Suburgatory
Thursday, June 7, 2012 at 9:49PM With so many new shows on TV launching with great hype, only to quickly crash and burn, I'm happy to say I've come across a new sitcom which so far still looks promising 3 episodes in.
Suburgatory is set in the suburbs, where teenager Tessa has just moved from Manhattan with her single dad George. As the name suggests, life in the 'burbs for her is not unlike purgatory. Not a terribly original storyline but the strong comedic cast more than makes up for it.
Cheryl Hines is hilarious as cougar housewife Dallas Royce, delivering some of the show's best lines with great comedic timing. Her overt advances on George brings many of the show's laugh out loud moments. If you thought she was funny in Curb Your Enthusiasm, she's even funnier here.
Allie Grant from Weeds plays Lisa Shay, Tessa's neighbour and ostracized classmate. She's good at deadpan although I think she nailed in better in Weeds. Maybe she'll find her groove a little later on in the show. I think it's great that she's got a second life in acting after Weeds.
Playing the lead Tessa is newcomer Jane Levy, who's actually really good. She plays her role well, a caustic fish-out-of-water teenager, rolling her eyes at her dad, her neighbours and just about everyone else. She's a fresh spark, not your cookie-cutter type of gal, and I'm guessing Hollywood is sitting up and taking notice.
Rex Lee also features as clueless school counselor Mr Wolfe, and although not as funny as Lloyd in Entourage, it's still fun to see him in another show after Entourage.
SNL alums Chris Parnell and Ana Gasteyer bring the laughs as the terribly intrusive neighbours, Fred and Sheila Shay. Sheila watches Tessa and George like a hawk, determined to brain-wash them into living life the 'burbs way, under her rule.
Reader Comments (2)
I am drowned!
Lots of catching up to do!