A stand-up dad in old-school ‘Marlon’
No matter what the situation, Marlon can be counted on to overreact. Ashley ponders getting breast augmentation, and Marlon freaks out.
NBC’s new sitcom “Marlon” is pretty formulaic, so much so that it would be dismissable were it not for the fact that, as the title suggests, Marlon Wayans is the star of the series, which launches on Wednesday, Aug. 16., with back-toback episodes.
Wayans is a proven talent, so that part isn’t surprising. What is unexpected is finding Wayans starring in an oldfashioned show reminiscent of the recently canceled “Last Man Standing.” Like that show, though, “Marlon” works well enough because of the comedic appeal of its star.
Created by Christopher Moynihan (“Man Up”), “Marlon” is a show about a dad who’s a successful online personality, and his friendly relationship with his ex-wife Ashley (Essence Atkins) as they raise their two kids, Marley (Notlim Taylor) and her younger brother, Zack (Amir O’Neil). Both of the kids’ roles follow well-used templates. Marley is getting to the age where she’s interested in boys, thereby freaking her father out, while Zack is the young wiseass.
The tattered pages of the rule book say you have to have a comic sidekick for Mom, and her name here is Yvette (Bresha Webb), who’s always on hand to get under Marlon’s skin and to provide punch lines for Ashley. Marlon, meanwhile, has a permanent couch occupant named Stevie (Diallo Riddle), whose presence is not needed to remind us that for all of Marlon’s outrageous behavior, at least he has a stable job, loves his kids and wants to ensure that his family is taken care of.
Marlon himself is the biggest kid in the show, though, and as such, the one element that at least nudges “Marlon” toward the 21st century. No matter what the situation, Marlon (the character) can be counted on to overreact. Ashley ponders getting breast augmentation, and Marlon freaks out, because he thinks she’s doing it to attract men, of course. She visits a doctor, and Marlon causes a scene.
Marlon and Ashley consider the reality that although they’re divorced, sex between exes isn’t entirely off the table, but Marlon freaks out when he leaps to the conclusion that Ashley will want them to get back together after they hook up.
Marley is showing a typical teenage interest in boys. Marlon freaks out.
No matter what the situation, Marlon freaks out, and more often than not, with comically successful results.
Marlon’s freak-outs may not make a whole lot of logical sense, but they are basically stand-up bits in and of themselves. In fact, even the opening of each episode evokes the much-used format where a comic in the starring role does a kind of mini-monologue before the story begins.
The rest of the cast is fine, but the character of Stevie feels vestigial here. Riddle is OK, but it’s almost as though Moynihan and Wayans wanted to craft a supporting male role that was so bland, Wayans would never be in danger of being upstaged.
Although “Marlon” may not come close in quality and sophistication to, say, “Modern Family,” or even “The Middle,” it’s modestly enjoyable and a smart move on NBC’s part. The network is airing two episides of the new show every Wednesday, while ABC’s occupants of the time slot, “Modern Family” and “American Housewife,” are on hiatus.
David Wiegand is an assistant managing editor and the TV critic of The San Francisco Chronicle. Follow him on Facebook. Email: dwiegand@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @WaitWhat_TV