Dads - Series One (Seth Green & Giovanni Ribisi)

Sitcom television has produced some of the greatest moments in TV history but for every Frasier there have been a dozen by the numbers productions the define just what the bottom of the barrel is. Dads, the latest from producer Seth McFarlane isn't so much bottom of the barrel as the crud that accumulates beneath the barrel. It's a putrid, racists, sexiest piece of crap that manages to raise not a single smile during it's 22 minute run-time.

Dads stars Seth Green (Eli) & Giovanni Ribisi (Warner), two actors who between them have some of the best comedic moments of the past decade and as such one expected at the very least for Dads to be fitfully funny. And the set up about two 30 something game developers whose dads move in has some potential. Sadly this potential and cast are squandered on a show that would have felt dated and offensive back in the 80s.

The manner in which ethnic stereotypes are mined for cheap laughs should be applauded as it's not every day that writers so blatantly rob from their betters, though the fact that they don't generate a single laugh less so. Characters exist solely to try and force a laugh with some of sitcoms favorite easy targets being recycled wholesale. There's the Latino maid whose supposed to hilarious given that she speaks with a heavy accent. There's the And let's not forget the "hilarious" manner in which Camilla (Warner's wife) is mistaken for the maid.

The shows lowest point comes when our main characters ask their Asian-American assistant to dress up like a Japanese schoolgirl in order to woo some Chinese investors. The obvious gag, that the investors are Chinese is barely mentioned and the scene as a whole plays out like something from one of those 1940s WWII propaganda cartoons. The writers seem to under the impression that a gag is a win as long as it's backed up by the rapturous approval of the laugh track audience.


The problem with the jokes, excluding the blatant racism and sexism is that the writers seem to be attempting to add a little irony to the dated gags but
rather than feeling provocative, the laugh track only heightens just how out of date and offensive the material is. The entire thing plays out like a forgotten 90s sitcom that nobody wanted on their CV, which would be okay if the show had even a hint or wit or originality to it. Jokes are telegraphed in advance and our two leads do so much mugging for the camera that one can't help but feel sorry for them.

Dads is strangely reminiscent of recent seasons of Family Guy where all humour has been replaced with a simple desire by MacFarlane to be seen as some sort of provocateur. Gone is the humour of early years, replaced instead with tired and dated jokes that poke fun at ethnic groups or anyone who isn't a straight, middle-class white male. Dads follows this well trod comedic path and manages to be even more offensive. But it's not the sexism or the racism that makes Dads so detestable and offensive, no it's the fact that the writing is atrocious, the characters are clichéd, the film making is sloppy and the entire thing feels like something manufactured to appeal to the lowest common denominator.

Mr E

Nicked from Metacritic's Facebook page:

Worst-reviewed primetime network TV shows since 2005:

NEW-> 1. Dads [15] http://bit.ly/153PtcB
2. Work It [19] http://bit.ly/1dpBtdi
3. Cavemen [19] http://bit.ly/1f7OtX5
4. The Real Wedding Crashers [19] http://bit.ly/153PT2U
5. Momma's Boys [19] http://bit.ly/189yRir
6. Knight Rider (2008) [21] http://bit.ly/1a4D0DI
7. Do Not Disturb [22] http://bit.ly/18znXPe
8. The Game [22] http://bit.ly/18zo2m0
9. Modern Men [23] http://bit.ly/16fHpzz
10. October Road [23] http://bit.ly/1eR8Iue

Mr E

Mr E wrote: »

Nicked from Metacritic's Facebook page:

If it lasted beyond 3 episodes I'll be genuinely surprised but then again considering that 2 and a Half Men is still a ratings juggernaut it would not be that shocking to see Dads become a smash hit.

How it managed to attract such a talented cast I'll never know. Either the money is great or subsequent episodes are of such a high quality that they couldn't say no.

Basq

I've been saying for years "whatever happened to the brilliant Giovanni Ribisi?"..

.. then I saw the promo for this!

Horrific stuff. Saw a trailer somewhere that condensed all the worse jokes into a 5 minute car-crash!

Thought that I'd give episode 2 a go as there's been plenty of good shows that started poorly. Sadly Dads second episode is every bit as crap as the first. An unfunny, ridiculously offensive and poorly made piece if crap that's unwatchable. Granted there were 1 or 2 slight laughs but overall it was a disgraceful piece of television that would have felt dated back in the 70s

squonk

Agreed Darko. Ep1 was pure muck but I gave 2 a chance because Seth McFarlane does some good stuff, but this show is not any of that. Think it'll be the first new show of the year where I say I'm out. Don't think Ep 3 will make my queue.

I gave episode 2 a go as I figured that the only way was up. Nah, bar one quite offensive joke there wasn't a single laugh to be found and it felt like a retread of the first episode.

sky23

absolutely agree! what a pile of crap!