Charming and amusing, the NBC television series “Growing Up Fisher” depicts the story of a young boy growing up in a typical middle-class home, but with a twist: his father is blind.
Humorous writing is a strength in this series. Consisting of numerous lighthearted moments, the show is able to keep its audience interested, while also finding a way to make jokes about blindness without being offensive or alienating anyone.
The accuracy and consistency of “Growing Up Fisher” is slightly less well thought out, however. Some parts of it, including costuming and language usage, seem dated, as if they are from the 90’s. This is inconsistent with the use of iPhones, GPS tracking, and new models of cars. The story line is also narrated by an older Henry Fisher, which is confusing in the sense that the older Henry would have to be narrating from the future.
While the props and time period can be confusing, the show’s plot line is heartwarming and entertaining. Flowing well from episode to episode, “Growing Up Fisher” does remain consistent with characters, setting, and tone. The background music throughout the show stays subtle when it needs to be and comes out when it should be noticed. That being said, it also tends to be unrelated to the plot line, which can detract from the story and also be confusing for the audience.
With a large cast including several children, the acting skills were average with few stand-out performances. J.K. Simmons, who played Mel Fisher, has a great ability to act and portrays a blind man surprisingly accurately. The rest of the cast, including Eli Baker (Henry Fisher), Jenna Elfman (Joyce Fisher), and Ava Deluca-Verley (Katie Fisher), are clearly trained actors but do not seem to have as much experience.
Despite lackluster acting, the casting choices were impressive. Although Henry Fisher and his sister Katie do not look that similar, it is not difficult to see them as siblings due to their medium brown hair. Their father, Mel Fisher, has gray, balding hair so it works in the sense that it doesn’t contrast dramatically from his children’s. He also has light colored eyes like the rest of his family.
Seeming to work well together, the cast often comes across to the audience as a real family. Although each character has a unique place in the show, many of the characters are rather stereotypical. There is an overprotective father, a rebellious teenager who isn’t that rebellious, a mother who wants to relive her teenage years, and a foreign friend who provides comedic relief.
The family also seems to be exceedingly functional for being a split family. The parents get along very well together and seem to have dinner and do activities together which most divorced parents would not do.
The show seems to be an overall success with an amusing plot line that the whole family can enjoy together. It really is a feel good show that depicts its characters overcoming all of their conflicts.
