Faith ! The plot sounded interesting getting a chest from a deceased relative and uncovering family treasures and secrets going on journeys to find more information. Also, since he is unemployed and searching for a new job he could find wisdom from learning more about his family and hence who he is. However, the actors are boring and not convincing. Finding out the aunt died and they sound like they are just talking about the weather. The characters are strange and not funny as I expected given that it is a comedy. The one woman talks through a puppet which could be done in a funny way however it comes off weird and disturbing. I am not an expert on British movies, so maybe that is the issue, but it is from HBO not BBC so I thought it would appeal more to the US audience.

Prismark10 Christopher Guest is a legend in the world of mockumentaries beginning with the sublime 'This is Spinal Tap' and its continued with movies such as 'Best in Show.'Not everyone gets the joke in this genre of comedy and some of its rather subtle. It helps that Guest has a bank of actors that he can rely on.So with great fanfare the BBC unveiled Family Tree its own mock of genealogy shows such as 'Who do you think you are?' which has been successful for the Beeb.Chris O'Dowd plays Tom very charmingly as he embarks on his roots which takes place both in the UK and the USA. The USA segment gives us the chance to encounter the Guest regulars such as Ed Begley Jr and Fred Willard.The oddest character is his sister, Bea who carries with her Monk, a puppet monkey which allows her to state her feelings. Tom's best friend Pete accompanies him in his search and can best be described as a pillock.Another Guest regular, Michael McKean plays Keith Chadwick, Tom's father who loves old British situation comedies and they are gently parodied in the early editions of the show. McKean and the comedies he watches are the real scene stealer's in the programme. In a way he parodies the characters in sitcoms such as The Royle Family.What is amazing that McKean looks like a stalwart of British comedy and drama an actor whose face is familiar but you cannot put the name to it. So it was a shock when I told people that he is an American actor who has appeared in films such as 1941 and programmes like Star Trek:Voyager.The problem with Family Tree I found was that it was just not that funny and when Tom's father was missing it lost a vital spark. The USA segment did not work and made the programme less funny. At times it was a humour free zone.

Growlyted Chris O'Dowd is an extremely lovable actor and simply perfect for the role of Tom. He carries each episode well, being charming to almost everyone, even when embarrassed. He shows enthusiasm for each new branch discovered and participates willingly in all family activities. The scene stealer, however, is Monk, the constant puppet companion of Tom's eccentric sister, Bea. Nina Conti is delightful. I also enjoyed Tom Bennett as his daft best friend, Pete. The show gently mocks the "Who am I?" documentaries, plus other genres via characters' televisions. The script-less format means there is some miss, but mainly it works well. The actors are creative and are having fun with each other. The relationships between everyone, especially Tom and Bea, are touching. I hope this can get renewed.

bobkathuds-2 Stumbled onto HBO's half-hour comedy "Family Tree" and watched the first three (of 8 ordered so far) on demand last night. VERY funny, especially 1 & 2. 3 slipped just a bit. Am looking forward to 4 later tonight. I believe they are showing all shows to date tomorrow. Catch up. May not be your cup of tea, but o man, if it is you are in for a treat. In some ways this may be pure comedy but I suspect it is a takeoff on the couple of genealogy shows that were popular the last couple of years. The humor is the usual Brit TV humor but given an original boost by reminding us how convoluted our current life is by having us go along on the journey as "facts" about our ancestry are uncovered leading first one direction and then abruptly swinging away at 90 degrees or 180 degrees leaving us no more informed about the "reality" of our past but thoroughly amused by the commingling of what is, what might be and what might have been. Highly recommended for anyone but especially those engaged in ancestry study at any level.