Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin

This show is just so stupid in just the best way. Flula Borg is a revelation and every time he's on screen I just smile. It's camp and earnest in a way that just makes you want to love everything they're doing. This isn't a serious artistic masterpiece in any way, nor was it intended to be. I watch it when I just need a smile and not to think of the dumpster fire of violence and climate disaster happening around the world. I love all the Berlin references and satire. Enough cute little songs to satisfy me. The best is just the little asides like the bit around "Cups". Adam is just amazing, and if you don't care for him, you probably won't like this - it's his vehicle all the way, with Flula as the Robin to his Batman, and the other main actors are just as great. So many of them playing "off type" so that's fun also.

Bumper Allen (Adam Devine) is stuck. He still dreams of making it as a singer while working university security. Everybody else seems to have moved on with their lives. He gets a call from former competitor turned manager Pieter Krämer (Flula Borg). Bumper is big in Germany. Heidi (Sarah Hyland) is Pieter's assistant.

This is a TV spinoff from the movie franchise. Normally, this is a B-movie sequel to the mother franchise. Adam DeVine reprises his role as Bumper Allen and he's a pretty good lead. I like his goofiness and sincere doggedness. I like this ragtag group including Sarah Hyland. The first season has six episodes but it probably only had enough material for a good four episodes. The show got cut due to the strikes.

Cons: It's on Peacock. Who the heck has Peacock?

Pros: This is probably the best one in the Franchise. The writing is strong there were a few times that I got some genuine laugh out loud moments, but the real strength comes from the characters. They do a good job of making them outlandish without making them cartoonish characitures. Bumper who is usually one of the most obnoxious characters comes off as really likable and someone you want to root for. He was so poorly written. When I heard there was a spinoff about two of the worst characters in Pitch Perfect I was like "oof there's no way these two could carry their own movie let alone a series." BUT I was plesantly surprised, and all it took was you know making them actual characters instead of cartoon antagonists. Kudos to the entire writting staff.

The acting is the main draw here. Devine and Hyland might be my favorite on stage couple. Their chemistry is always electric. Their raw comedic talent played off as well here as it did in Modern family. Jamil is fantastic. She can usually carry a show herself (She-Hulk) but she really shines when everyone else is up top her level. Peiter and Das Boot were fantastic her dry wit played well off his buffoonery. Watched the whole series in a sitting and highly recommend. Best new show so far and I hope it gets a second season.

It's not award worthy in terms of script, emotional depth, or, weirdly, musical content, but the series has a whole lot going for it in Sarah Hyland whose performance as the adorable Heidi is an absolute revelation. Add in the completely over the top vamping and the ultimate in sexy German accents from Jameel Jamil as Gisela, and a glorious cameo from veteran German actress Katharina Thalbach, and there's plenty to like about this "whatever happened to" series. It's just that as a Pitch Perfect fan I would have liked a whole lot more music, especially the a capella for which the films were noted.

This show has a lot of fun and it is all comedy, and the casting is PERFECT except for the villain played by Jameela Jamil who is the only negative of the show and without her it probably would have been perfect. Why they chose to have her in a role as a German singer when she can't sing, and wearing those blue contacts is also pretty strange, I don't know. But everyone else SHINES. Our main trio is so funny and the chemistry between Sarah Hyland and Adam Devine is still there years later from Modern Family. And Peter Kramer is hilarious! Lera Above as his sister is a scene stealer too! So this is a fun bright show, and if you need a little light definitely watch it. You can always fast forward through the painful parts where forced to listen to Jameela Jamil sing.