Mediocre MURDERVILLE Relies Too Much on Crude Humor
By Movieguide® Staff
MURDERVILLE Season 1 is a Netflix television show follows that Terry Seattle, a homicide detective as he investigates a new crime each episode. Each episode he is accompanied by a celebrity guest, who has not been given a script and must improvise their way through the investigation.
MURDERVILLE is written by Marina Cockenberg, Krister Johnson, Kerry O’Neill, Anna Drezen, Hannah Levy, Adriana Robles and Jack Kukoda. It is produced by Will Arnett, Krister Johnson and Marc Forman. It stars Will Arnett alongside Haneehfah Wood and Lilan Bowden, with guest stars Conan O’Brien, Annie Murphy, Ken Jeong, Kumali Nanjiani, Marshawn Lynch and Sharon Stone.
Throughout the episodes, Det. Seattle gripes with his chief officer, Rhonda Jenkins, who is also his ex-wife. Seattle is against a new partner, and insists that he does not need one, despite his constant blunders. He must also solve the murder of his dead partner, and determine who the murderer is with the help of Ken Jeong.
MURDERVILLE has a slight moral worldview that focuses on justice, though the protagonist clearly has his several flaws, including a foul mouth. Between Seattle and the guests, there is a significant amount of foul language with some F-bombs.
There is implied violence, as the characters explore different murders, and viewers see the aftermath such as pools of blood. There is no visible violence committed. There both smoking and alcohol use. Much of the jokes are sexually crude and contain foul language.
The production value of MURDERVILLE is good, with notable aspects being the camera work and writing. The concept of improvisation given in the show is unique, as no show has done it before. Although (as is to be expected) some jokes fall flat, Will Arnett and his guest star can usually keep up an entertaining presence. The camera work that moves on the fly is well done, as well as the sets and actors.
MURDERVILLE Season 1 is a well-produced and directed comedy, with its element of improvisation adding something new to the genre. The show is the type one would put in the background, and not much attention is needed to understand it. Sadly, this fun show is marred by too much foul language, and extreme discernment is advised for adults.
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