The series' namesake is the excellent stand-up Jerrod Carmichael. Jerrod had an impressive 2014, with a significant role as frat guy Garf in Neighbors and especially with his HBO special, where he casually mused about politics and social issues. He brought that same relevance to The Carmichael Show and more. Out of the entire history of television the most obvious influence on Carmichael is the iconic 70's hit All in the Family. Both shows confront the issues of their times with as much bluntness as is possible with a 30 minute comedy between and surrounding the lives and times of a family with a variety of different viewpoints.
In the pilot Jerrod, playing himself, avoids telling his parents that his girlfriend has moved in with him by declaring that he might be Republican. He spends the rest of the episode stirring the pot as the heat rises between his conservative Christian mother, very liberal girlfriend, and unpredictable father.
In the tradition of sitcoms starring a stand-up comic, the show's namesake is far from the best actor in the cast. Jerrod certainly has a lanky charm as he smiles like a Cheshire cat, but like Seinfeld and Raymond before him, he is outmatched by his supporting cast. Amber Stevens West plays Jerrod's biracial, agnostic, idealistic millennial girlfriend Maxine with delightful nervous energy. Jerrod's wacky brother Bobby is played by Lil Rel Howery, another up and coming comic who isn't quite at home on screen but no one could attempt to say "sex musk" funnier. Bobby's equally absurd ex-wife Nekeisha is played by Tiffany Haddish who is much more comfortable in her skin. Jerrod and Bobby's parents obviously have the most experience of the cast and it shows. Loretta Devine plays their mother Cynthia with a sing song, high pitched voice like a not-grating Edith Bunker. David Alan Grier plays Joe Carmichael in what could be the comeback I didn't know I desperately needed from him.
The other five episodes don't pull any more punches than the pilot, except for maybe the one titled "Kale." All of the characters continue to have their own distinct, relatable viewpoints and you can never be sure who will be on who's side or how long they will stay there. The second episode, which aired immediately after the first, centers around a Black Lives Matter protest (the series takes place in Charlotte, North Carolina, where Jonathan Ferrell was shot and killed in 2013, not far from Jerrod's hometown of Winston-Salem). Cynthia and Maxine bond thanks to the former's experience during the civil rights movement and they leave for the protest while skeptics Jerrod and Joe stay behind. Jerrod believes that protesting is futile and Joe thinks it's too rash, they use their time together to discuss their personal encounters with race and the police, realizing they're more emotionally invested in the issue than they want to admit.
The next episode leaves the headlines relatively unripped to focus on health, then the fourth deals with LGBTQ. The show breezes past gay acceptance with everyone on the same page because there's not really a good argument to be had against it, then moves on to transgender. There's no good argument against that either, but at least it's more divisive and topical. The fifth episode is about religion, allowing the technically Jewish but mostly just spiritual Maxine to play the outsider even more than usual. The sixth episode is about guns. It's a little too predictable to be as shocking as it would like to be, but the story is a little more complex than the others, making a good step in the right direction.
The biggest difference between The Carmichael Show and All in the Family is that the latter wasn't afraid to sit in an uncomfortable moment long enough for the entire audience to feel it. Sometimes it was downright hard to watch but, of course, impossible to look away from. The Carmichael Show moves a little faster, but that could be a strength. The comedic momentum is steady so there's barely enough time for the audience to realize how much their beliefs are being challenged.
I'm not saying The Carmichael Show is as good as All in the Family, I'm just saying that six episodes isn't enough to tell. It's not enough to cover all of the issues in modern society and it's not enough for the young cast to grow into their roles. It's not enough to perfect the balance of pathos and humor and it's not enough for the David Alan Grier comeback I only just realized I desperately need to take hold. All the television in the world isn't going to solve the world's problems but someone needs to have the conversation. Sure, there's no shortage of pundits yelling at each other from across the airways or satirists not even trying to appear unpretentious, but The Carmichael Show is the only place on TV to see real people talking about the world around them. The 70's saw over 200 episodes of Archie Bunker calling Rob Reiner Meathead. The modern age deserves at least a full second season of Jerrod Carmichael doing whatever it is he will do.
All six episodes of The Carmichael Show are currently available for free on Hulu. Please watch them.
No comments:
Post a Comment