Suburgatory, the new ABC sitcom about a New York City dad who moves to the dreaded suburbs with his jaded teenager daughter, debuts Wednesday night in the coveted time slot between ABC's hit family comedies The Middle and Modern Family. Critics are scrutinizing Suburgatory with a particularly keen eye and voicing widely varying reactions. Reviews for the show are markedly — and evenly — split between rapturous praise and dismissive derision. A sampling:
Suburgatory is a "smart, edgy suburban satire": It's "a small miracle" how much hilarious dialogue is packed into the first episode of Suburgatory, says David Wiegand at The San Francisco Chronicle. Even better, the show manages to be both "satiric and emotionally engaging" — comedic styles that typically mix like oil and water. The satire targets suburban cliches such as mean girls and control-freak moms, while the "credibly loving" relationship between the dad and his daughter, Tessa, helps Suburgatory fit snugly in ABC's family comedy lineup.
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