HouseBroken -- Got a Home (Ep 1) Review

 

Rating: 2/5

Synopsis: This newest addition to Fox’s animated lineup stars Lisa Kudrow as the poodle Honey who does therapy sessions with the other animals in the neighborhood.

 

My Thoughts: Of all the Fox animation pilots I’ve seen, this is arguably the weakest lying somewhere in the lower end of the mediocrity spectrum.

Plot (3/5) – Sadly, this is as high of a score any category will receive because it just gets worse from here on. Centering an entire sitcom around a group of anthropomorphic animals as main characters rather than side ones (ie Brian Griffin or Klaus) who aren’t connected by any family bond is pretty daring for a Fox cartoon. Most of the issues I have lie in the execution.

Characters (2/5) – This is all my grievances begin to form. One of the worst things one can do with an ensemble cast is include so many of them at once that the viewer loses focus, unsure of any of the main casts’ distinguishing characteristics which is exactly what this pilot suffers from. I understand that many first episodes tend to undergo some form of early installment weirdness because the show is still finding its footing. However, even those weak and/or rough pilots tend to have some idea of what their characters are like as in the case of other Fox cartoons such as Bob’s Burgers or more recently The Great North. In the former, for instance, rudimentary personality traits such as Louise’s craftiness, Tina’s pubescent awkwardness, or Gene’s random eccentricity.

Animation & Character Designs (2/5) – The former pretty stiff and lazy at times, a criticism that extends to a large share of Fox’s other programs (I’m looking at you Family Guy). Meanwhile, the latter contains the generic designs common throughout modern adult animation including Seth McFarland verse shows and their numerous imitators.

Humor & Dialogue (1.5/5) – Most of it leans towards randomness and gross-out jokes which bored the living daylights out of my already fatigued soul. The only scene I laughed at was the joke about the turtle Shel unknowingly copulating with a Croc sandal which probably says enough of what humor to expect.

Cast (3/5) – Not that it would overshadow any of the flaws I went over, but the casting contained some decent talent such as the aforementioned Lisa Kudrow, Jason Manzoukas, Will Forte, etc. that, at best, made it bearable to sit through the full episode

Final Thoughts: Overall, “Who’s a Good Girl” was an unimpressive girl for me that barely held my attention. There’s a chance HouseBroken might improve afterward, but until then, I won’t be recommending it.