Kevin Can F**k Himself ★★★☆☆
I wish I could rate this higher. The central idea is extremely good and for the first few episodes I was really enjoying the contrast between the sitcom and drama scenes and in particular what the multicamera perspective, sets and lighting obscures. The plaster on Allison’s hand that’s barely visible under the sitcom lights but stands out as soon as she’s away from Kevin, the mess in their bedroom stuffed up against the fourth wall that is invisible to the sitcom cameras.
But as soon as the third episode I thought that it was missing opportunities to do more with the central gimmick (I was surprised there wasn’t a big jump-cut involving that spit-roasted pig) and how it relates to Kevin’s abuse. There are still interesting things done with it throughout the show, but it feels like it’s drowned out by the escalations of the more crime drama plot that takes off and takes over.
The show, outside of the faux-levity of the sitcom, is also dour to the point of its own detriment. There is (dark) humour there and obviously people being miserable in their general situation is part of the premise but there is, for instance, so much tension in every scene with Patty and Tammy that it’s hard to understand why Tammy is sticking around at all. They never seem remotely comfortable around each other on screen.
It does pick up again towards the end—Kevin finally letting the mask slip is great—but the whole thing feels like it could have been a great miniseries that got padded too long.