new half-hour comedy gives a man who's disappointed with himself, his parents, his sister and his life a shot at a "do-over." When grown-up Joel Larsen arrives at the present-day scene of his family home in the hands of firefighters—thanks to his father's attempt at making a sandwich—his sister knocks Joel unconscious by mistake. He wakes up in his 14-year-old body in 1981.
Anyone who remembers the movie Peggy Sue Got Married can call a lot of the shots from this point on. Like Peggy Sue, Joel is an adult trapped in disillusionment and disappointment. Suddenly, he finds himself inhabiting his teen body 20 years in the past. He panics at the thought of going to school, more so at taking an unexpected math test. He resorts to his usual adult comforts of drinking and smoking, much to the dismay of surrounding adults.
But Joel has even more to face. He's managed to come back in time to relive the worst day of his life. Suddenly, he's faced with the chance to relive that day and change his actions, and hopefully the rest of his life. On top of that, Joel sees the opportunity to help mend his parents' failing marriage and maybe even find a way to keep his sister from becoming a drug addict.
Sometimes Joel's on top of his adult game, sometimes he struggles with giving in to the fears of a normal 14-year-old boy. For example, he relishes the opportunity to chat up the most popular girl in school, only to feel his adult confidence slip through his fingers as she approaches. Instead of seizing the moment, Joel reverts to being a tongue-tied kid.
And yet, at the end of the day, Joel succeeds. His success trickles down, and soon his family members begin to get along with each other. It's not perfect, but it's a start.
A feel-good debut that's often over-done
Executive producer Warren Littlefield describes Do Over as "feel-good" TV. It's a nice, pithy term that's right for this new series.
The approach is light and breezy, punctuated with zingers. Sometimes it's cute. Sometimes the zippy approach doesn't feel so good—for example, when it attempts to mine the humor of Joel's sister's budding problem with drug addiction.
Newcomer Penn Badgley deftly carries the weight of the series on his shoulders, convincingly waffling between adult confidence and teen angst. A solid supporting cast complements him, cheerfully diving into the quirks of their characters. Josh Wise sparkles as Joel's best friend, Pat, a bundle of intensity who's devastated when he learns of his future fate as a Republican lawyer.
One twist that could separate Do Over from the rest of the pack is its warmth toward Joel's mother, played with a bright flair by Gigi Rice. Decked in Jane Fonda workout attire, Mrs. Larsen is clearly in step with the early '80s. At the same time, she's thinking decades ahead, only to endure her husband's scoffing. She's thinking specialty coffee shops and fusion cuisine, long before either is destined to come into style. She's an idea woman, and the ideas are coming a mile a minute. Joel knows his mom is destined to leave the marriage and strike out on her own. The question is, can Joel encourage his parents to repair the damage, while becoming the cheerleader Mrs. Larsen so desperately needs? At first glance, the characters need little more than the slightest nudge from Joel to get their acts in gear.
Viewers who can't get enough of ridiculing the music, style and fads of the 1980s will enjoy Do Over's sense of humor. Others may find it tiring.
But for viewers looking for a bit of popcorn, "feel-good" fun, Do Over might hit the spot.
