So, How Is: Family Tree

If you enjoyed the pioneering mockumentary films Best in Show, This is Spinal Tap,  and A Mighty Wind, you should be able to slip right into writer-director-actor Christopher Guest's latest project Family Tree, which is currently airing its first season on HBO Sundays. Although it starts off slow, after the first six episodes (there are eight in the first season) the more cinematic vision for the series becomes clear, as the show seeks to examine the important role family and ancestry has on a person's identity or lack thereof, while also revealing how absurd some of those family members can be. Family Tree is also extremely deadpan, relying on a subtle tone to balance out the sheer ridiculousness of many of the characters and underplay the wackiness of various gags.

The central character is Tom Chadwick (Bridesmaid's Chris O'Dowd), whose life in his hometown of London hasn't been as fulfilling as he would like, since his long-term girlfriend recently devestated him and he has no job or prospects on the horizon. When Tom visits his aspiring-inventor father (Michael McKean), who loves broad cheesy British sitcoms (which are all fake by the way, created specifically for the show) and remarried an eccentric foreigner named Luba, he learns about a great-aunt Victoria who just died and left him a box full of photographs and other small heirlooms. With little else going on his life, Tom delves into the box to learn about his ancestry, taking some of the items to a local antique shop where the owner (Jim Piddock, who co-writes the show with Guest) provides him with some history and directs him where else he should go to learn more about his family. A misleading photo suggests Tom's great-grandfather is a prestigious military man, but he soon discovers that he was only a small-time actor who often played the rear end of a pantomime horse. Another photograph reveals that his grandfather was a participant in the poorest Olympic Games ever, and a visit to his country cousins uncovers the secret behind a riff that developed between them and his family.

Tom's discovery that his great-great-grandfather was actually born in the US is what really allows the series to pick up greater comedic momentum, as Tom meets eccentric American cousins played by Ed Begley Jr. and Christopher Guest, who hail from Los Angeles and North Carolina respectively (the always hilarious Fred Willard also appears as Begley's obnoxious neighbor). Once there, Tom reaches out to Civil War reenactors to solve a mystery involving two separate pictures of their great-great-grandfather, one featuring him dressed as a union soldier and the other as a confederate. Of course the answer opens up new doors into their heritage. The cast is rounded out by Tom's dopey, but loyal, childhood friend Pete (Tom Bennett), whose always good for a laugh, as well as Tom's quirky older sister Bea and her pal Monkey (Nina Conti). You see Bea had a traumatic zoo experience as a child, so a therapist had her communicate via a monkey puppet, and she's used him ever since as her "inner voice," aka a way for her to be crude and say whatever she's thinking (Conti is an excellent ventriloquist and, for the most part, Monk is treated as his own witty character). Much has been made about Bea and Monk being the most entertaining regular cast members, or even the only reason worth watching, and while I might disagree on those finer points there's no denying that they are a hilarious pair that provide many of the series' laugh-out-loud moments. However, if you give Family Tree a chance and stick around for the whole season (which is probably best watched binge-style), you'll come to appreciate its subtle brand of eccentric family comedy for yourself.

Why Aren't You Watching: Copper

BBC America began airing original dramas last year, in addition to their typical rebroadcasting of British shows like Doctor Who, and if the quality of their first two series are any indication,  they will quickly ascend into the ranks of AMC and FX as a cable channel with excellent dramas. Their first entry into original programming was last summer's Copper (the second, clone-conspiracy-thriller Orphan Black, recently wrapped up a phenomenal first season and might actually be worth checking out first), which returns for a second season this Sunday at 10pm, and can essentially be described as Homicide meets Gangs of New York. While that basic premise of following the 1860s police investigations is pretty compelling on its own, Copper moves beyond simple procedural to delve into the lives of its various characters with twisty serialized storylines as well.

The show centers on New York City detective Kevin "Corky" Corcoran (Tom Weston-Jones), a brash, but honorable Irish immigrant who served the union in the civil war. He's a particularly effective detective in a time where threats and violence are appropriate interrogation techniques, where the use of brass knuckles or a cane/club are not only accepted, but down right necessary in a city teeming with racial, ethnic, and national turmoil. In addition to brute force, Corky also relies on his friend Dr. Matthew Freeman (Ato Essandoh), a member of his Regiment in the war, for some pre-forensic style crime scene and corpse analysis that he passes off as his own due diligence to his superior, since these methods are not yet respected by the police department. Through Freeman we witness some of the struggles of being black in 19th century New York, as he leaves the city for a more solemn and peaceful life with his wife Sara in the country, though it unfortunately is not always that safe either. Corky's friends also include his partners on the force, low class-but earnest detective  Francis Maguire (Kevin Ryan) and the physically imposing-but henpecked husband Andrew O'Brien (Dylan Taylor). These two accompany Kevin on many of his cases, particularly his top priority of discovering who killed his daughter and what happened to his wife, who was gone when he returned from the war.

Kevin's loss of his own daughter spurs his keen interest in a case involving another young girl, the orphan Annie Reilly (Kiara Glasco), whom he protects and sets up to live in the upper class home of Elizabeth Haverford (Anastasia Griffith), despite her protests. Elizabeth seems to have taken a special liking to Corky, but she's not alone, as the local Madam, the scheming Eva Heissen (Franka Potente), harbors deep affection and a severe longing for the romantically (though not sexually) disinterested detective. The cast is rounded out by another former Regiment member and current friend, the wealthy heir Robert Morehouse (Kyle Schmid), who owes a great debt to Corky and Freeman for saving his life by amputating his leg on the battlefield. Morehouse is another valuable asset for the detective when his investigations lead him from the poverty and violence stricken Five Points to the posh Uptown neighborhood, as his time in the war has widened his privileged perception to embrace equality among the various nationalities. The typically fun-loving Morehouse also becomes embroiled in the shady dealings of his disapproving aristocratic father and a top secret confederate plot to attack New York as well.

While Copper does excel as an intriguing period procedural, with fresh cases full of unpredictable turns, its fully realized characters and ongoing storylines are what really keep you invested in the series. Some procedural cases even spill over into subsequent episodes or, as with the Annie Reilly storyline, become serialized elements of the show. In addition to the stellar writing and acting, near-cinematic production values make you feel as though you're right there among the gangs of New York, altogether making for a gripping cable drama that truly deserves to become a classic.

Gone Too Soon: The Goodwin Games

As made apparent in our recent post on the subject, every year the broadcast networks pick up a whole lot of new shows, and so every year they also cancel plenty as well. When its a good show that gets the ax it particularly stings, but what's worse is when a good show is essentially killed before it even airs and so it is sentenced to the (often summer) burn-off where it can air its meager half season in relative peace and quiet. What's baffling is why the networks spend the money and pick up these shows to begin with, sometimes even putting in extra effort (by recasting roles and hiring much-sought-after actors for example), only to offer them little to no chance of performing well in the ratings or building momentum. Although these shows are very short lived and don't get to make too big of an impact, they can still be worth checking out even if it can almost feel like a tease. Each network is guilty of mistreating potential gems, such as NBC's three week/six episode burn off of the delightfully original sitcom Bent last year (star David Walton has been on three failed NBC comedies now, and is trying again with About a Boy next season), and this year FOX is the worst offender with its inexplicable mistreatment of the well-crafted sitcom The Goodwin Games.

When this show was initially picked up, it seemed to have the ingredients for success: made by the creators of How I Met Your Mother, cast the highly sought after Becki Newton (Ugly Betty, HIMYM) and Scott Foley (Felicity, Grey's Anatomy), recast a role with an up and coming comedian (T.J. Miller), and featuring a fresh premise for family comedy and heart. Beau Bridges also stars in video tapes as the late single father who seeks to make up for his absentee parenting after their mother died by forcing three Goodwin siblings to compete in a series of games for a large inheritance. Each game is of course painstakingly designed to teach his children important lessons and help them get their lives back on track, while predicting their actions and accounting for potentially diverging outcomes. Foley plays eldest son Henry, the overachieving surgeon who is engaged to a congressional candidate and never misses an opportunity to mention either. His premature independence and unchecked arrogance have distanced him from his family and hometown, both physically and emotionally. Newton stars as a Chloe, the nerdy math genius who traded brains for popularity as a teenager and moved to LA for a "career" in acting (the most recent episode presented hilarious flashbacks to how a perverted drama teacher gave her a false sense of confidence by casting her as the star in every play and re-writing the roles to better suit her abilities so she could play such classics like "Hamletta"). Her naivety and entitlement led her to a life of financial instability without any true friends, so the games offer her the chance to earn a college degree and reconnect with the former best friend she grew to torment in high school, April Cho (Melissa Tang), who is now her father's attorney running the game. Miller plays the youngest sibling Jimmy, whose lack of supervision growing up led to further irresponsibility as he's been in and out of prison like it has a revolving door, and even tries to get away with schemes when he's back home (which proves exceedingly difficult in a small town where everyone knows each other). However, being home offers Jimmy the opportunity to see his young daughter more often, even if she demands to see a receipt for any gifts he tries to give her as he avoids her mother.

Speaking of the small town they grew up in, Granby seems poised to become another Springfield or Pawnee, though on a smaller scale. Part of the games' rules stipulate that the siblings must all move back in to their childhood home as they compete, allowing them to go back to their roots and atone for past mistakes. It also presents the opportunity for various characters in the town to help flesh out the world of the series and offer up more laughs, though it will be difficult to know how well they could have been employed in so few episodes. Unfortunately seven episodes is not really enough to build an entire world, but the fact that the potential is already so palpable after just four episodes says a lot about what this show would've become if it was given a full season and a more prominent launch (instead of the now also-but-deservedly-canceled Ben & Kate). Since the creators have a more than decent track record on HIMYM, demonstrating clear ability to develop characters and mythology in meaningful and hilarious ways, there was every reason for The Goodwin Games to succeed, as it is already revealing these roots to the lucky few who catch this show before it disappears forever.

Guilty Pleasures: Teen Wolf

Judging only by the title, most people might assume Teen Wolf, which just started its third season Monday at 10pm on MTV, is all guilt and no pleasure. However, this show is so much more than a remake of the '80s Michael J. Fox campy classic, as it actually only resembles that movie with its basic premise of a teenage boy who's life is changed drastically when he becomes a werewolf. Instead of a high school sports comedy, this version is equal parts teen drama, slasher horror, and mythological mystery, with plenty of gripping action and wry humor thrown in for good measure. The series centers on Scott McCall (Tyler Posey) as an asthmatic bench warmer (here, Lacrosse is main sport instead of basketball) whose physical health and fitness is significantly boosted after a suspicious bite. His loyal best friend "Stiles" Stilinski (Dylan O'Brien) realizes that Scott is actually now a werewolf, prompting them to spend most of the first season trying to find the out who bit Scott and how he can be cured.

Their search leads them to Derek Hale (Tyler Hoechlin), an older, former student of their high school, who happens to be part of a long line of "purebred" werewolves and is searching for the Alpha wolf that killed his sister and bit Scott. Part of what makes Teen Wolf so refreshing, is its deep dive into werewolf mythology, while other supernaturally themed shows present a simplistic view so they can get back to focusing on vampires (thankfully, there are none of those overexposed creatures present in this series, nor are there any zombies or witches). Scott and Stiles learn that in order to cure a non-genetic werewolf mutt, Scott must kill the Alpha that bit him, releasing himself from its control. Yes although they don't know the Alpha's human identity, it regularly shows up to force Scott into shifting and joining him in his murderous rampaging. So in addition to solving that central mystery, Scott must also work with Derek and learn to control his inner beast so he doesn't give away his true nature on the lacrosse field or attack other students or teachers in school (there are a few hulk-like emotional situations where he comes close to shifting, even some where he actually does, and he must fight to contain it).

Further complicating Scott's animal instincts and human emotions is new student Allison Argent (Crystal Reed), as the two fall hard for each other in a whirlwind of teenage love and hormones. Even worse, Scott discovers Allison's unfortunate lineage well before she does, revealing her entire family to be serious werewolf hunters (cue the inevitable Romeo & Juliet-ification of their romance). Additionally, Allison is unaware werewolves even exist, along with the rest of the town, making Stiles' Sheriff father's investigation into all of the recent animal attacks and murders particularly difficult. In addition to Scott's nurse mother and his veterinarian boss (who seems to know more than he lets on), the cast is rounded out by Allison's popular best friend and Stiles' crush, local scream queen Lydia (Holland Roden) and her lacrosse captain boyfriend Jackson (Colton Haynes). Each of these characters get more to do as the series progresses, with additional characters added in the second and third seasons. Jackson's story is particularly intriguing as he develops from a typical low-stakes-antagonistic jock who can't handle losing the spotlight to another player, to a tragically self-serving and uninformed schemer who eventually becomes a serious threat. Each of these characters also gets to experience various horror tropes throughout the series, such as having someone/thing stalk them in the dark or being haunted by gruesome, but vivid hallucinations, and the tension of these scenes is racked up effectively.

While the first season focuses on Scott's transformation and subsequent struggle, the second season presents a host of fresh mysteries for him and Stiles (and Allison) to solve, including the emergence of a deadly lizard-like shapeshifting abomination that may have a partner. And while the first season did an excellent job of slowly revealing its central mystery along with plenty of mythology, the second season does the same only with much much more. Mysteries involving the new shapeshifter, the beast-hunting Argents, and Derek's quickly growing pack develop at a brisk pace, as new revelations only breed further questions that perpetuate the story. This systematic pacing (similar to the early seasons of Vampire Diaries) keeps the show from getting bogged down in its own mythology and mysteries, as the core characters race to solve life-threatening situations in a world they only recently discovered. In addition to the captivating plotlines, its these characters that really keep you invested in the show, as their multiple theories (which will often reflect the audience's own) and ability to see the ridiculousness of their situations make them feel authentic and relatable. Furthermore, even the non-powered characters stand out as Allison breaks out of melodramatic tropes with new arrow-based skills and Stiles moves beyond simple comic relief with substantial bravery and resourcefulness.

All things considered, if you have no patience for the supernatural genre, it will be difficult to accept this series. However, if you come with an open mind, Teen Wolf is a perfect example of how many high-concept sci-fi and fantasy shows like this rise above their simple premises and low budgets (the effects in Teen Wolf can be pretty good, or absolutely horrible like the season 3 premiere's CGI animals and shattered glass) with phenomenal writing and acting. And if you are already a fan of the genre, prepare to add a new favorite to your list.