So a couple weeks ago I was looking
for something to watch on Netflix. I was pretty tired so I didn’t think too
much about what it was. I figured I would be asleep fairly quickly so it wouldn’t
really matter if it was that great. I don’t even remember how I decided, it
might have just been a random click, but I settled on the show Trailer Park
Boys, a show I have never even heard of before. I settled in with a decent
amount of certainly that it was going to be lame, but before I knew it, I was
on the third episode and I was anything but asleep.
It is a
mocumentary style show that follows two newly released cons Julian and Ricky,
including their friends and foes, as they try to survive in the Sunnyvale
Trailer Park community. What’s great about the show is that it leaves a lot of
room for adlibbing. It is minimally scripted which makes it easy to see how
connected each actor is to his or her character. The mocumentary style also
calls for a more intimate atmosphere and makes the viewer feel even that more involved
in the show.
When I
first started watching it, I had a hard time finding any sort of sympathy for
Julian and Ricky. From the minute they were released from jail they returned to
their old tricks and schemes, not even imagining that they would ever get
caught again. But as I watched more and more episodes, I found myself understanding
their characters and seeing how kind hearted they actually were. Even though
they continuously made poor choices, the final scene of the show was always
something sweet that would make me go right back to liking them again.
Their
friend Bubbles, a Sunnyvale icon, also made me become gradually sympathetic to
every other scummy character. Bubbles is the moral silver lining of the show,
and seems to constantly bring Julian and Ricky back down to earth. Without him,
I don’t think the two would have any kindheartedness left in them.
I highly
recommend this show even though I do realize that it is an acquired taste. It
is a different type of humor that might not be for everyone. But it is a lighthearted
comedy that has many touching moments and I think everyone should give it a
try.
