The Real O'Neals

Just binged the two seasons on HULU. The writing is very good. I found myself laughing out loud a lot, which is rare for me. The jokes don't pander, and contain many cultural references. Started watching because of Martha Plimpton. Who is always brilliant. The rest of the cast is wonderful, and the plot lines are inventive. As a gay guy, I appreciate all the cameos and references (Gus Kenworthy, Jane Lynch, Cheyenne Jackson.........).

The O'Neals are a traditional Irish-Catholic family in Chicago. Eileen (Martha Plimpton) tries to keep up appearances but her marriage to Pat (Jay R. Ferguson) falls apart. On top of that, their son Kenny (Noah Galvin) comes out of the closet. The brutish oldest son Jimmy (Matt Shively) reveals his anorexia. The youngest Shannon (Bebe Wood) is smarter than all of them and questions her faith. There is family friend Jodi (Mary Hollis Inboden) and Eileen starts dating Vice Principal Murray (Matt Oberg).

This is structurally a traditional sitcom except it piles on all the non-traditional elements. I like almost everyone except sometimes Kenny gets whiny. His effeminate manner only accentuates that aspect. It keeps me from fully embracing him. Sometimes, I really like him and root for his struggles. Other times, I want him to be above it and be the bigger person. This was canceled after two seasons.

The central idea is interesting, but once in season 2 the limitations of the show are evident.

There's not much that works beyond the gay jokes that seem repetitive by now. The secondary character are too conventional, too stereotypical sitcom material.

This show is off to a good start. Outstanding cast; very happy to see Martha Plimpton on TV again and the kid playing the Gay son is very funny and talented. I hope they explore more family situations involving a Gay family matter. Too bad the Catholic League can't see how much love there is in this family and how supportive they are of each other. THAT is what family is all about! I have watched all three episodes aired and have enjoyed all of them. The writing is good and should keep getting better. This show is funny and I'm very happy its on an early hour so families can watch together. Check it out. I'll keep watching!

I have been a long term of Martha Plimpton, from her early dramas to the hilarity of Raising Hope, so I am happy she is back on TV. Fortunately, she again picked a great vehicle to display her talent. I don't understand the negative reviews since aside from writing that is several notches above many sitcoms, it actually displays characters who are warm, affectionate, and compassionate in spite of their flaws. To suggest that the show reflects negatively on all Irish Catholic families is tantamount to suggesting that "Psycho" reflects negatively on all motel owners. And on top of that, the show is often quite funny. Who could ask for more from network TV!

I hope you will ignore the negative reviews and watch it to decide for yourself.