Divorce doesn’t have to mean the end of a family – or at least that’s what Jim and Julia decide after they hold a reverse wedding after 17 years of marriage.
In “Extended Family,” the divorced duo decides to share a home – with the oh-so-rich owner of the Boston Celtics who just happens to be dating Julia.
“Lying is what parents need to do sometimes to build trust,” Jim says. And that’s what plays out in the new NBC comedy.
Jon Cryer – so good at juggling emotions in “Two and a Half Men” – plays Jim, a dad who tries to hide from those he loves the death of a goldfish, the footprints behind a headboard and the chicken that wound up on the kitchen floor.
Julia (Abigail Spencer), meanwhile, harbors her own information. She’s a professional crisis manager who met Trey (Donald Faison) while trying to help him out of a situation that could have ended his career. Now, they’re the couple who could upset the new living arrangement.
All in the "Family," from left, Finn Sweeney as Jimmy Jr., Sofia Capanna as Grace, Jon Cryer as Jim, Abigail Spencer as Julia, Donald Faison a…
Very 1980s in his approach to storytelling, creator Mike O’Malley uses hidden smartphone features to reveal the truth and keep the two kids (played by Finn Sweeney and Sofia Capanna) and the ex in check.
Need a way to stop your child’s gaming addiction? Cut the wi-fi, Julia decides. And that’s what makes this a “Family Ties” for the ‘20s and a nice place for veterans like Cryer, Faison and Lenny Clarke to land.
O’Malley has a bunch of balls in the air (we still can’t figure out why the washer/dryer combo is in the kitchen) and a nimble cast to juggle them.
Spencer is the real surprise, able to volley jokes just as well as Faison and Cryer. The kids are pretty sharp, too. Sweeney gets a great showcase early into the series’ run and looms as the breakout star.
Finn Sweeney as Jimmy Jr. in "Extended Family."
When he’s shouting at a video screen, other problems don’t matter.
Luckily, O’Malley has given Jim and Trey reasons to bond. They share a love for Swedish murder shows and aren’t afraid to look like the butt of whatever joke is being played.
In the first three episodes, we get the lay of the land. Who goes where when they’re not all in the same home isn’t certain but there are gems that slip out while dealing with the crisis du jour.
Jon Cryer and Abigail Spencer play a divorced couple in "Extended Family."
Julia’s work (she flies to various locations depending on the person needing help with a public relations nightmare) ensures Jim will be in the home more than not. When she comes back from an assignment (which may involve Pitbull), she’s often out of the loop as to what’s happening. It’s an interesting set-up but, like that washer/dryer combo, not exactly obvious from the first scene.
The reverse marriage ceremony (which figures into the first episode) is inspired and could prompt others to follow suit.
Now, however, it’s a matter of getting the house in order – and ensuring some long-lost brother doesn’t show up.
"Extended Family" airs on NBC.
From left, Donald Faison, Abigail Spencer and Jon Cryer try to make divorce work in "Extended Family."
Sioux City Journal entertainment reporter Bruce Miller talks with Matthew Goode, star, and Matthew Brown, the director of "Freud's Last Session." The movie is scheduled for release on Jan. 12.
