PILOT REVIEW: Almost Family

ALMOST FAMILY

Starring: Brittany Snow, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Emily Osment, Mo McRae, Mustafa Elzein, Victoria Cartagena and Timothy Hutton

Developed for American Television by Annie Weisman
Teleplay by Annie Weisman, Directed by Leslye Headland

Almost Family easily takes the cake for strangest, and ickiest, premise of the new season (sorry, Bob Hearts Abishola, you've been dethroned!). But I was willing to look past that because of a couple reasons, which I'll get to below, if the show was good. I'm sorry to say it's not.

The story is centered on a renowned fertility doctor, Leon Bechley (Timothy Hutton), who is being honored when it's revealed that he used his own sperm to help conceive over 100 children. Not only does this create a major scandal, but it sends his daughter and colleague, Julia (Brittany Snow) into a major spiral as she discovers she may have many, many siblings she never knew about. While there are apparently 100 siblings out there, the series focuses primarily on two half siblings, Julia's former friend Edie (Megalyn Echikunwoke) and a retired Olympian, Roxy (Emily Osment). Do you feel icky after reading that paragraph? I don't blame you.

Despite the oddness of the premise, I really wanted to like this show and the primary reason is Brittany Snow and the secondary reason is Timothy Hutton. I have loved Brittany Snow since she was on American Dreams back in the early 2000s. I'm not as obsessed with her as I was as a teenager back then, but I think she's a very underrated actress. I'm not as obsessed with Timothy Hutton, but he's been good in everything I've ever seen him in. Both of these actors do help Almost Family from devolving into a complete disaster, but they aren't able to elevate it so it can rise above the material.

I also can't help but wonder what this show is going to look like going forward. I think the best thing it could do is move past this premise quickly and become a relationship drama. But I don't even know if that's possible because the premise seems a little too embedded into the whole show. Also, will other siblings just keep appearing the way people popped up on The Last Man on Earth? Because that could mean the story gets in over its head. There is some morbid curiosity here, I will admit.

WILL I WATCH IT AGAIN?
This one is a tough call. I didn't like it, but I'm mildly curious to see what a second episode looks like so I might give it one more shot.