Why Side Hustle Might Be the Start of Nick Sitcoms Renaissance? a TV review by Felix In The Future Productions
This is my first journal in a while after focusing on graphing past kids tv schedules. And I want to resume with a Nick themed essay. This month, they have premiered two new promising live-action shows. One is about 5 kids becoming astronauts after accidentally launching a spaceship. This particular show that I will be talking about follows two girls Lex and Presley (played by actual best friends named, Annie/Jules LeBlanc and Jayden Bartels) who must find part-time jobs in order to repair their friend’s father’s boat (who is actually their school principal). With the help of Presley’s brother Fisher, they use an app called Kid-DING to find jobs to pay the money they owed. With a concept like this, do you think this show would only last one season? Well, we’ll have to keep watching to find out. Even if the girls finally pay their principal back by the end of the first season, the next season will probably have them doing something different and they break another property, leading to more job shenanigans. After watching this show, let me just say that it is a breath of fresh air for Nick sitcoms and it could save their live-action lineup for years to come and here are a few reasons. First of all, it is not another Dan Schneider production. For years, Nick has depended on the same producer to create their sitcoms much like how CBS loves to rely on Chuck Lorre to make cheap sitcoms with laugh tracks. I don’t count Young Dylan nor Danger Force as the sitcom that’s gonna save Nick’s live-action content because the former is created by someone who is divided and is dominating BET and the latter is spinoff of a popular sitcom which is only remaining influences from DanWarp. And last, it’s not another sitcom that has to do with superheroes or singing talents (I felt like we have too many of those shows for Nick and Disney). And plus, the concept haven’t been done by Disney before, so Nick gets positive points for being original. I started this review a few weeks ago, but now that I watched the first 4 episodes, I can gladly say that show is more bearable than the likes of later iCarly, Fred the Show, Sam and Cat, Henry Danger, Game Shakers, Knight Squad, etc. The characters are tolerable although Fisher should dial it back with her crush on Lex. Munchy (who is played by Terry Crews’ son Isaiah) is the funniest character on the show imo (and his brother Jaget have just as much as memorable one-liners). The writing isn’t the strongest aspect of the show, but as a TV critic, I came for the entertainment. It can get formulaic and there’s moments that make you “OH, I know what’s gonna happen in the end” and roll your eyes. But it’s harmless and not as frustrating as Cyma greenlit sitcoms where every most of them had that writing style. Oh, and the overacting is present, but it’s not as force as it was in 2010s kid sitcoms. Sure, Annie and Jayden should’ve used a little more work on their acting skills as they’re social media stars. Right now, Jayden is somewhat better as she had more TV experience than Annie who fame started through video blogging with their family. The theme song is a bop and yes it continues the tradition of main stars performing it. I just wish it last a little longer but you know, they gotta make room for commercials. Vitamin D-iaster is the best episode from what I’ve seen so far because it takes its usual Nick absurdness to the next level. Currently, Trashy Jobs is my least favorite episode because of Ruby and I knew she was going to do something to get rid of the girls just to be closer to Fisher. On the subject of live-action programming, I feel like with the new VP in charge, Nick is finally making quality sitcoms again (they’ve always been good with game shows since they made them relevant). Hopefully, the next sitcoms like Brendar the Barbarian and Warped! (If it does get picked up which I hope, we should use for a new sitcom featuring an All That 2019 member right about now) will finally be the part of this long awaited sitcom comeback Nick desperately needs. I recommend this show for the target audience especially if you’re fans of the main stars. Their star power might be the reason why we might have another hit on our hands for Nickelodeon. 7/10
