Reviews

I may come back and change my stars if this thing takes off, even the American version of The Office was off in the first season. Having said that, so far this show is a pale comparison of the beloved British original.

They have Americanized the ghosts and the married couple.

Whereas there was a caveman in the original, they have replaced him with a Viking who can't seem to decide between being a monosyllabic throwback or a jocular quip master. He goes from asking what things are, or mean, to using phrases that are definitely out of his time frame.

The same could be said for the Native American, a new addition of course, whose costume suggests he comes from an earlier time but he uses language that is definitely modern.

Some of the other ghosts are pale carbon copies of ghosts already seen in the British version, the stuffy matriarch, the scout master with an arrow through his neck, the politician sans pants. All are as blunt as hammers, and the humor is as subtle as a whoopie cushion at a funeral.

I get why Europeans think we're idiots. After watching this show I feel like one.

I have a love of parody movies. Zucker brothers, National Lampoon, and the Wayans brothers with the first two Scary Movies.

I liked their entries in the SM franchise due to great actors who sold the material, and in A Haunted House you get Marlon Wayans, who was one of the things I liked most about those previous films.

I have a soft spot for fart jokes, when well executed, sex jokes too. A scene of the woman having an amorous night with the demon (and it's subsequent impact on their relationship) is funny, but not overplayed. A scene before that with Wayans and some stuffed animals, not so much.

Cedric the Entertainer is nicely subdued as a priest called in to help out, and David Koechner is himself, like every other part he's played.

If you're a big fan of horror movies you will get a good laugh out of this effort. The Exorcist, The Devil Inside, and especially the first two Paranormal Activity movies are all parodied.

Let me be perfectly honest in saying that I think Paul Wight is a funny human being. His run in 2000 as a wrestler who impersonated everyone from Rikishi to The Big Lebowski made me laugh. His turn on SNL when The Rock hosted in the midst of Wrestlemania 2000 was also very funny.

I was a bit disappointed that the show was not a docuseries, but figured a sitcom with The Big Show in the forefront could be worth watching.

The base of the show is very much Full House, Family Matters ABC Friday night in the early 90's type comedy and delivery. It even has Jaleel White in it. Many of the jokes and their delivery feel forced and telegraphed. The actors are decent for that cute family storyline, but the writing is so ham handed it is tough to get through without rolling your eyes. The actress who plays JJ is adorable though, and it is another example of finding a kid with great comic timing and the ability to sell a joke.

My favorite episode, it goes without saying, is episode 7, where we see The Big Show go on a cruise and meeting up with the likes of Mark Henry, Mick Foley and Rikishi. When the wrestlers come on to play comedy it adds to the overall fun and even if they too are a bit stilted in comic delivery it is a fun time. I would love to see more cameos from classic WWE stars. HHH or Kurt Angle would be great, as they also have comic chops.

Overall it was a cute show, great for families with young kids, for older folks or teens it may play more than a bit corny. For old guys like me who love wrestling and grew up with the ABC Friday night line up, it is a bit of nostalgia for the new age.