The Guest Book

This show is unique, along the lines of My Name is Earl. It's not your typical fare, and that's a nice change of pace. Season 1 is different from Season 2, and I think I liked the premise of Season 1 better, but 2 is still funny and entertaining. Give yourself a chance to get to know the characters, some of which aren't in 2 and vice versa.

Mount Trace Realty is a mountain vacation retreat where one rents Froggy Cottage from married couple Wilfred (Charles Robinson) and Emma (Aloma Wright). Their nephew Eddie (Eddie Steeples) has various menial jobs. Local stripper Vivian (Carly Jibson) runs a blackmail scam with her adopted stepson Frank (Lou Wilson). Dr. Andrew Brown (Garret Dillahunt) lives next door with his son. Officer Kimberly Leahy (Kellie Martin) is the local sheriff. The renters have crazy adventures and write them down in the guest book. In the second season, Vivian hitches a run with Eddie on his way out of town. They find themselves involved with a different rental house and another guest book.

Creator Greg Garcia got a concept which leaves the show in an unusual anthology style. Each episode is about new guests. It's a style better fit for dramas. Comedies do need constant leads with whom a relationship can be built between the viewer and the show. It is unusual but eventually the recurring roles keep the show anchored more than the guest book premise. The guest book becomes nothing more than a McGuffin and even less than that. Greg's humor is still fun and he brings back quite a few of his cohorts. I don't usually write the reviews until the show is canceled and then I hear Greg's comments on a podcast. I certainly hope that he's joking about retirement.

IMDB reviews come up lame for this show - this show has subtle humour that has escaped the reviewer - time to hire some people who report the positives of programs , not always finding ways to be negative - chimps can do that

If you're at all interested in this show, first watch Episode 8 with Jenna Fisher in the one about the Alzheimer's patient. If that one doesn't get you hooked, than this isn't your kind of humor. The very first episode was the weakest in the bunch and isn't a good indication of the laughs to come. Certainly in the same comedy vein as My Name is Earl and The Last Man on Earth. Really glad to see there's a Season 2 on the way!

Love it! I had heard about this show and was really excited to see it on TBS. Wow. Was it great. I couldn't recommend it more. Anyone that doesn't like is insane. And yes, as mentioned, it's dirty so don't let your kids watch. Bu man oh man is it funny. And the actors are amazing. And whoever the DP was did an amazing job. More please! I hope there is a season two.