CENTRAL PARK | WE’VE BEEN WATCHING

Bob’s Burgers by Loren Bouchard is widely regarded as one of the better American TV animations in recent years. With Central Park – Bouchard’s new show, co-created by Nora Smith & Josh Gad – we get an ambitious musical. This being one of the more interesting things on Apple TV, does it work?

We begin with Birdie the busker: voiced by Gad, with usually inane dialogue. He’s the narrator, filling us in with the entire plot, most of which revolves around the Tillermans, who live in Central Park. There’s also Owen (voiced by Leslie Odom Jr.) as the weary warden, with his journalist wife Paige Turner (voiced by Kathryn Hahn). Birdie’s narration is arguably superfluous, and I expected more songs from this role.

Stealing the show for most of their time on screen are Stanley Tucci as the wealthy Bitsy Brandenham, who plans on selling Central Park off to make way for shops, condos and other businesses, and Daveed Diggs as Helen, Bitsy’s servant. These cross-gender roles evoke a cartoon pantomime, such is their vamp, but even with something as dramatic as the plan to remove the park, the stakes never feel that high. Maybe this is down to stretching it across 10 episodes in season one, or the fact that Bitsy has little to do in some of these episodes other than bitch, bully Helen or torment Shampagne, her poor dog.

Kristen Bell, the voice of daughter Molly Tillerman, will not be returning in the second season due to concerns over the optics of a white actor voicing a mixed-race character. Though she did a fine job with strong vocals throughout, it still feels unusual that she would take a role only to retire it within the first run. Molly, though, will return, this time voiced by Emmy Raver-Lampman, another one of the Hamilton posse alongside Odom Jr. and Diggs.

The awkward style from Bouchard is jarring at times, subtle and soft in other moments. All the characters look weird in profile, the absence of a chin proving a defect in their design. The only way to indicate an apparent chin is a small, missable line that looks out of place. The musical parts feature more developed animation, though the dry, sober style can also feel flat.

Central Park has several funny, relatable moments. Pondering whether you should wear trousers for a Zoom call comes to mind (the show is set pre-lockdown). There are many amusing lines, too, the comebacks being particularly strong, and its songs are also fit for purpose, with the likes of Cyndi Lauper, Meghan Trainor and Disney titan Alan Menken all offering up some treats. Some personal favourites: Momma’s Got This, sung by Paige and an earworm if ever there was one; and, perhaps best of all, If There’s A Will – Helen’s “I want more” song as she waits to acquire Bitsy’s estate after she and Shampagne pass away…

Streaming on Apple TV now. Info: here

words JAMES ELLIS image © APPLE TV