In the beginning, like everybody else, I was skeptical about this show at first. A cartoon is the last thing I would expect from Gene Simmons, but then again, the man is a merchandising juggernaut. From KISS action figures, to comics to movies, to condoms to candy, it wasn't surprising that Gene will create another KISS product, but with a twist.
This show is unique because we see a different side to Gene Simmons. But this show had mixed reviews. When you first look at it, you either love it or hate it. I am one of those people who actually like this show. One of the things I first noticed is that this sitcom is original. Most sitcoms tend to lack originality as of lately, yet this show follows the lifestyle of a famous rock star while his son tried to coop up with the insanity and the unwanted attention. He is definitely a fish out of water with his tongue-wagging dad, New Age mom and spoiled sister, but he struggles to try and fit in a quiet, suburban town called Silent Springs.
The show talks a lot about not judging a book by it's cover. That just because a family looks different and has different traditions, doesn't mean that they are just like everybody else. This is a lesson that we learn from the Addam's Family, and we can learn a lot from the Zillas too.
The characters are interesting to look at and dare I say it, the Zillas are the wisest family I ever came across. Yes, they're different, but they're far more open-minded then other parents. They have a lot of common sense and won't force the kids to do something they don't want to be doing. Yes, they make mistakes, all families do but they're close-knit despite the mix personalities.
I also want to talk about Quincy's character. Yes, he is supposed to be a gangster, but he doesn't fit the stereotype. The genre of clothes he wears are reference to hip hop and gangster rap which is part of the pop culture these kids live in. Yes, he does speak the occasional slang but he does speak English too. The clothes he wears are part of the genre so please stop accusing Quincy of being a stereotype.
But this show is not perfect. Most of the stuff Gene uses in this show has been overused; a kid struggling to fit in, but there is an interesting twist to this tale. The reason why Willie wants to fit in is because he wanted to be liked for himself and not because of a famous dad. Understandable.
While the animation is by the wonderful and talented, Nelvana Studios, this show is just average so it is no wander why they didn't produce anymore episodes. Mostly because it is predictable for Gene to create a cartoon series (unexpected, maybe, not predictable).
