Family Tree: Season 1

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 28 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 31 Ratings

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7.3

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7.3	Your Score
7.3	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 31 Ratings

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Season Details & Credits

HBO | Season Premiere Date: May 12, 2013

Starring: Chris O'Dowd, Tom Bennett, Nina Conti

Summary: Christopher Guest's improvisational mockumentary comedy follows Tom Chadwick (Chris O'Dowd) as he investigates his ancestry after inheriting a mysterious box of belongings from his great aunt.

Creator: Jim Piddock and Christopher Guest

Genre(s): Comedy

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Season 1 Episodes

tbd
S1:E8. Cowboys
Air Date: July 7, 2013
tbd
S1:E7. Indians
Air Date: June 30, 2013
tbd
S1:E6. Civil War
Air Date: June 23, 2013

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Tim Goodman

May 9, 2013

A quirky and hilarious gem. Read full review

Alan Sepinwall

May 9, 2013

Tom Chadwick is a man with a fixation that’s both reasonable and relatable, and he becomes our tour guide to the familiar, funny Christopher Guest worldview. Read full review

Ellen Gray

May 10, 2013

Along the way, Tom becomes briefly attached to potential ancestors who don't pan out or aren't quite what they first seem--a not unfamiliar experience is frequently rendered funny by just a small dollop of strangeness. Sometimes it's more than a dollop, but Family Tree doesn't dwell so long on any single absurdity to make anyone uncomfortable. Read full review

Chuck Bowen

May 9, 2013

Like the characters who occupy Guest's best work, particularly A Mighty Wind, Tom and his friends have real stature, and the jokes often gracefully comment on their yearning to puncture the bubbles of their own self-concern to connect to others. Read full review

Jace Lacob

May 30, 2013

The television mockumentary format may be reaching oversaturation. But for Family Tree, the result is nonetheless appealing, what I like to call "tea-cozy television"--nothing too precious or too taxing, but comforting to watch all the same. Read full review

Mike Hale

May 10, 2013

Family Tree can feel a little loose and inconsequential.... But that also means that we get to spend more time with Mr. Guest’s crack cast of improvisers and there are moments in each half-hour that pay off. Read full review

Willa Paskin

May 10, 2013

The results contain both fart jokes and erudition, but not so much heart. Family Tree is colder and flatter than Guest’s best work, missing its inspired kookery and high energy strangeness. Read full review

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User Score

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7.3

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User Reviews

mellowsongs

Jul 2, 2013

Hilarious show! Amazing cast.
It's not your typical sitcom with silly laugh tracks, which means that a lot people won't get the subtleties. Christopher Guest is a comedy genius!

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

wordsilk

Jun 15, 2013

This show has so many quietly outrageous moments I just can't stop laughing. I look forward to it each week. I think I like Monkey the most who wouldn't? What's really funny is the family is really that strange when you stop and think about it not compared with my family and probably mostThis show has so many quietly outrageous moments I just can't stop laughing. I look forward to it each week. I think I like Monkey the most who wouldn't? What's really funny is the family is really that strange when you stop and think about it not compared with my family and probably most other families as well.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

MarcDoyle

May 12, 2013

I agree with Tim Goodman completely quirky and hilarious. I'm looking forward to seeing the characters develop. It's a nice addition to HBO's Sunday night lineup.

5 of 7 users found this helpful52

jazzpoprocks

Jul 4, 2013

The actors are great and expectations are high, but it's not funny at all. Other reviewers defend or 'explain' that it's not the show's fault, it's you, by insinuating that only those with astute and fine tuned minds for such unique humor will appreciate the nil laughs. I expected somethingThe actors are great and expectations are high, but it's not funny at all. Other reviewers defend or 'explain' that it's not the show's fault, it's you, by insinuating that only those with astute and fine tuned minds for such unique humor will appreciate the nil laughs. I expected something along the lines of The Office or at least totally sarcastic and absurd, because of the the genre but that is not the case at all. Nothing much happens, and you don't particularly sympathize with anyone. Everybody is so fake nice on the show case in point how is the monkey puppet thing funny? The money 'character' insults everyone, and everyone just deals with it and takes it in stride! After watching the excellent, superb (plus many more compliments) Moone Boy I wanted so much more for Chris O'Dowd. Moone Boy is ACTUALLY funny.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

Seasons & Episodes

74

Series Overview
Season 1

74
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: May 12, 2013
- tbd
  S1:E8. Cowboys
  Air Date: July 7, 2013
- tbd
  S1:E7. Indians
  Air Date: June 30, 2013
- tbd
  S1:E6. Civil War
  Air Date: June 23, 2013
- tbd
  S1:E5. Welcome to America
  Air Date: June 16, 2013
- tbd
  S1:E4. Country Life
  Air Date: June 9, 2013
- tbd
  S1:E3. The Austerity Games
  Air Date: May 26, 2013
- tbd
  S1:E2. Treading the Boards
  Air Date: May 19, 2013
- tbd
  S1:E1. The Box
  Air Date: May 12, 2013