The Mick
“Pilot” and “The Grandparents”
Season 1, Episodes 1 & 2
This is a first look review of Fox’s The Mick starring Kaitlin Olson, Sofia Black D'Elia, and Thomas Barbusca.
Family affair.
Fox has been playing catch up with its comedy shows in recent years. Last season’s The Grinder was a likeable, funny show with a powerful cast and late season story arc that blows most other shows out of the water. And yet ratings is what ultimately did it in. Being critically acclaimed can only do so much for a show of that caliber when episodes are getting around 1.5 million viewers. With that cancellation comes an open timeslot on Tuesdays. Last Man on Earth will stay with animation domination (for some odd reason) and Brooklyn Nine Nine and New Girl apparently don’t need a companion hour. The Mick (starring Always Sunny’s Kaitlin Olson) is a solid show with an altered premise that’s been overused. But it really is funny.
Coming from Dave and John Chernin, The Mick has Olson’s Mackenzie Murphy moving in with her sister’s kids (Sofia Black D'Elia, Thomas Barbusca, and Jack Stanton) after their parents flee the country. The premise, trite as it is, can be overlooked especially since the kids are very rich. This wealth is often the catalyst for plots. While the first episode laid the groundwork, the second had Mickey leaving the kids with their strict grandparents only for both sides to finally come to an understanding.
The Chernin brothers wrote the first two episodes and they work well together. In a crazy set of circumstances during the cold open of “The Grandparents,” Barbusca is shown to be an unreasonable, hormonal mess when he gets the news of his parents absconding. The same can be said for D’Elia as she almost instantly reverts from semi-strong, college bound woman to unreasonable, screaming teenage girl. All the while poor Stanton learned what a hibachi grill tasted like.
Characters in this universe aren’t unlike that of Olson’s other show, Sunny. The wealth of the Pemberton’s goes without statement -- just know that they just give away electric cars and Barbusca’s Chip carries thousands on his person -- leaving the kids’ behavior to actually be justified. Barbusca plays a muted version of most of his characters (which is essentially a tiny little red headed tyrant); D’Elia’s Sabrina is reminiscent of a likeable version of Better Things’ whiny Mikey Madison; and Stanton’s adorable but naive Ben is just as cute as any other show’s five year old (See Lucifer, Life In Pieces and Better Things again).
Should you watch The Mick?
It’s a good addition to Fox’s slate of comedies. Kaitlin Olson is very good at portraying a terrible character and her delivery of every line sells the joke. My only hope is that this show doesn’t go to a full season order. The premise can be overdone to a point where the money aspect can’t be enjoyed. Also, I selfishly don’t want Olson to miss any Sunny dates.