Lisa Kudrow’s new trending show on Netflix,No Good Deed, proves she should’ve starred in a dark comedy series a long time ago. Kudrow has been a screen legend since starring as Phoebe Buffay inthe cast ofFriends. Like her five co-stars, Kudrow was launched to superstardom by her 10 seasons on the show. But she’s also had a great career outside her time onFriends. She starred in the cult classicRomy and Michele’s High School Reunionwith Mira Sorvino and gave scene-stealing turns in movies likeNeighbors,Booksmart, andHotel for Dogs.
No Good Deedis the latest show fromDead to Mecreator Liz Feldman. Feldman acted as showrunner and executive producer, and even directed a couple of episodes. Netflix dropped all eight episodes ofNo Good Deedon December 12, and it’s quickly become a big hit with audiences. Much likeDead to Me,No Good Deedhas a delightfully dark sense of humor that encourages viewers to laugh at things they normally wouldn’t be allowed to laugh at. There’s no word yet onNo Good Deedseason 2, but season 1 is well worth a watch.
Lisa Kudrow’s No Good Deed Is Called A “Dark Comedy” - What The Show Is About
Kudrow & Ray Romano Play A Married Couple Harboring Dark Secrets
Inthe reviews forNo Good Deed, the series is being described as a dark comedy.Kudrow stars alongside Ray Romano as Lydia and Paul, a married couple in dire financial straits who are desperately trying to sell their houseto get out of trouble. Matters get even more complicated when Paul’s estranged brother Mikey, played by Denis Leary, is released from prison and demands a large sum of money in exchange for his silence. As it turns out,Lydia and Paul are harboring some very dark secrets that could ruin their lives.
No Good Deedwas executive-produced by Will Ferrell through his Gloria Sanchez Productions banner.
Kudrow and Romano aren’t the only big stars intheNo Good Deedcast. Lydia and Paul’s for-sale sign invites three different families into their lives, all vying for the property. O-T Fagbenle plays author Dennis Sampson alongside Teyonah Parris as his pregnant wife, architect Carla Owens; Abbi Jacobson plays prosecutor Leslie Fisher alongside Poppy Liu as her wife, Dr. Sarah Webber; and Luke Wilson plays out-of-work soap actor J.D. Campbell alongside Linda Cardellini as his vain wife, Margo Starling. The involvement of these great actors alone makesNo Good Deedworth checking out.
No Good Deed Is The Latest In A Dark Comedy Boom
Dark Comedy Is Enjoying A Moment Right Now
Dark comedy is having a moment right now.A few years ago, there was an uptick in feel-good comedy showsthat combated the bleakness and cynicism of the real world.Ted Lassowas the poster child of this feel-good TV renaissance, but this change could be seen all over the airwaves.Mythic Questwas the anti-Always Sunny,Schitt’s Creekwas the optimistic inversion ofArrested Development, andBob’s Burgerssubverted the dysfunction ofThe SimpsonsandFamily Guywith a touching portrayal of happy, healthy family life. Now,the pendulum is swinging back the other way.
Feldman’s last show, Dead to Me, was a great dark comedy that invited viewers to laugh at horrible things.
No Good Deedis the latest in a succession ofshamelessly dark TV comedies.Beeftook a feud between two frustrated people to its hilarious extreme.Barryoddly humanized a cold-blooded killer who wanted to switch careers from hitman to actor.SuccessionandThe White Lotushave been unrelenting in their satirical skewering of the ruling class. Even Feldman’s last show,Dead to Me, was a great dark comedy that invited viewers to laugh at horrible things.No Good Deedis a wonderful new addition to this TV trend.
Lisa Kudrow’s Phoebe Buffay Was Always The Dark Comedy Member Of The Friends Cast
Phoebe’s Grim Backstory Was Often Played For Dark Laughs
Friendsmight not have indulged in as much dark humor as fellow sitcoms likeSeinfeld,Malcolm in the Middle, andIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, but it still had plenty of pitch-black comedy. This darker sensibility was mostly facilitated by Kudrow’s character, Phoebe Buffay.Phoebe had a really grim backstory involving abandonment and homelessness, but it was always played for dark laughs because she had a casual attitude toward her troubled historyand mostly remembered it fondly. Kudrow always did a great job with those darker gags, despite their tonal departure from the rest of the show.
Friends: 20 Best Phoebe Buffay Quotes
Phoebe Buffay is the quirkiest and most unpredictable of the Friends gang. These hilarious Phoebe quotes perfectly demonstrate her free-spirited ways.
Kudrow has done a lot of dark comedy throughout her career. She appeared alongside Christina Ricci in the dark romantic comedyThe Opposite of Sex; she appeared alongside Billy Crystal and Robert De Niro in the dark buddy comedyAnalyze This. Kudrow’s criminally underrated mockumentary seriesThe Comebackutilized shockingly dark comedy and agonizing cringe comedy to get uncomfortable laughsfrom its audience. Kudrow has always been a master of pitch-black comedy, andNo Good Deedis the latest in a long line of darkly comedic projects by her.
No Good Deed
Cast
No Good Deed is a dark comedy series created by Liz Feldman for Netflix and stars Ray Romano as Paul Morgan in the lead role. Out of money and at the end of his rope, Paul considers selling his beautiful villa so he can pay his debts off and leave Los Angeles, but as he and two other families soon discover, the past is difficult to outrun.
