Lunatics: TV Review
Exploring the lives of six eccentric characters across Netflix's 10 episode mockumentary series, Chris Lilley is back! But... is it worth watching?
Lunatics introduces multiple characters, all bizarre (beautiful?) in their own way. We meet Jana, a South African pet-psychic to the stars, Keith, a clothing store veteran and aspiring fashion designer (who's also in love with the old company till), Becky, a very tall girl in her first year of college, Gavin, the future earl of an English country estate, Quentin, a big-bottomed and incompetent estate agent turned DJ and finally, Joyce, a washed-up adult film star turned hoarder.
There's real potential with the premise for Lunatics to be funny, however the most glaring problem with the series is Chris Lilley's choice of characters. They're so eccentric that they're beyond relatable, with the exception of Becky, a downtrodden college girl who turns to social media for acceptance.
With that said, all of the above could be forgiven if the characters were side-splittingly funny, they're not. The jokes, if you can call them that, are often long winded - and it's rarely worth waiting for the punchline.
One scene in particular follows Joyce as she shows the camera crew her extensive collection, no jokes, nothing. Just like any other episode of Hoarders... and we've all surely seen enough of that already. It's a shame the opportunity to be cleverly satirical with this character was missed, by a mile!
As the series progresses, the jokes grow stronger. Undeniably there's still a fair share of clunkers still in there but there's a few nuggets of gold in there. Our highlight of the entire series is a single line from Keith, having renamed the family clothing store under the name 'My Dick' and launched his own clothing line with a catwalk-style launch party. "Tonight has put My Dick on the map". It's a cheap laugh but it proves Chris Lilley should stay away from the complicated, drawn-out humour, especially because it doesn't land.
Particular characters are given far too screen time, Quentin being one. Is he an estate agent or is he a DJ now? We really don't really care either way. Gavin too, the few gags he actually has are frustratingly overused - a sex toy attached to a drone, to name one. Considering how eccentric these characters should be, it's disappointing they've fallen flat.
All the characters are working cogs in the grand scheme of Lunatics though. The series does serve a purpose, kind of... and it becomes clearer as the series progresses. Chris Lilley wants people to be happy in their own skin and embrace all their quirks. His explanation of this message is long-winded and his teaching style is unique but it's simply the Chris Lilley way. Like these characters, we just need to accept it.
If you hold Chris Lilley's earlier work (Summer Heights High, Angry Boys) close to your heart, you might want to dodge his latest installment. It's full of missed opportunities, awkward interactions and mind-numbingly clunky dialogue leading nowhere.
That said, you can never have too many 'My Dick' jokes...
Rating: 2/5
Lunatics is streaming on Netflix now.