season was admittedly "out there" sometimes). And don't even get me started on Firefly dammit!! :(
To be honest, I almost prefer watching a show once it's finished--then I can obsess and watch everything in quick succession instead of having to wait.
DeleteAnd then I get to be angry for ten years--at least in the case of Firefly...