The 'Burbs

Went into the show with low expectations and enjoyed it - until the last episode and a half. It was very reminiscent of Desperate Housewives early on with some humor and a mystery to keep you interested, but the resolution and then cliffhanger didn’t fit the storyline at all and provided more questions than answers and in some cases just didn’t make any logical sense. They put too much hope on a second season that as it stands it’s just not worth watching.

This series is based on the 1989 film starring Tom Hanks. This version stars Keke Palmer and Jack Whitehall as a couple who move back to his family’s childhood home in a quiet, “safe” suburban neighborhood. Of course, the inevitable mystery arises that gets a group of neighbors involved. While the thriller aspects are pretty standard, what helps this stand out is the casting. Whitehall loses most of his comic swagger as he tries to enter leading man land, while Palmer has all of the most paranoid moments. However, the rest of the group provides the fun, including Julia Duffy, Mark Proksch and Paula Pell, who’s smart-mouth lesbian has the best laffs. Like so many current series, the meandering moments could have been tightened for a more robust experience. Even so, the supporting characters provide the most entertainment in what is otherwise a rather bland thriller. (Review based on 8 one-hour eps with a cliffhanger that foretells a 2nd season).

I miss when comedies were written to be funny, instead of Sunday sermons, droning on forever. Unfortunately this sitcom falls into the trap of thinking that they need to preach to the audience instead of making us laugh, or even occasionally chuckle. Also, Hollywood seems to be completely bereft of original ideas. They see an existing IP, and immediately try (in vain) to desperately re-work the original creation with a "modern" spin. These "updated for the modern audiences" shows and movies have not work in the past, and they will continue to fail. It's exhausting and I think a majority of us are tired of The Message.

Another case of, take a beloved classic film and turn it into an awful Gen Z tv show. Absolutely horrible.