Sunnyside

Will need more episodes for proper character development. May not survive long enough to do so.

Sunnyside is a conventional, old-school sitcom about a disgraced politician trying to win redemption by helping a multi-cultural group gain citizenship.

I watched the first episode and liked it well enough to watch a second. It's got some good jokes scattered through it, but the plotting is sitcom stupid and the main character is an objectionable idiot, which makes it perplexing that the people he's trying to help don't give up on him.

The series is pro-immigrant, ethnically varied, and eager to avoid stereotypes. The best characters are Asian siblings who, instead of the familiar hardworking genius Asians, are wealthy, lazy, and not so bright. They are easily the funniest thing in the series, especially thanks to Poppy Liu who makes even the most innocuous lines hilarious.

Sunnyside is harmless and sometimes funny but simply doesn't offer enough to make it worth committing to.

Show has its flaws, some of the characters could use improvement but I think it has potential. Plenty of great shows had weak first seasons. 30 rock and parks and rec both got a lot better in season two so I'm hopeful for it. The last episode about the local news was great.

The dialog is bad and the plot is simplistic. I would expect better from KAL Penn.

I'm glad I gave this show another chance after not getting/not liking the pilot that much. I feel like it has been getting better every week and the 8/10 reflects the strength of the 4th episode as well as the work of Kal Penn and many of the supporting cast ("the twins," for example, can be a bit annoying, but more often then not I laugh at loud at how ridiculous they are).

It feels like this show might be starting to hit its stride, but it currently has a 4.6/10 rating. It is sad that networks are so quick to cancel quirky shows that don't find their audience right away.