Hey guys, remember when I wrote that post raving about MTV’s Awkward and telling y’all to watch it and then some of you did and your lives were a thousand times better and you’re welcome? Well, I’m back with another YA TV show that I think, no, I KNOW you will love. So if you’re not already watching it, listen to your Auntie Sarah and start catching up on Suburgatory IMMEDIATELY.
What? You need proof? You can’t just take my word for it, even after I introduced you to the glory of Awkward, with its TIA and sex touches and pink eye? Or maybe you actually do believe me, but you can see that I’ve already written an entire post detailing the awesomeness of Surburgatory and you’d hate to see it go to waste. Well, bless your sweet heart. I appreciate that! So let’s put this post to good use and examine the evidence!
First, a brief intro to the show. Tessa has spent her entire life thus far living in and loving on New York City, so when her dad, George, forces their little two-person-family to move to the burbs out of paranoia about the “evil influences” of the Big Apple, Tessa is understandably pissed. Stuck in the white bread bubble of Chatswin, both she and George struggle to adapt to their new life of country clubs, Stepford neighbors and oppressive uniformity.
This show is funny, quirky and pretty authentic (for a network series), and while I think the writing is absolutely charming, it’s really the killer cast that makes this show so watchable. Seriously, when it comes to talent, Suburgatory is a fully loaded baked potato. Allow me to introduce you to the best toppings, i.e. my favorite characters:
Jane Levy as Tessa
Obvs, Jane Levy is the star of the show, and she has the strength and charisma to pull it off. Plus SHE’S SO PRETTY YOU GUYS! And as Tessa, she has the BEST clothes. I’d want to kill her for her closet if I wasn’t so busy rooting for her. Tessa is smart and sassy and spunky, but just when you think she’s too good to be true, she gets a little bratty and reminds you that yep, she’s definitely a teenager.
Jeremy Sisto as George
Jeremy Sisto! What can I say, the dude is just LOVABLE. He’s got such an affable grin and deep, Papa Bear voice and I keep wanting to ask him if he ever found his Cranberries CD. As George, he’s a goofy, caring father, clueless but not cartoonish.
Cheryl Hines as Dallas
In my baked potato analogy, Cheryl Hines is obvs the cheese. ADORE HER. The character of Dallas, Tessa and George’s neighbor, is all big hair, big teeth and big charm, which means she was tailor-made for Cheryl. It’s hilarious to watch her interact with a reluctant Tessa, but at the same time, I can’t believe that anyone would NOT want to hang out with such a fabulous, ridiculous woman. She’s like Dolly Parton, Mrs. George, and Tami Taylor rolled into one gloriously tacky package.
Carly Chaikin as Dalia
If Dallas is the cheese, then her daughter, Dalia, is the bacon bits. I don’t know if I can express to you just how much I enjoy Dalia. She’s Regina George, 2.0. She’s half robot, half Barbie. Her eyes are beautiful blue pools of dead. She once made a collage of herself, her crush, and Lil Wayne. Dalia is easily the best mean girl I’ve encountered since Mean Girls, and she’s played by Carly Chaikin, who is obviously the next Meryl Streep.
I mean, the girl doesn’t move her facial muscles AT ALL. And if you thought that was an incredible feat of acting, check out when she tries to blink in this scene:
MASTERFUL!!!! Dalia has also been immortalized on the ABC website in the form of LOL Cats:
Dalia, you are my hero. Beyotch.
Tons of other awesome people
Now, on some shows, the supporting characters are played by D-listers or Hollywood waitresses. But with Suburgatory, you get SNL alums Ana Gasteyer & Chris Parnell, Firefly fave Alan Tudyk, Weeds weirdo Allie Grant and, last but not least, FYA resident hottie Thomas McDonell. TIS A TREASURE TROVE OF CASTING RICHES! It’s like that scene in that Demi Moore movie where she lies in a bed of money, but instead, this show is lying in a bed full of FANTASTIC ACTORS! And flinging them into the air! And laughing outrageously!
So, to sum up, the characters on Suburgatory are the SHIZZ, and I adore inhabiting their world every week. If I could, I would go shopping and get blow-outs with Dallas and Dalia every freaking day, but I guess I’ll have to make do with half an hour on Wednesdays.
If you haven’t already checked it out, tune in tonight and lemme know what you think. And seriously, if you find that Cranberries CD in the quad, PLEASE let George know.
