Sunnyside (2019)

These characters share both a commitment to depicting the various constituencies in the real Sunnyside and a half-sour cynicism that makes the show’s political calculus feel real and intriguing. ... As a depiction of activism and making change, the promising “Sunnyside” pilot makes a strong case that it begins with one’s neighbors, and builds out a neighborhood well worth watching.

Despite that onscreen and offscreen talent, Sunnyside arrives undercooked. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t moments of charm and wit; one of the great things about an ensemble show, and the convoluted way they come together, is that there’s lots of room for surprise.

Sunnyside is a work in progress. As we saw with The Good Place and Parks & Rec in their first seasons, Schur has the confidence to put what he has on the screen and work with it as the show goes along.

Any comedy series braided with sunny idealism as this one is needs to decide what's more important: The idealism or the comedy? "Sunnyside's" pilot comes down on the side of idealism, leaving the sitcom part in some sort of listless, half-baked limboland. ... With showrunners from "Brooklyn 911" (Mike Schur) and "Community" (Matt Murray). They should figure this out. They usually do. In the meantime, the pilot has one reason to watch. Hint: It's in the title.

Two siblings steal the show.

The pilot has some of the loose rhythm of “Parks and Recreation” but not much of the cleverness. Garrett’s shallowness is shallowly drawn, and the study group he reluctantly takes on feels like a holding cell of immigrant clichés.

Despite Modi's manic presentation, Sunnyside resembles nothing so much as a 30-minute public-service spot for Catholic Legal Services or some other pro-bono law firm.