Speechless

It's unfortunate this show only went three seasons. It seemed that season three was where they were just starting to hit their stride. The cast had come together nicely and the writing had a little more edge than the previous years. The entire series is entertaining and fun. Definitely worth a watch.

This a new situation comedy about a "unique" family, a couple and 3 teenage kids, one of them is on a wheelchair using specialized equipment to communicate (like Stephen Hawking minus the electronic voice) because of cerebral palsy.

The dominant figure is the mother (played by Minnie Driver) who is heavily overprotective especially for her oldest son who can't walk or speak (thus the name of the series).

The cast is great, the dialogues and situation over-exaggerated but funny and there are statements about respect, sensitivity, kindness and acceptance.

Overall: Funny enough, good performances, the premise has potential, recommended.

This show, seems to be, something different from the usual sitcom fare. So I am going to try something different in this review. I am going to give my opinion and not present it as undeniable fact. I won't say that the show is funny, but I will admit that I found it funny. I personally enjoyed it more than the Goldbergs, though I do watch that show regularly and for the most part enjoy it. I missed the pilot of Speechless and base this opinion on the second episode. I found the acting to be fine, even the children. All of the kids made me laugh at one point or another. I think the actor cast as the new aid is perfect and shows a real chemistry with the special needs son he is charged with assisting. I understand that there will be negative reviews for just about any show, I just recommend you use them for what they are. Some stranger's opinion who, if you read them, seems to think that their opinion is fact. And if someone really thinks that if they don't laugh, then it's not funny period, then they don't understand what a sense of humor is.

Speechless has a ton of heart and the family under the monarchy of Minnie Driver has a feelgood chemistry. I don't think her British origin has ever actually been explained in the show (that I can recall), so it's somewhat offputting at first getting adjusted to an all American family with the matriarch being the lone Brit. It's not a common situation in a domestic sitcom, but neither is much else common about Speechless. From the lead character JJ DiMeo suffering from Cerebral Palsy and his silky-voiced partner Kenneth to their quirky dog Pepper, the entire main cast shines through--each member offering their own form of delivery (deadpan, self-deprecating, etc)--giving the viewer a buffet of all the different shades of comedy available. It's also refreshing that there's no canned laughter--ABC's better comedies tend to share that trait.

Another great thing about "Speechless" is that it never tries to make you feel bad for JJ. The show does a great job at showcasing JJ's humanity rather than his disability, and his personality takes front-and-center stage. JJ and Kenneth have great chemistry and they remind me of a mix of Shawn and Gus from "Psych" and Adrian and Sharona from "Monk".

If you like Speechless,. check out the show "Single Parents" too.

EDIT: Speechless has been cancelled and will not be back for a 4th season. RIP to an amazing show. I'm sad that we won't get to see JJ try to navigate life away from home as a student dorming at NYU but at least the show didn't end with a cliffhanger. Maybe it'll get picked up someday in the future.. *crosses fingers*

Update: this series never went downhill.

This terrifically funny sitcom has a rather odd structure. It's similar to shows like Fresh Off the Boat and the Real O'Neals, except that since the character the series is built around can't speak, his brother fills the role of POV character.

At the same time, neither of the brothers really powers the series. Instead, Minnie Driver's brilliant performance as their force-of-nature pushes everything forward. She is a complicated character, stubborn, guilt-ridden, neglectful of her other children yet wildly noble in her unstinting efforts to protect her neediest child.

In similar series, the family is often a generic backdrop to the kids, but here, the family itself is quite interesting; a rather bohemian group that functions as their own traveling circus.

When I first heard about a series centered around a disabled kid, I thought, that sounds depressing, but this series is anything but. JJ is severely disabled, but he's likable and funny, and the series does a good job of making disability seem like something you have to deal with rather than something that defines you. It's a series that takes something very serious and makes it fun without making fun of it.