In a sentenceDavid Walton could charm his way out of a washing-up rota, and the script would probably congratulate him
Will (David Walton) puts himself first, an attitude that shapes his relationship with Marcus (Benjamin Stockham). As the two form a bond, their friendship leaves Will’s selfish habits open to question. Fiona (Minnie Driver) is the other central figure in a comedy-drama about people becoming attached to one another without being family. Will and Marcus find reasons to spend time together, while Will’s behaviour raises the question of what each can expect from the other. Their relationship provides the starting point for episodes running 22 minutes.
About a Boy has an appealing pair in David Walton and Benjamin Stockham, but the writing makes their friendship too easy to applaud. It is a pleasant comedy with less bite than its selfish lead needs.
About a Boy is a modestly enjoyable comedy whose cast repeatedly rescues thin writing. The friendship between Will and Marcus gives it a sound starting point, provided their differences remain a source of trouble. Here, their growing affection is often asked to do too much of the work. The programme wants us to enjoy Will’s freedom and welcome his attachment to Marcus, without looking too closely at what his selfishness costs other people. That limits how funny, or how moving, their relationship can become.
David Walton is the chief reason to persist. As Will, he has the comic timing to keep selfish behaviour amusing, and enough warmth to stop the character becoming exhausting company. We can understand why Marcus is drawn to him without being told that this is a friendship worth caring about. That is useful work in a role the writing has not given much depth. The difficulty comes when the programme accepts his appeal as sufficient reason to let his behaviour pass.
Benjamin Stockham makes Marcus someone worth spending time with in his own right. We were touched by their bond in the pilot, because the actors make their pleasure in each other’s company seem unforced. Those early exchanges establish an affection that the programme sometimes weakens by insisting on it. Marcus has a narrower range of responses than the performance deserves, too readily shaped to suit a familiar sitcom exchange. The quicker dialogue gives him more to work with.
Fiona fares worse. Minnie Driver has too little complexity to work with, and the shortage matters because the central friendship needs another person who can complicate our view of it. When Will is allowed to be appealingly selfish while Fiona remains thinly drawn, the comedy has already decided whose side we should take. The actors’ chemistry cannot fully correct that imbalance. She needs more room to be funny for reasons of her own.
Jason Katims and Carrie Kemper are among the credited writers, and the brisk dialogue gives the cast plenty to use. Exchanges move quickly enough to keep the warmer passages from becoming completely soggy. The problem is how often the script asks affection to settle questions it has barely explored. Will’s selfishness could make him awkward company even when we like him, but the programme is too ready to treat it as something enviable. Its jokes work better when they notice people’s failings without immediately excusing them.
The 22-minute format should suit a friendship that can change a little at a time, and the pilot gives it somewhere to start. Family sitcoms need some reassurance, but this one is too quick to offer it when a moment of discomfort might have been funnier. The later episodes do not consistently fulfil the promise of that initial bond, despite the actors’ efforts. Anyone looking for gentle character comedy will find enough here to try an episode. Start with the pilot, and stop there if the sweetness already feels excessive.
Lowry finds the pilot charming and endearing, though he notes that later episodes are less successful. He especially praises the warmth of the central relationship and the natural bonding moments between Will and Marcus.
Read the full review →Goodman finds the series has the ingredients to become a successful comedy, provided it balances sentimentality with snark. He praises the cast’s comic chemistry and sharp observations, while faulting the overly saccharine Will-Marcus storyline and Fiona’s one-dimensional characterization.
Read the full review →Seitz is sharply negative about the series, objecting to its sitcom-like characters and formula. He especially criticizes how the show frames Will’s selfish behavior as liberating and admirable.
Read the full review →Rozeman finds the pilot a warm, sentimental adaptation that works despite losing much of the source’s nuance. He praises David Walton’s charm and comedic timing, while criticizing the reduced depth of Will and the sitcom-like characterization of Marcus.
Read the full review →Keene finds the series charming and increasingly funny, though it starts shakily and lacks the original story’s emotional depth. She singles out Benjamin Stockham’s performance and the quick, effective dialogue as strengths.
Read the full review →
Uncle · not on Fi1m yetAnother unreliable adult discovers that children are inconveniently good company.
The KidA child and an ill-equipped guardian make sentiment feel properly earned.
Hunt for the WilderpeopleAn awkward boy meets an unwilling guardian, with room for real grief.
Together · not on Fi1m yetCommunal living, adult foolishness and children who notice rather too much.
DetectoristsFor companionship, patient comic timing and affection that avoids becoming compulsory.
