This is one of the best series I've ever seen. It follows the Tolchucks, a typical American family, in an area of the US that is neither the most or the least open to non-Westerners. Justin, the son, is not terribly popular in high school, and the principal talks them into taking an exchange student, so that he can have at least one friend. It turns out that "from London" doesn't necessarily mean that he's Anglo-Saxon, and the program begets them the Muslim Raja, who is intelligent and speaks flawless English. This clash of cultures is part of the focus, but this actually explores an awful lot of relevant, important subjects, several of which are potentially provocative, and they are always handled respectfully, and without talking down to the viewer. The humor is almost invariably hilarious, and leaves the audience in stitches. There are numerous different types, including clever jokes and gags, social commentary, sharp satire and a little gross-out stuff. This is witty and memorable. There are some laughs based on humiliation and such, yes, however, it's far less than other recent teenage comedies, and it seldom dwells on it. While this can get twisted and, to an extent, "out there", it's usually still in good taste. The pacing is perfect, this never slows down any more than it ought to, so you get the emotional impact and the comedic timing without losing how jam-packed with material every of the 18 episodes of this is. It's brilliant from the very first moment. Although there are arguably a couple of repetitive plot ideas, every one of the stories are magnificent and memorable. The dialog is quotable, well-written and impeccably delivered. All of the acting performances are spot-on, including the guest stars. I'm not sure how many well-known TV names there are in the cast, apart from Pietz from Caroline in the City and Patterson of Gilmore Girls(that I haven't watched, I looked it up). The language is mild to nonexistent, sex is hinted at or referred to, and violence, even for the sake of being funny, is limited. I recommend this to anyone who can imagine they may enjoy this. 10/10
Review of Aliens in America
