The funniest show on television unfortunately only lasted two seasons — but that shouldn’t keep you from watching it. The Mick, starring It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia actress Kaitlin Olson is one of the wittiest and most amusing shows to ever air on Fox. For those who don’t know, the series created by Dan and John Chernin is about Mickey, an unemployed and unambitious 30-something year old woman who gets stuck with being the caretaker for her nieces and nephews when her sister flees the country to avoid prison.
This show is not shy about pushing the envelope. Much like It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia there doesn’t seem to be any comedic premise too dark, perverse or gross for the cast to pursue and that’s definitely part of its charm. Viewers can expect to see exploding great grandmas, disappearing breast implants, DIY dental surgery, accidental crossbow wounds and much much more.
These instances won’t seem as far-fetched upon getting to know the characters of the show. Let’s start with Mickey, who has been dating Jimmy (Scott MacArthur) since high school, whom she refuses to call her boyfriend and treats like her pet. If Mickey hadn’t accidentally burned his butt with a bottle rocket, Jimmy would have received a full-ride to Stanford to play baseball. Too bad for Jimmy.
Her biggest headache upon moving into her sister’s mansion is her 17-year-old niece Sabrina Pemberton (Sofia Black-D’Elia). What Sabrina doesn’t realize is that her intelligence, b*itchy demeanor and lack of boundaries are no match for her aunt Mickey. Then there is her brother Chip (Thomas Barbusca). Poor Chip, not only does he feel unloved by his father, he also constantly gets bullied by his older sister and everyone at his school — but don’t worry, Mickey is always there to make it even worse.
On top of it all, Chip is the middle Child. Ben (Jack Stanton) is the youngest — unfortunately, no one really knows how old he is because only his parents know and well they’re gone now. So we’ll just say he’s little. The only person remotely able to look after Ben is the Pemberton’s maid Alba (Carla Jimenez). However, Alba hasn’t been doing much cleaning or babysitting since Mickey moved in and the two became pals. Living in such a dysfunctional environment it’s no wonder Ben burns down the house and gets kicked out of school.
The Mick might have a small cast, but that only makes it better — each character is able to stand on their own. It is the outrageous plot arcs and characters that make this show so irresistibly funny. Although there are only two seasons there are enough shenanigans to last a lifetime. I also enjoy that the women run both the mansion and the show. If you haven’t seen The Mick you are truly missing out on some fun.
The Mick is available to stream on Hulu.
Grade: A
By Blair Krassen @blairlyawake