This show is not a barrel of laughs and it's not supposed to be. I saw one reviewer wrote "Jewish people are funny and this should be a laugh riot." I'm not sure if that reviewer is Jewish or not, but either way, seriously? Sorry to sound like Joe Pesci, but are we clowns to you? Sorry the Jews and Jewish characters in the show didn't do their job of cracking you up. News flash: sometimes clowns are sad underneath!
This show is funny at times, but it isn't really a comedy. At most, it's a dark comedy. It's based on a true story of how a person was ruinously manipulated by an unethical therapist who needed therapy himself. You're chuckling one moment and cringing the next, which is exactly the reaction you should be having. In that sense, the show succeeds.
I'm not saying it's perfect. It can be slow at times, and Ferrell's other characters peep through quite a bit. He isn't the strongest player on the show, but he's committed and convincing enough. Paul Rudd is kind of a revelation as the smarmy climber who fools everyone, including his very lovely wife and to some degree even himself, into thinking he's doing good work on behalf of Ferrell's Marty. And Kathryn Hahn is Marty's sister Phyllis is terrific.
Don't watch it if you're looking for a lighthearted cynical romp. This is nuanced human drama about people, family, ethics, ambition, class and social machinations. It's complicated, dark, sometimes shocking and yes, sometimes funny. It's a very smart and engaging show with strong performances that sneaks up on you.
