Welcome to a new column called Channel Surfing, in which I sporadically look at current TV shows and talk about them. These are not ones that I care to write weekly recaps for and are instead reflections either on the episode, the series, or particular moments. This will hopefully help to share personal opinions as well as discover entertainment on the outer pantheon that I feel is well worth checking out, or in some cases, shows that are weird enough to talk about, but should never be seen.
The year 2015 has less than two weeks to go, and it looks like Netflix isn't packing it up yet. While there have been several great new shows from the streaming service this year - including Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Jessica Jones, and Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp - there doesn't seem to be a stopping point for new shows. In fact, there's a good chance that most of the new stuff that they have put out is not even on your radar. I'm not even sure that the service has promoted F is for Family as being one of its latest series as well as most of its other shows. Of course, what's the real catch? It's an animated comedy series from Bill Burr about a family in the 70's. It's been called King of the Hill with profanity. Even if it lacks a southern charm, it definitely feels like an apt comparison.
Don't let the animation or its wholesome title fool you. F is for Family is very much going to be that raunchy show you'd expect Burr to make. The comedian is best known for a notorious routine in which he insulted an entire city for minutes on end, only to win back their trust. It's an astounding piece of content that is confrontational - which is what Burr arguably works best in. The show starts off with a reminder of Burr's lack of care when a family dinner is destroyed by a phone call from a random salesman. What's more surprising is that by the end, the phone hasn't been torn out of the wall - though it was close to happening. Add in a few swear words, and you get the start of the short first season.
There isn't much to really say about the formula by which the series exists. If you have seen a family sitcom, you're likely going to know the beats. There's the introduction, the conflict, and the resolution. In a sense, they all play out in the way that you'd expect. In the case of the premiere, it is based around the father (Burr) wanting to watch a boxing match on a color TV, only to be thwarted by his son (Justin Long) and his magnet. There are other smaller conflicts, such as bullying, but the whole episode is essentially based around getting a color TV and finding the acceptance of the peers.
For fans of Burr, this is likely going to be an easy sale. There's a lot of offensive language and attitudes here that are only funny because they're in an animated format. The father figure is exceptionally crass and ill tempered in ways that feel like hacky That 70's Show material. According tot he opening credits, his story is almost similar to Red Foreman, in that both are war vets with children that are sort of negligent and whose wives (here played by Laura Dern) are a little too sweet, mostly humoring their husbands to avoid conflict. Maybe the visual cues aren't the same, but Red Foreman definitely would sound like this in an uncensored market. You kind of want to hate him for being such a selfish father, even if you understand his frustration. He is a conflicting character and everyone seems very much fabricated from short fuse models.
The only real catch, at least in the first episode, is that it has one of the least obvious father-son bonding resolutions that any sitcom of this model has had. Even if things go haywire for most of the episode, the son comes through and does the "right thing" for his father. The reward doesn't come in a friendly hug or anything that is seen as wholesome parenting. It comes in the sipping of alcohol from father's bottle. It's small things that suggest that even if this show is occasionally too abrasive, it at least knows to give its characters heart. Even the perverse ending, which may set up most of the series, is a nice twist on the formula - hopefully implying that the rest is a creative adventure into the world of 70's families.
It's a show worth giving a chance, if just for its brevity. I am not one who personally cares about Burr's work that much. He always seemed too confrontational for my liking. However, I do feel like there's something more personal falling out of this show. It may not be one of those great, immediate sales that Netflix is known for, but it at least sets up its themes and style quickly. You're not going to mistake this for another show, even if there's a lot of crass animated shows out there. It's got a chance to be the abrasive adult cartoon that Netflix needs to compliment BoJack Horseman, showing a more comical side to the dark and miserable comedy formula. The only question is if it will work beyond the profanity level.
F is for Family isn't immediately satisfying to casual viewers, who are likely to turn it off when Burr's humor kicks in. Some may even find the conventional nature a little uninspired. However, it does feel like a show that wants to be something different while also being a throwback to lovely 70's culture. My one hope is that it never ends up like the hacky The Goldbergs with their dumb 80's culture crutches. If it can do that, it has already earned some credit towards being a wholly satisfying show. The only thing to find out now is what other adventures this family is going to get into. Check it out. It may only take an afternoon to get through, but there might be some gems in there.
Don't let the animation or its wholesome title fool you. F is for Family is very much going to be that raunchy show you'd expect Burr to make. The comedian is best known for a notorious routine in which he insulted an entire city for minutes on end, only to win back their trust. It's an astounding piece of content that is confrontational - which is what Burr arguably works best in. The show starts off with a reminder of Burr's lack of care when a family dinner is destroyed by a phone call from a random salesman. What's more surprising is that by the end, the phone hasn't been torn out of the wall - though it was close to happening. Add in a few swear words, and you get the start of the short first season.
There isn't much to really say about the formula by which the series exists. If you have seen a family sitcom, you're likely going to know the beats. There's the introduction, the conflict, and the resolution. In a sense, they all play out in the way that you'd expect. In the case of the premiere, it is based around the father (Burr) wanting to watch a boxing match on a color TV, only to be thwarted by his son (Justin Long) and his magnet. There are other smaller conflicts, such as bullying, but the whole episode is essentially based around getting a color TV and finding the acceptance of the peers.
For fans of Burr, this is likely going to be an easy sale. There's a lot of offensive language and attitudes here that are only funny because they're in an animated format. The father figure is exceptionally crass and ill tempered in ways that feel like hacky That 70's Show material. According tot he opening credits, his story is almost similar to Red Foreman, in that both are war vets with children that are sort of negligent and whose wives (here played by Laura Dern) are a little too sweet, mostly humoring their husbands to avoid conflict. Maybe the visual cues aren't the same, but Red Foreman definitely would sound like this in an uncensored market. You kind of want to hate him for being such a selfish father, even if you understand his frustration. He is a conflicting character and everyone seems very much fabricated from short fuse models.
The only real catch, at least in the first episode, is that it has one of the least obvious father-son bonding resolutions that any sitcom of this model has had. Even if things go haywire for most of the episode, the son comes through and does the "right thing" for his father. The reward doesn't come in a friendly hug or anything that is seen as wholesome parenting. It comes in the sipping of alcohol from father's bottle. It's small things that suggest that even if this show is occasionally too abrasive, it at least knows to give its characters heart. Even the perverse ending, which may set up most of the series, is a nice twist on the formula - hopefully implying that the rest is a creative adventure into the world of 70's families.
It's a show worth giving a chance, if just for its brevity. I am not one who personally cares about Burr's work that much. He always seemed too confrontational for my liking. However, I do feel like there's something more personal falling out of this show. It may not be one of those great, immediate sales that Netflix is known for, but it at least sets up its themes and style quickly. You're not going to mistake this for another show, even if there's a lot of crass animated shows out there. It's got a chance to be the abrasive adult cartoon that Netflix needs to compliment BoJack Horseman, showing a more comical side to the dark and miserable comedy formula. The only question is if it will work beyond the profanity level.
F is for Family isn't immediately satisfying to casual viewers, who are likely to turn it off when Burr's humor kicks in. Some may even find the conventional nature a little uninspired. However, it does feel like a show that wants to be something different while also being a throwback to lovely 70's culture. My one hope is that it never ends up like the hacky The Goldbergs with their dumb 80's culture crutches. If it can do that, it has already earned some credit towards being a wholly satisfying show. The only thing to find out now is what other adventures this family is going to get into. Check it out. It may only take an afternoon to get through, but there might be some gems in there.
Comments
Post a Comment