It's a comedy about former New York City councilor Garrett Shah. Garrett has a series of daily tasks for young people. Garrett faces six new immigrants who need his help. Now, Garrett is trying to find the American dream and help these people to get the dream in their lives.
The pilot has some of the loose rhythm of "Parks and Recreation" but not much of the cleverness. Garrett's shallowness is shallowly drawn, and the study group he reluctantly takes on feels like a holding cell of immigrant clichés.
As a depiction of activism and making change, the promising Sunnyside pilot makes a strong case that it begins with one's neighbors, and builds out a neighborhood well worth watching.
If Sunnyside leans into spontaneity and surprises-just as Community quickly turned away from Britta and Jeff to focus on the most chemistry-laden couple on the show, Troy and Abed-then it could evolve into a show worth sticking with.
Despite Modi's manic presentation, Sunnyside resembles nothing so much as a 30-minute public-service spot for Catholic Legal Services or some other pro-bono law firm.
Just like most shows produced by Schur, there are rapid-fire jokes and throwaway lines that are often funnier than the jokes, but the characters giving them are given an opportunity to not just be joke machines but full-formed characters.
Timeliness doesn't guarantee hilarity, and Penn's bland characterization of this jerk isn't helped by bouncing off the broad cultural stereotypes of his students.
