After watching the first two episodes of last year’s first season of “Casual” (which left this reviewer a little cold to say the least) the dramedy has returned to Hulu and, it has to be said, the show grows on you. It is back with a Golden Globe nomination under its belt and the same protagonists as season one. There was a finale that featured Valerie having sex with her brother Alex’s girlfriend that ruffled a few male feathers and this season starts with his adapting to this latest heartbreak.
The stars of the show are:
Michaela Watkins as Valerie Meyers.
Tommy Dewey as Alex Cole.
Tara Lynne Barr as Laura Meyers.
Nyasia Hatendi as Leon.
“Casual” still has the two women, mother and daughter, sharing a house with brother/uncle Alex who developed a dating website. In the preceding episodes of last year, apparently the website has been taken over and Alex is in need of a job.
The first episode had him going through “phase three” of the breakup with Emmy (Eliza Coupe) – the girlfriend that Valerie had sex with – and a new tenant at Meyers’ office building disrupts her day-to-day therapy sessions with clients.
The second episode has Alex teaching Laura at home since her search for a new high school has come up empty after the sex tape scandal got her kicked out of her old school. Her uncle throws himself into the project, much to the dismay of both Laura and Valerie.
Valerie gets back in touch with some old friends and finds that her ex Drew (Zak Orth) has hijacked them all since the divorce. At work there is a lot of office furniture, including a three seater couch, that is blocking the way to the restroom.
Laura struggles to get through Alex’s curriculum and as Valerie learns that her old chums are at the restaurant she is at, Leon, Laura and Alex head to a local bar to play trivial pursuit. Valerie joins her old friends and things are made awkward when Drew arrives.
At the bar, Leon (who is Mr. Trivial Pursuit) bails before the end of the contest and Laura helps her uncle to lose. Drew and Valerie connect at the bar and actually have a non-egressive moment.
By the end if the second episode Valerie has met Jennifer from the office next door and Laura has decided to go for a co-op home school where Alex will not be her teacher.
“Casual” has improved with more viewings. It is a dramedy with a smoother line than when it initially started last year. The actors have stopped mumbling their lines and the comedy had improved as well.
The trio of dysfunctional family members grow on you. They have become characters who have developed into multi-dimensional beings that we actually care about and can connect with. A tip; it helps to binge the first season. This brings the viewer up to par with the characters and the storyline.
After the first two episodes in season one, this reviewer gave up on the show and never returned. Binging season one and watching the opening episodes of season two revealed a series that has found its feet and a decent pace.
Dramedy fans will want to tune in on Tuesdays at Hulu and catch the latest in “Casual.” Try it, you might actually enjoy it.
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