Fill your void of summer with 'Family Tree'

So, it’s summer out there in US. For TV shows’ aficionados, this is not a great time because this means most of our favorite series are having summer hiatus period. Then what should we do ‘til they’re coming back? Sorry, wrong question. I mean, what should we WATCH ‘till they’re coming back?

I checked on the list of summer TV shows back on May – when my favorite shows were hitting season finale one by one --, but at the time only a few shows had premiered. And among that short list, only one won my attention ‘cause it seemed promising: an HBO’s new mockumentary comedy, ‘Family Tree’.

I’ve been watching all the four first episodes since then (season 1 contains 8 episodes until July 7), and I think I’ve seen enough to write a review about this show.

‘Family Tree’ centers on a guy in his 30’s, Tom Chadwick (played by Chris O’Dowd). After losing his job and his girlfriend, he finds out that one of his great aunt whom he never met was dead and left him a box full of family’s heritage. Starts with a curiosity on a picture of whom he thought was his great great grandfather, he then begins to explore his family tree, seek long-lost relatives through the stuffs his great aunt left him.

When I decided to watch this show, it was merely based on a fact that it’d aired on HBO. I always have some kind of faith that HBO always gives a chance to a unique and out-of-the-box, yet qualified TV show, even ‘tho they would’ve ended up canceling some of it regarding the poor rating after two seasons (like ‘Enlightened’). Well, at least they’ve tried to give something different to the audience.

So after saw the pilot, my respect to the network only grew higher. You won’t get a hysterical laugh from ‘Family Tree’, yet you’d still get a proper dose of laugh to meet up your expectation. This show offers light British jokes and wraps it with the casts’ British accent. Some of the first sets are located in UK as well, which makes the show feels darker and less energetic than America’s sitcom.

I normally don’t dig a UK’s comedy, because I find their accent a bit annoying and distracting, their jokes are dry and clumsy as well, but this one probably an exception. Well, to be fair, it isn’t a fully UK’s show because it’s a collaboration between America’s HBO and UK’s BBC2. So even though some of the first episodes took place in UK, it will shift to US on later episodes – probably starts on episode 5, since it’s titled ‘Welcome to America’.

I can stand this show because so far, the humors are actually pretty droll. And it’s not only contains jokes, but some episodes were offering couples of touching moments (I won’t get details, but you’d find some of it on episode 2).

Another plus point is the characters on the show are quiet funny, dorky, and quirky. Tom’s sister for example, is obviously a disturbed woman who can’t be separated from her hand puppet, Monkey. This resulted in some amusing scenes which involving her, her puppet, and a third party who clearly clueless about what they’re about to put themselves into.

Despite of the potentials, I honestly don’t think people would find this show attractive. The storyline and the whole style of the show is actually unusual, people probably doesn’t used to it and change their channel after watching a few of the first episodes. Also, some of the jokes are really British-style, even I myself still having a problem to get the point of it.

Overall, I’d give ‘Family Tree’ 7 out of 10. But honestly, I try not to get too attach with this show. It's a good show, but I don’t see a big enough market to keep this one going further than two seasons. I’ve already had a pretty grieving moment when HBO canceled ‘Enlightened’ on the end of season two couple months ago. I think I’ve had my lesson.

P.S.: I’m about to start watching another summer shows, ‘The Fosters’ and ‘Mistresses’. I’d give you piece of my mind about it on my next post soon ;)