There are plenty of television comedies that might be considered juvenile. They lack nuance and rely upon simple gags or corny jokes. But "Small Wonder" is sophomoric, an embarrassment.
The basic premise of the series is that a young girl talking in a monotone is funny. The small girl is Tiffany Brissette, who plays VICI-a pint-sized robot invented by the father of show's family. Child actors who display real talents, who can emote on camera, or who are precocious can be assets to a series, but "Small Wonder", by having its star portray a robot, makes her an unemotional, one-trick pony.
One of the show's worst transgressions is its obnoxious laugh track, which is used liberally whenever VICI speaks.
Another annoyance is the character Harriet Brindle, a 9-year-old neighbor who only thinks about boys. She is as aggressive as plenty of other sitcom maneaters, but her youth makes the character feel inappropriate.
At the center of this circus of the unfunny lies the writing. The lines are an insult to viewers, and they make the characters unbelievable and boring.
The basic premise of the series is that a young girl talking in a monotone is funny. The small girl is Tiffany Brissette, who plays VICI-a pint-sized robot invented by the father of show's family. Child actors who display real talents, who can emote on camera, or who are precocious can be assets to a series, but "Small Wonder", by having its star portray a robot, makes her an unemotional, one-trick pony.
One of the show's worst transgressions is its obnoxious laugh track, which is used liberally whenever VICI speaks.
Another annoyance is the character Harriet Brindle, a 9-year-old neighbor who only thinks about boys. She is as aggressive as plenty of other sitcom maneaters, but her youth makes the character feel inappropriate.
At the center of this circus of the unfunny lies the writing. The lines are an insult to viewers, and they make the characters unbelievable and boring.