This show is such a cheerful and lovely depiction of life, but I don't feel it's saccharine or artificial (because of the ironic tone and self-consciousness of its humor), just charming. The actors all deliver their lines with such ease of manner and good timing. They seem to have astuteness and intelligence and seem to be reasonable, good-natured people, which makes their characters even more likable. Their ease of delivery and humility (because it's not a big show) and the clever, ironic humor of the scripts gives the show a rare effortlessness and kind of a feeling of familiarity/coziness (they don't try hard to be funny like a person would with a stranger) that makes you feel at ease watching it. I also think the show is quite poignant at times. It has a refreshing light-hearted way of addressing life's 'everyday' dilemmas (such as when Jake is talking to Teddi about how adults sometimes forget how to 'have fun') that I feel is actually more effective and cutting to one's own heart than a heavy, didactic approach.
I also think the show was very creative and sincerely effortful (i.e. the Manuelo-turtle poster prop being made for just for one joke, the song sung by Larry for the War of the Bands episode, the poem written by Riley, Larry's speech about cleaning up the highway, points in the capital punishment debate, etc.) and far from rote. The family situation was unique (dad not working and trying to 'find himself,' dad living in trailer park, male nanny, separated parents) but it was depicted naturally (didn't seem over-emphasized or gimmicky at all). The plots are very interactive with the settings and are interesting (bush fire causing everyone to evacuate to school, volunteering in retirement home, depiction of overwhelmingly positive person in a wheelchair, etc.) Such a happy, balanced show that depicts everyday life with reasonability and good judgment. I ramble (this is too long) but I don't think the show/writers/actors are given enough credit. I only didn't like the sometimes cheesy 'Mary-Kate and Ashley on-the-set' intros to the later episodes, which don't seem to be delivered with any irony. I appreciate this show even more than when I was younger (I really love the actors/characters in the show, from Ms. Westmore to Manuelo, they just seem so good-natured)
I also think the show was very creative and sincerely effortful (i.e. the Manuelo-turtle poster prop being made for just for one joke, the song sung by Larry for the War of the Bands episode, the poem written by Riley, Larry's speech about cleaning up the highway, points in the capital punishment debate, etc.) and far from rote. The family situation was unique (dad not working and trying to 'find himself,' dad living in trailer park, male nanny, separated parents) but it was depicted naturally (didn't seem over-emphasized or gimmicky at all). The plots are very interactive with the settings and are interesting (bush fire causing everyone to evacuate to school, volunteering in retirement home, depiction of overwhelmingly positive person in a wheelchair, etc.) Such a happy, balanced show that depicts everyday life with reasonability and good judgment. I ramble (this is too long) but I don't think the show/writers/actors are given enough credit. I only didn't like the sometimes cheesy 'Mary-Kate and Ashley on-the-set' intros to the later episodes, which don't seem to be delivered with any irony. I appreciate this show even more than when I was younger (I really love the actors/characters in the show, from Ms. Westmore to Manuelo, they just seem so good-natured)