The Guest Book

The frenetic plots can be tiring, and the humor leans too hard on the hyper-quirky tone that comes to define the post-Parks and rec Sitcom landscape. If there's a reason to stay, it;s the permanent cast of townsfolk, who start to shine once the episodic tales intertwine. [4 Aug 2017, p.55]

Is the show funny? Sort of. It’s certainly charming, in a frequently vulgar sort of way, and well performed by the cast and guest stars.

Mr. Garcia’s style of humor tends to be sophomoric--sex jokes, overweight stripper sight gags and broad comedy predominates--but this style manages to blend well with the show’s unique format.

Some split-screen episode bookends and some inventive camera placements keep the cottage from getting too familiar. But those occasional touches can’t replace the fact that the show lives and dies on the strength of its episode-to-episode stories.

This series is so disposable it would barely fill up a tall kitchen trash bag. Yet there's still pleasure in watching a seasoned comedienne like Stockard Channing and an old pro like Holmes Osborne try to spin gold out of a creaky tale about devout religious parents attempting to convert their son's atheist girlfriend (Mary Lynn Rajskub).

Each episode is driven by situational comedies that are uneven in story and execution.

In the two-episode premiere, a host of flat, screechy, and stereotypical characters take part in stories about an angry new mom and small-minded Christians. Neither establish an entertaining vibe nor a reason to check back in.