TV series

Cracking Up

2004 · 1 season

A breezy, offbeat sitcom that coasts on quirky family dysfunction and deadpan awkwardness, easy to dip into but rarely memorable.

Overview: Psychiatrist Dr. Bollas is assigned to examine Tanner Shackleton, a child of a Beverly Hills family, only to discover that Tanner doesn't have any problems — his family does. The story is in fact about Ben Baxter, a student who moves into the Shackletons' guest house, interacting with Tanner and his crazy family.
How it feels: Absurd, satirical, light and whimsical. Brisk and easy to follow.
About: Family, class, identity, isolation
Content: Mild sexual content and language. No violence or gore.
Note: Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

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Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Full breakdown

Tone: absurdstrength 2 of 3
satiricalstrength 2 of 3
lightstrength 2 of 3
whimsicalstrength 1 of 3
Pacing: brisk, 3 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention: easy-watch, 2 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes: family
class
identity
isolation
Places: big city
home
Era: contemporary
Audience: teen
Form: ensemble
Content intensity: Gore none
Language mild
Violence none
Sex mild