Writing a review of this show requires familiarity with the context and content. Having three parents dealing with the challenges of assisted living made this more enjoyable and more affecting.
Ted Danson plays an octogenarian widower (Charles) who is struggling with establishing a new routine after the passing of his wife due to dementia related health issues.
Through a series of classic sitcom plot devices, Charles secures a job as an undercover detective in an assisted living facility (what used to be referred to as an 'old folks home') to solve a jewelry theft. His boss, Lilah Richcreek Estrada as Julie, is a black and white, anything goes to solve the case, sarcastic foil for Danson's kind hearted and square Charles.
The two are quickly put at odds with the facility's director (well played by Stephanie Beatriz as Didi), Charles' daughter Emily (Mary Elizabeth Ellis) and the various residents and their many goofy issues.
There are several poorly conceived shticks focused around older women being randy that don't fit the rest of the stories, and the outrageously disrespectful (and interchangeable) three teenage sons of Charles's daughter are distracting and throwaway.
The best parts are Charles's slow immersion in his new community with a few social connections with other residents, especially Caleb, played by Stephen McKinley Henderson. Also fun are the dead on jokes and commentary on assisted living and the things that happen there.
The awkward banter between Charles and boss Julie is funny. And while daughter Emily's home life is not all that interesting, it sets up a couple of great scenes between her and Charles in the later episodes.
The wrap up isn't terribly hard to figure out (who stole what, and what will happen to Charles), but the sentimental parts of Charles's reawakening and acceptance of his wife's death are very worthwhile.
There are some small parts played by old stars (Sally Struthers, Veronica Cartwright) that might make older viewers smile, but are mostly wasted on nonsense jokes about old people and sex.
All in all I recommend it, especially to viewers in their late forties and older.
**PERSONAL SIDE NOTE **
After four months of encouraging my FIL (he's86) to sign up for Netflix and watch this he finally did. This is a guy who doesn't watch much TV and almost no movies. AND he goes to bed at 6:30. Lost his wife to vascular dementia, retired architect, buttoned down retiree like Danson's character, and a daughter (my wife) who has been the one keeping him together.
We stayed and watched the first episode with him. My wife bet me he'd watch another episode after we left.
At 9:30(!) he texted to say he'd watched FOUR episodes.
The next morning he texted to say he'd watched the last four by 10.
Said he couldn't stop laughing or wiping tears from his eyes.
Thanked us and asked when season two was coming out.
My MIL has been gone for about a month and it was a salve for him to have this series to watch.
