The Goode Family
Three stars
8 p.m., WLS-Channel 7
By Paige Wiser, TV Critic
pwiser@suntimes.com
If being politically correct is a full-time job, then the Goode family is working double shifts -- and covering for the rest of us. Mike Judge's new series is about the kind of people who have a bumper sticker on their Prius that says, "Support our troops... and their opponents."
The show's immediate predecessor is "King of the Hill," which hasn't been renewed and is airing its last few episodes. It will receive a more fitting, hourlong sendoff in the fall.
But before you can really miss those endearing rednecks, Judge supplies us with "The Goode Family." It's a solid replacement. The Goodes are basically the polar opposites of the Hills, determined to tiptoe through life with the smallest carbon footprint possible.
Meet . . .
Gerald: A college administrator who relaxes in bicycle shorts, and prefers to shower outside in collected rainwater. Voiced by Judge, he sounds like an effeminate Hank Hill.
Helen: A compulsive volunteer who is trying to overcompensate for her politically incorrect father (Brian Doyle-Murray). Voiced by Nancy Carell (Steve's wife), she sounds like a more feminine Kathy Griffin.
Bliss: Their teen daughter, who seems fairly sane. Voiced by Linda Cardellini, the "ER" actress who embodied teen angst in the beloved "Freaks and Geeks."
Ubuntu: Their adopted son. Although the Goodes were hoping for a black baby, they accidentally ended up with a white, blond South African baby, now 16.
Che: The dog, who is involuntarily "vegan" but secretly supplements his diet with neighborhood pets.
Maybe it's because of the crippling guilt I feel about my own consumerism, but I hadn't realized that so much is funny about being eco-responsible. Hybrid drag racing! Nonviolent squirrel disposal! Occasionally, the Goodes' fumbling liberalism even makes you think. Might reusable bags really be made in sweatshops?
I laughed out loud when Gerald summed up the appeal of daytime TV by saying, "'The View' is on! The pretty one is saying crazy stuff again!"
If you passionately loved "King of the Hill," you will cautiously like "The Goode Family." Tiptoe into it if necessary.
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