My least favorite phrase in the English language is: “It is what it is.” I mean, what the hell does that even mean? Yet, when I think to myself about the new Jamie Foxx sitcom ‘Dad Stop Embarrassing Me!’ That is the phrase that keeps popping up.
It is what it is: it’s an amiable sitcom. It’s got lots of stale Dad jokes, as you would expect. It’s got a wisecracking Grandpa (David Alan Grier) who is stationed on a tight single shot to weigh in with a punchline, then cue the canned laughter. Like clockwork.
So the question becomes, is its predictability a good thing – like a comfy slipper to slide on? Or is it evidence of a lack of creativity? Probably both, but I found the cast likeable (I’ve always been a fan of Jamie Foxx, who is working beneath his ability, but since he is the Executive Producer, we can deduce that he isn’t doing anything he doesn’t want to do – so how’re you gonna argue?)
As the title suggests, this is all about a suddenly single Dad and his precocious teenage daughter Sasha (Kyla-Drew). Dad is an Atlanta entrepreneur named Brian Dixon. He is sincere and loving, but also a doofus when it comes to Dadism and a constant source of embarrassment to Sasha (again- as the title suggests).
The sitcom embraces and emphasizes its Blackness ( a strength) though, of course, there are many universal themes that will resonate with anyone, anywhere. This being Netflix, there are some swear words here and there, but they feel perfectly organic.
The first 8 episodes cover familiar basics: boyfriends vs. Dad, Smoking Weed, Dad’s love life and even an episode that skims the top of Black Lives Matters and how the police treat black people. But, it’s a sitcom, so just a thin veneer of the subject matter is covered.
I am not mad at ‘Dad Stop Embarrassing Me!’. In fact, I’m ok with the ‘comfy slipper’ aspects of those likeable but less than great sitcoms of the 80s and 90s. Jamie is still a gifted physical comedian after all these years.
As of this writing, Netflix has not confirmed a Season Two. All 8 episodes of Season 1 are currently streaming. 2 out of 4 Stars. Reviewed by Kyle Osborne
