Wahlburgers

A&E’s Wahlburgers is a thick heaping of Boston baked silliness starring two of Hollywood’s biggest stars and their beloved mom.

This is advertising with a side of bruthah (and muthah)-ly love. [10 Feb 2014, p.50]

The playfulness associated with these familial moments is where Wahlburgers hits its sweet spot.... The show is derailed by subplots that have no momentum or little drama.

It’s not bad per se... but it sure is dull.

There's no drama, no trumped-up conflict, no insights, no revelations and absolutely no discreet view of a once-notorious Dorchester clan that ran wild in the streets but now drives them, coolly surveying their kingdom for another restaurant location.

Unfortunately, there's nothing about the series' style or format that makes it stand out among other family docudramas. And while sometimes the interactions feel natural, often they are noticeably stilted; there's a keen sense of the proceedings being carefully crafted.

It’s generally playful, but unlike the burgers, consists of completely empty calories.