Review: Central Park
Why is Josh Gad everywhere?
The actor is involved in so many projects, you'd suspect he has been told his celebrity status is about to be revoked.
One of his latest is this animated sitcom currently streaming on Apple TV+, which beat out Netflix and Hulu for it.
Which also begs the question - what is going on at Apple TV+?
It's still early days. The service is still in the throw/see what sticks stage as it tries to find its Stranger Things or Game Of Thrones.
Lots of money has been spent on shows, yet there has been a questionable lack of promotion - especially for excellent series such as For All Mankind which deserves a bigger audience.
Now comes Central Park, the musical co-creation of Gad and Bob's Burgers' Loren Bouchard.
Featuring Gad, his Frozen co-star Kristen Bell, Stanley Tucci, Tituss Burgess and Daveed Diggs to name a few, it centres on the Tillerman family who live in a mansion in the vast titular New York City green space.
They have to fend off the schemes of evil heiress Bitsy Brandenham (Tucci) who wants to turn the park into condos.
You know she's evil because she hates whales - they think they're so big.
Creating animation is tough to start with. To then set the task of making each episode funny and include fresh and engaging tunes - all original, no covers here - is the equivalent of wearing a brick tracksuit to run a marathon.
Does it pull off the double-duty feat? Mostly.
Not all songs are earworms but the lines and the beats really come together for episode three as a high-class "Hat Luncheon" fractures into a funky food fight.
While the oddball family is cute with just enough edge to not be too saccharine, the real stars are Tucci and Diggs.
Tucci's ultra rich, diminutive villain is a joy. Paired with Diggs' acerbic and equally scheming assistant Helen, you get a dream team.
You expect a level of camp with Tucci, but Diggs is a revelation.
And while Central Park appears to be centred on the Tillermans, one suspects Bitsy and Helen will demand more screen time.
Will the show prove to be the golden lure for Apple TV+?
On the strength of the four episodes seen, it has yet to find the confidence to really let loose.
Once it does, this could be one of the great TV animations.
RATING: 3/5
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