Don’t overthink it
THE new season Offspring is ... fine.
Sense some hesitation? It’s not a rave review. The task of writing about it requires a synonym for “meh’’. In general, I’m a firm believer in letting a show end when its time has come. It’s sad, like losing a friend, but ultimately kind to put it out of its misery, and let everyone move on to the next big thing.
Unless, of course, there is unfinished business.
Few would dispute that the original ending of Offspring (season five) was satisfying.
But fans always hoped for more, and the show was resurrected last June two years after it was cancelled. Shows being un-cancelled is all the rage; think Arrested Development (ugh), The Mindy Project (better) and Community (best).
Season six, brought back from the dead, was a mixed bag. The still quirky Proudman family talked endlessly about their feelings, there was baby-making and dead exes stopping by from the afterlife.
Not a smash hit, not a flop, it achieved decent ratings, and so Offspring is back for another whirl, kicking off season seven on Wednesday.
Is it a mistake? If so, it’s not a horrible one.
The charm is still there – something that’s hard to maintain over seven seasons. Nina is less of a self-saboteur than she used to be, which is a relief.
The wacky family dynamic continues, though the novelty is long gone. As always, her wardrobe is amazing.
As the first episode begins we find Nina (Asher Keddie) still in the early stages of her relationship with Harry (Alexander England); excited, but anxious at the prospect of exposing her daughter Zoe to “a revolving door of men”. He seems nice. There must be something wrong with him. Billie (Kat Stewart) is juggling work, caring for new mum Brody (Shannon Berry), and struggling to keep the love alive with Mick (Eddie Perfect), who is still touring overseas. It’s nice to see her succeeding more than she fails.
In short, it’s business as usual. But is it any good? The answer is, meh (sorry, there’s no word quite like it).
This won’t be remembered as the best season, but I can live with zombie Offspring, since they’ve gone to the trouble of making it. As Nina tells herself in one of her trademark internal pep talks, “manage expectations, don’t overthink it”.
Good advice.