‘Big Mistakes’ Season 1 REVIEW: A comedy that finds its footing just in time
‘Big Mistakes’ Season 1 REVIEW: A comedy that finds its footing just in time
This review contains spoilers for Big Mistakes.
Dan Levy had big shoes to fill after the runaway success of Schitt’s Creek, a comedy series that swept all comedy categories clean and set a record for the most wins in a single season. Big Mistakes walks into that legacy with its head held high, trying to earn its place.
I went into the series blindly. As a fan of Schitt’s Creek, who still goes back into the town of Schitt’s Creek every so often, I just knew I had to see Levy’s new creation. Co-created with fellow comic Rachel Senott (I Love LA, Shiva Baby, Bodies Bodies Bodies), Big Mistakes follows two siblings thrust into the last place either of them belongs: organized crime.
Dan Levy (Nicky) and Taylor Ortega (Morgan) in Big Mistakes | Still courtesy of Netflix
Nicky (Levy) is an easily distressed pastor beloved by his congregation, and hides his boyfriend from his family and community. Morgan (Taylor Ortega), his polar opposite, is a thrill-seeking and chronically unbothered public school teacher who operates on instinct and stubbornness.
On their grandmother’s deathbed, their mother, Linda (Laurie Metcalf), suggests, albeit in a guilt-tripping way, that her mother would greatly appreciate it if the two got her a special gift before she died. Nicky and Morgan find a fake diamond tennis necklace at a random gift shop, which could be the perfect gift. When Yusuf (Boran Kuzum), the guy behind the cashier, says it isn’t for sale, Morgan does what Morgan does: she steals it.
It was a cheap necklace from a dust-laden gift shop. What could go wrong? The diamond necklace, as it turned out, was real and was valuable to very dangerous people. Yusuf hunts them down just to get it back, and before Nicky and Morgan know it, they get themselves tied up with an organized crime group, running errands and doing dirty deeds for a drug operation they can barely understand.
How a supposedly lethal gang that’s dealing with the drug mafia entrusts its logistics to inexperienced, flaky people is beyond me. But Big Mistakes is a cringe comedy at its core, and once you accept that the chaos is the point, it's a much smoother ride. I’d like to think the details aren’t meant to hold up under scrutiny. They’re meant to make you wince and laugh and have fun.
Abby Quinn (Natalie), Dan Levy (Nicky), and Taylor Ortega (Morgan) in Big Mistakes | Still courtesy of Netflix
Levy’s strong suit seems to be creating a chaotic family dynamic, and that muscle is well-strained here. Looming in the background of the narrative are siblings’ temperamental mother, a family-oriented single mom who is now running for mayor, and strait-laced sister Natalie (Abby Quinn), who seemingly has everything pulled together. A duo of their own with their own struggles and problems, the two work together on Linda’s mayoral campaign, attempting to topple a millionaire competitor’s run in the race. Here, we see a pair of determined women who will not back down in the face of bullying and intimidation.
Described as “a disorganized duo in an organized crime,” Nicky and Morgan’s chemistry just clicks. Although I wouldn’t say this is something actually groundbreaking. As we’ve seen in many other comedies, the uptight-versus-relaxed comedic pair is always a hit—think Friends’ Monica and Chandler, The Good Place’s Eleanor and Chidi, and Fleabag’s Fleabag and Claire. I would say, however, that what makes Nicky and Morgan different is their chaotic dynamic. A god-fearing pastor who spreads the word of the lord, paired with a woman who sees danger like the thrill of riding a theme park roller coaster. Together, they're a disaster in the best possible way.
The contrast between the two pairs gives the show a pleasing symmetry: one duo spiraling deep into chaos, the other scrambling to hold things together on the campaign trail.
Abby Quinn (Natalie) and Laurie Metcalf (Linda) in Big Mistakes | Still courtesy of Netflix
That said, Big Mistakes does take its time. The show gradually builds its momentum, setting up its pace carefully but surely. While we do get some action from the first episode, I found that there are some stretches where the show tends to pull some of its punches. I have wished several times across its eight-episode run that they heighten the stakes and take the tension up a notch. There was no room left for doubt that Nicky and Morgan would get away from whatever messy situation they’re in. Whatever was happening, you just knew that they would eventually get out of it.
It wasn’t until the final act of the penultimate episode that I felt like the creators went all out, and their attempts landed in full-force blows. The series was quietly working towards it, but the final episode finally gave a great payoff. They ended up on a note that made a second season necessary. If it weren’t for the final sequences of events, I wouldn’t even consider continuing watching into the second season.
Ultimately, Big Mistakes is a fun, if patient, comedy. While it demands your patience at first, it is quite the thrill and will give you satisfaction in exchange for your time. If you loved Schitt’s Creek and miss Levy’s signature brand of cringe-with-a-heart, this is worth checking out.
All episodes of ‘Big Mistakes’ are currently streaming on Netflix.
