On Nickelodeon and YTV
(Please check local listings for showtimes)
Catching up with The Really Loud House during the winter break was tough. This series debuted back in November of 2022 and I had reservations. What I really wanted was a better output of the cartoon series than this live-action version. And although a new season is promised, it won’t be coming soon.
Not everyone will like the fact this adaptation tries too hard to be just like the animated counterpart. All the wigs and turning an otherwise beautiful family to their drawn version doesn’t really work. A handful of performances are even spot on; Out of the entire cast, Brian Stepanek stands out as the least zany. His approach isn’t as over the top emotional as the drawn version, and somehow he channels just the right amount of pathos from his toon persona to real life.
Even though some of that magic is gone in this adaptation, I see the direction is no different from the classic sitcoms, namely Brady Bunch and Saved by the Bell. Somehow, I managed to continue watching past the cringe worthy first four episodes. It’s mostly about Lincoln Loud (Wolfgang Schaeffer) who sometimes break the fourth wall and his best friend, Clyde (Jahzir Bruno). The latter is one of the few voice over talents making the transition to the reality show. The side stories concerning his sisters are just that.
The next set isn’t as bad when the stories finally shift the focus away from the boys. Out of that lot, episode six, “The Manager with the Planager,” stands out as being meaningful. Here, the story emphasises how to stand up for what you love and to see Luan not appear as her cartoon likeness is very welcomed! Although one episode isn’t enough to redeem a series mostly about recreating the feel of the cartoon, I’m glad this latest episode is moving into other territories which define the family sit-com drama.
After ten episodes, The Really Loud House is showing some semblance of enjoyability. We have tales that don’t always focus on the hijinx Lincoln is up to. Instead, we see Luna dealing with how to be a rising star as a musician in “Heart and Soul,” and the parents have a bit of a row since the wife thinks her husband is taking her for granted. In the meantime, Lincoln’s antics aren’t entirely forgotten, but I’m glad his exploits aren’t as key. Curiously, Ronnie Ann hasn’t been introduced yet. Instead, this boy is crushing on a girl named Charlie who will be returning in at least a few more episodes.
The only reason I admit to enjoying both versions is the approach to showing how any large family eventually learns how to get along. The latest is funny enough since each of them are trying to outdo each other in hosting a fun party at the Loud house.
To answer the question, this series isn’t required to keep interest in the Loud family going. I suspect The Really Loud House was made because it’s faster to make than the animation. Much of what I wrote about before still holds for the classic series, and I admit it’s a guilty pleasure when there’s no other new toons broadcasted or streamed. In that regard, I can’t help but be reminded of the original Cheaper by the Dozen films, and as long as that virtue holds, any spinoff of that concept will always work.
The Really Loud House Trailer
