Grade: 71%
NBC’s latest sitcom is 1600 PENN. It’s a
family sitcom, following a father, Dale Gilchrest (Bill Pullman,
Torchwood: Miracle Day, Independence Day), his four children, and his
new trophy wife, Emily (Jenna Elfman, Damages, Dharma & Greg). Their
relationships are about what you’d expect in a clan of this type. The
kids, especially the eldest son, Skip (Josh Gad, Book of Mormon), want
their father’s approval, and Emily would like to win her stepchildren’s
trust.
The twist is, Dale is the President of the United States, and the family lives in the White House.
Some might expect that this may change
the circumstances a bit. And it does, but only to a small extent.
Instead of relatives or friends visiting the family, it’s foreign
dignitaries. Instead of wondering what their neighbors will think about
personal developments, the entire population of the U.S. is watching the
Gilchrests. Instead of breaking grandmother’s dish in a predictable
accident, it’s priceless China that people lost their lives transporting
that is destroyed.
But basically, 1600 PENN is a family
comedy like many others. The relationships are relatable and typical,
and the characters are usually more concerned with how they feel about
each other, than how the world at large views them. Sure, oldest
daughter Becca (Martha MacIsaac, Superbad, Greek) isn’t happy when the
press speculate on her unplanned pregnancy. But she is more concerned
with her father and younger siblings’ reactions.
One would think that this is a recipe
for success, taking a household that typically sits out of reach of the
average person, and opening it up in a way that we can find accessible.
But that’s not quite how it plays out.
The problem is, the humor of 1600 PENN
is far goofier than it should be. Whereas, a series like Modern Family
may look at how people actually act, 1600 PENN makes every disaster and
stunt over-sized, until it becomes completely unrealistic. In the
“Pilot,” Skip sets a frat house on fire, and gets away with it with no
discernible consequences. Then he solves global issues by drinking and
joking. Emily and Becca bicker in front of the press. In episode three,
Dale uses a meeting with the joint chiefs of staff to discuss parenting.
It’s just too much to accept.
I’m not saying the characters aren’t
interesting. Emily is earnest, for sure, and everyone cares about each
other. Younger daughter, Marigold (Amara Miller, The Descendants), is a
budding lesbian, and youngest son, Xander (Benjamin Stockham, Sons of
Tucson), is worried about meteors hitting the earth, so they have
stories to tell, too. There is a love triangle set up between Becca, her
baby daddy, D.B. (Robbie Amell, Revenge), and Dale’s assistant / press
secretary, Marshall (Andre Holland, Friends with Benefits). Even Skip,
screw up as he is, has his positives, and loves his family.
But the situations just go too far.
Should it be scaled back, there could be something here. Instead, this
one seems destined for a quick cancellation, without even being given
time to build up an audience, or address the problems. It’s too bad, as
with a cast like this, and an intriguing premise, it could have been
good.
One final complaint, I am just not sure
what Marshall’s job is. He is the only main character who isn’t part of
the family, and is constantly seen giving briefings and helping out
Dale. The other White House workers hover around, but none are shown to
have any importance. Instead, Marshall seems to be the representation
for the entire staff, which may save on budget and logistics, but makes
the world in which the show is set seem even less fleshed out than it
already does.
While 1600 PENN may be a curiosity that
some may want to check out, you won’t miss much by skipping it, and
likely won’t regret that decision.
1600 PENN premieres Thursday, January 10th at 9:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
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Article first posted on Seat42F
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