Cavemen

What’s the Story?

If you were a fan of the Geico insurance commercials about oppressed cavemen, you're in luck. Now the three hairy Cro-Magnons have their own sitcom -- called, fittingly enough, CAVEMAN. Lead character Joel (Bill English) is engaged to a beautiful modern woman who loves him for the caveman that he is, though her family hasn't yet accepted him. Nick (Nick Kroll) is the cynical best friend who sees judgment everywhere and lashes out frequently. And Joel's little brother, Andy (Sam Huntington), is an easygoing fellow, perhaps a little slow on the uptake, who's oblivious to others' opinions of him. The three guys consistently find themselves in situations where they have to deal with misunderstandings and stereotypes associated with cavemen.

Is It Any Good?

Most of the circumstances are outright gags -- don't expect much subtle humor here. What little depth the show has comes from its allusions to modern race relations. For example, when money goes missing at a party, all eyes immediately turn suspiciously toward the central trio -- the only cavemen in attendance -- pointing, albeit lightly, toward the embedded racism of mainstream society.

While the caveman gags quickly wear thin, the cavemen-as-minority formula is actually a good opportunity to discuss racial and other types of prejudice with teens. The Cro-Magnons serve as a safe proxy for oppressed groups because they're so unreal, but their experiences can shine a light on what certain groups really go through. Of course, the danger here is that sometimes the show's lightweight approach to the serious subject of race ends up feeling like belittlement rather than examination.