For Your Binge Consideration: American Housewife

This is the eighth article in a series of articles that a few of us will be writing. This is the For Your Binge Consideration series. Each article will talk about a show that will be returning for its second season in the 2017-18 season, and why you might want to watch the first season before the second season premieres. We continue with American Housewife. To read my take on some individual episodes of the show, you can click on the show's name in teal above.

When American Housewife was first announced, it wasn't something I was really that excited for. It sounded like something I'd like to try out, but it wasn't one of my most anticipated pilots. Then, Katy Mixon, who I'd previously known from Mike & Molly, joined the cast. That really put it on my radar. I still wasn't sure if it was something I'd end up loving, and the trailer didn't help that. However, from the start of the pilot, I just had a good feeling about the show.

The series stars Mixon as, well, an American Housewife, living in an upscale Connecticut town. Mixon's character Katie isn't a big fan of some of the town's traditions, and she totally owns the role of a sassy mom. Katie doesn't always go about things the right way, which traditionally causes some cringey (but always funny) moments. Mixon gives her best performance to date as Katie, and she does a great job leading this show. She stands out, even among a cast of eccentric characters such as these. Mixon's Katie was truly one of the funniest women on all of broadcast during the 2016-17 season, and I'm sure that will continue in 2017-18.

The cast portraying Katie's family is also very strong, with Diedrich

Bader having a great performance as Katie's lovable and well-meaning husband Greg. While Bader rarely has a leading performance in the show, he shines when he does. Time for Love, which focuses on Greg doing something special for Katie on Valentine's Day, is one of the series best episodes. Julia Butters delivers a breakout performance in the series as Katie and Greg's youngest daughter Anna-Kat. Butters always lights up the screen when she's on it, frequently delivering some of the best line while also being straight-up adorable. Katie's other children, Oliver (Daniel DiMaggio) and Taylor (Meg Donnelly) are also great, though they often play more serious roles than the others, meaning they don't get to show their goofy side quite as often. Either way, they're great and this family is one of TV's funniest.

Even outside of the family, the show has a great cast. Kate Flannery has a great recurring role as Crossing Guard Sandy, and a Sandy episode is always guaranteed to be good. Flannery brings something special to the role, and this role is reminiscent of her character for the Office, Meredith. Ali Wong is also great as Katie's sassy (and crazy) friend Doris, while Carly Hughes is also very good in the role of the more reasonable Angela.

This really is a great show for anyone who likes family comedies, particularly those found on ABC. Fans of The Goldbergs, The Middle, or Modern Family should certainly try it out, as it's a good fit tonally with those. However, this isn't just a show for family comedy lovers like myself. It's a great watch for anyone who likes a good laugh.

While I love all of the episodes and think you should watch them all if you can, you absolutely must watch the Pilot, Time for Love (episode 11), The Nap (episode 2), and The Club (episode 21). They're all great watches, and in the case of the Pilot, they're important for setting up the show and getting some background on the characters. The show is great, and I think anyone reading this should try it out. You've got nothing to lose, just to gain.

Still not convinced? Check out the trailer for the series below:

Will you be tuning into American Housewife? Or have you already watched its first season? Let me know in the comments below, and don't forget to tune into American Housewife, Wednesdays at 9:30 starting on September 27th.