Give Uncle Buck (a new summer release comedy television series) an opportunity to complete their first season under their belt and I bet it will grow on you in a similar manner that the (now) popular Black-ish television series has blossomed. Uncle Buck stars married couple Will (James Lesure) and Alexis (Nia Long) who are both trying to improve their professional working careers and at the same time raise their three children in an affluent neighborhood. Will and Alexis have ran through a series of nannies and housemaids and are now attempting to bring in Will's unconventional big brother Buck (Mike Epps) to help raise their three kids. Will has always looked up to his big brother Buck since Buck was Will's main caregiver while they were growing up as kids well through to their current state of adulthood. Alexis has her doubts that Uncle Buck will not scar their happy family unit by his unconventional methods. The initial friction that Buck brings to the family is balanced by his good heart as well as Will's many fond memories of the two brother's childhood life success. Since Alexis soon realizes that the man she married (Will) was actually raised in to the well respected and educated man he is today by big brother Uncle Buck, Alexis grows to accept that Uncle Buck has more good intentions than bad decisions in helping to raise their three children.
As for the comparison to the popular comedy series Black-ish let us look at the similarities between the two comedy series. Both series have parents who are all working professionals living in an affluent neighborhood. Both series have parents raising children with the support of other family members. In Black-ish the Johnson parents have 'Dre's divorced parents always involved in their four kids' child rearing. In Uncle Buck, Mike Epps is brought in as the family member to help raise Will and Alexis's three kids, Tia, Miles and Maizy. When I first heard young Miles speak his opening lines on Uncle Buck, his voice sounded very, very familiar so I just had to look up his acting credentials and his name is Sayeed Shahidi. Hmmm, then I looked up the acting credentials of Black-ish's oldest daughter Zoey Johnson whose real name is Yara Shahidi. Coincidence? I think not. Uncle Buck's actor Sayeed Shahidi, and Black-ish's Yara Shahidi are actually brother and sister. Success breeds success so I do not fault the producers at ABC for utilizing a similar family oriented series with professional working parents living in an affluent neighborhood, raising their children with the assistance of other well established actors as family members.
I enjoyed the first two episodes and I have confidence that this strong cast of actors led by Mike Epps, Nia Long and James Lesure will make Uncle Buck extended beyond the first eight episodes. Although it is based on the very financially successful 1989 comedy film Uncle Buck written and directed by John Hughes, ABC has merely used the loosely based pretense of an Uncle Buck assisting his brother to raise their three children. Mike Epps version of Uncle Buck has made it his own cool and current comedy TV version with great potential for an extended shelf life. I am rooting that Uncle Buck will grow their audience and affection for the series will include a second season. I give the series an initial 8 out of 10 rating which should escalate to a higher rating as more episodes are released and we get to know this family a lot better. Great start for Uncle Buck!
