meltingclock

This is a funny show if you're old enough, young enough, while knowledgeable enough to appreciate it and understand it. Younger viewers born throughout the majority of the 80s won't understand many of the pop culture references dealing with TV shows of the time or even childhood in jokes. Baby Boomers as well will be mostly confused. Even the difference between me born in 1978 and somebody born in 1982, is a pretty big cultural gap. I think this is destined to be a cult show that only a certain era or generation of people can truly enjoy. That it's scheduled Thursday nights at 8:00 in the fall against both "Survivor" and "Friends" either means one of two things: cancellation or UPN.

From my perspective, the state trooper at the end of the film, is the long lost daughter of the couple Owen Wilson's character was staying with. Although we are made to believe that she is dead, I think the reason her mother was murdered and her father blamed for the crime, was that she either did it, or hired Owen Wilson to do it. When they are both driving away at the end of the film and the trooper flashes her light in Owen Wilson's car, she smiles. Viewers may just chalk this up to her recognizing him from earlier in the movie when she found him at the side of the road. But I believe that the arrow sign flashing on the highway in either direction <->, is meant to ask the viewer who they believe the true muderer is, the state trooper or Owen Wilson ? Or maybe even that both of them are similar in nature and therefore connected.

When I first heard about this sitcom I was a bit leery because his last show "Damon" was basically a show that didn't use his comedic gifts to their full potential. This show however does all that and more. You forget just how funny he was ten years ago on "In Living Color". The cast is well chosen, and the humor is smart and edgy. Although the plot lines are of the basic family sitcom variety, it's done in such a way that it seems fresh and new. The family doesn't try to be perfect either and I think that's what's gonna separate this show from the rest. If it keeps going like this for another year, I'd be really surprised if it didn't crack the top ten.