Common Sense Media Review
By Jenny Nixon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Middling mockumentary set in a women's prison has language.
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Hard Cell
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What's the Story?
HARD CELL centers on the colorful characters serving time in a women's prison in the U.K. and their upbeat but woefully ineffective warden Laura Willis (Catherine Tate). English comedy legend Tate -- who most American viewers will recognize from seasons 8 and 9 of the U.S. version of The Office -- is the series creator, co-writer, and star. With the help of makeup and prosthetics, Tate plays six different roles on the show: the prison warden, a male guard, three prisoners, and the mother of a prisoner. The show uses a mockumentary format to follow the warden's attempt to inject some art therapy into the penitentiary system by way of having the prisoners mount a performance of West Side Story.
Is It Any Good?
We're living in a post-Parks and Rec and Abbott Elementary world, and there will surely be viewers who have had their fill of the mockumentary conceit used here. It doesn't help that Tate's warden character feels a bit like a retread of her role as branch manager Nellie Bertram on The Office. The show's comedic vibe is emphatically lowbrow, which isn't a bad thing in and of itself, but the potty jokes can get a little stale when employed for the umpteenth time. In its favor, episodes are short and full of enough outrageous characters and absurd situations that at least a percentage of the jokes are bound to land. Hard Cell isn't terrible, but also doesn't feel particularly fresh. Whether it can be considered binge-worthy will depend greatly on the viewer's tolerance for cringe humor and a format that is by now feeling a bit routine.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the differences they notice between British and American sitcoms. Does the humor translate well? Does Hard Cell remind you of any other shows?
The show's star plays multiple characters here, which were your favorites? Did you find some to be better developed than others? What purpose do you think it served to have her play so many roles?
TV Details
- Premiere date : April 12, 2022
- Cast : Catherine Tate
- Network : Netflix
- Genre : Comedy
- TV rating :
- Last updated : September 27, 2023
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