May 29, 2020

Bob's Burgers" meets Broadway: "Central Park" launches on Apple TV+ to positive reviews

Fox may regret passing on "Central Park. The musical sitcom sparked a bidding war among the streaming giants after the broadcaster turned it down, with Apple TV+ winning. The platform is launching the show today, and the results are said to be quite good.

Co-produced by Lauren Bouchard, creator of Fox's hit series "Bob's Burgers," "Central Park" follows the exploits of the dysfunctional Tillerman family. The Tillerman family lives in a New York City park that their father Owen manages. The family begins to face off against Bitsy, a mad heiress who wants to turn the park into condominiums. Full of humor and Broadway style.

Bouchard created and wrote the show with Nora Smith, from "Bob's Buggers," and Josh Gad, best known for voicing Olaf in "Anna and the Snow Queen." Developed by 20th Century Fox Television. Animation is produced by Bento Box, which also produces Bob's Burgers.

The first season contains 10 episodes, the first two of which were released today on Apple TV+. New episodes will be available every Friday, and a second season is already in the works. While "Central Park" is Apple's most high-profile animated feature to date, the "Peanuts" spin-off series "Snoopy in Space" was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award last week.

Critics have warmly received the show, especially praising the music. Here are their comments:

Brian Tallerico praised the show on RogerEbert.com:

"Central Park" is a brilliant gift for comedy fans, musical fans, and, well, everyone: ...... With a ridiculously talented voice cast, "Central Park" unfolds like a great Broadway musical, relying more on new songs than "Bob's Burgers," but maintaining that show's sharp sense of humor and huge heart. It's by far the best of the bunch, and one of the best shows anywhere in 2020. Can't wait for more.

After praising the songs, Variety's Caroline Framke tentatively praised the script:

The show is four episodes in and still polishing its particular version of New York, but the characters are generally sharp and funny enough to keep viewers wriggling through the engaging. With a better grasp of the setting and more room for the family comedy at its core, "Central Park" could blossom into something special.

Kristen Baldwin gave the show a B+ in Entertainment Weekly, arguing that it fits nicely into the streamer's catalog:

Central Park was originally developed for Fox, but Apple TV+. is perhaps fortunate that it has switched to The show feels more integrated with the charming light-com oddities of shows like "Dickinson" than a placeholder for cartoon domination. Even the poet [Emily Dickinson] herself might be tickled by a song that rhymes "son and daughter" with "dirty hot dog water."

Rolling Stone's Alan Sepinwall compared it both favorably and unfavorably to "Bob's Burgers" and gave it four stars:

The fun in Central Park is inverted from what one would expect from "Bob's Burgers". The songs are fun, but the comedy is a bit thin. The character-based comedy that Bouchard excels at benefits greatly from both the writers and the audience having a deeper understanding of who everyone is and why they act a certain way.

The exhilaration of the music makes most of the less melodious productions of the show seem a bit stilted by comparison. The charm of "Bob's Burgers" and "Home Movies" comes largely from the natural chemistry of the ensemble, which oozes familiarity. Despite their unquestionable talent, the cast of "Central Park" has yet to enjoy the organic, snappy interactions because they are not only not yet comfortable in their individual roles, but they are also not working with each other.