Reviews

We really thought we would like this, and really WANTED to like it, but this is just not a good movie. Others have mentioned the bizarre casting of people 20 years too old for their roles, and the fact that they used an American actor (Kathy Bates) and an English actor (Maggie Smith) to play Irish women. Kathy Bates at age 70 was supposed to be the mother of a brood of young children, including one who was about 10. Laura Linney was supposed to be her cousin and childhood best friend, though Linney looks far younger. We spent a lot of time trying to figure out who was who because it didn't make sense. Once we put aside the age problem, we focused on the movie itself and were disappointed. There were elements that on their own were good, but they just didn't come together. There were also some odd things that didn't make sense but would be spoilers if we mentioned them. And other things that were left out, like what had Laura Linney been doing in America for 40 years, and why did she seem to have some medical knowledge? In the end, it was a big disappointment and frustration. But we really, really TRIED to like it.

I'm surprised by all the very negative viewer reviews of this show. I've been an NCIS fan for years and find this an entertaining and fresh addition to the NCIS family. I actually stopped watching the original NCIS a couple years ago after they kept killing off characters and subjecting everyone to tortures of various kinds. It became depressing instead of fun to watch. I liked NCIS New Orleans a lot and was upset when it ended. Now I have another NCIS to enjoy and so far it isn't the Greek tragedy that the original became. The acting is fine, the characters are likable, the setting is gorgeous, and the stories are interesting. Don't believe all the haters; watch it for yourself.

I thought at first that this would be a "quaint" show about a small New England town, but it is so much more than that. It's quirky rather than quaint, with funny and interesting characters. Ed Helms is playing an absolute dork who is often pretty childish as he clings to his beloved family history. But because he's childish rather than cunning and ruthless, you enjoy watching him even as you cringe. I like the casting of a very heavy woman as his best friend who also gets to have a romance with a hot guy (something very, very rarely seen in movies or TV). Someone said that all the characters are the same, but they're only the "same" in that they're all a mix of good and bad. I don't really want to have a show with all-good guys and all-bad guys; that's boring. I like that I can alternately root for and then shake my head in dismay at almost all of them. I love sharp comedies but I love this "soft" comedy just as much. It's a nice break from the harshness of most TV shows.

My husband and I watched this and found it charming, funny, and smart. Andrea Martin is wonderful, as always, and is what lifts this show from "cute" to "funny." It has a lot of heart as well as humor, with nothing dark or cynical. I would love to have Andrea Martin's character as my own mother!