Taika Waititi produced Indigenous comedy filled with unique humor | TV Review
“Reservation Dogs”
Cast: Zahn McClarnon (“Doctor Sleep,” “Barkskins”), Sarah Podemski (“Tin Star,” “Love Alaska”), Kirk Fox (“Parks and Recreation”) and newcomers D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Devery Jacobs, Paulina Alexis and Lane Factor.
Airs: First season premieres Monday exclusively on FX on Hulu.
The premise: A year after the loss of their friend Daniel, a group of four Indigenous teenagers in rural Oklahoma steal and save in order to move to what they view as the ultimate destination, California. But when the unofficial leader of the gang has an unusual vision, the friends start to rethink their mischievous ways.
“Reservation Dogs” is filmed on location in Okmulgee, Okla., and every writer, director and series regular on the show is Indigenous. The series was created by Sterlin Harjo (“Barking Water,” “Four Sheets to the Wind”) and Taika Waititi (“What We Do in the Shadows,” “Jojo Rabbit,” “Thor: Ragnarok”) and produced by FX Productions.
Highs: Academy Award winner Taika Waititi has a gift for looking at things from an unusual and humorous perspective. Whether the topic is as serious as nationalist indoctrination (“Jojo Rabbit”) or as absurd as centuries old vampires struggling to fit in with modern society (“What We Do in the Shadows”), Waititi is adept at finding the right partner to tell rare stories through a comedic lens.
This time around that partner is Sterlin Harjo, an Indigenous filmmaker from Oklahoma who’s also a founding member of the sketch comedy troupe The 1491s.
In “Reservation Dogs,” the duo have taken a cast of Indigenous actors and have created a show that highlights the humor, challenges and aspirations of a society few Americans know anything about.
While it’s a completely unique culture, every viewer. no matter their background, will find things to relate to and laugh at in this series. That’s thanks in large part to some brilliant portrayals by a group of mostly unknown actors.
Elora Danan (Devery Jacobs) likely feels like a lot of young people living in a small town. Feeling trapped and with few alternatives, she’ll do what it takes to make her dream of moving to California a reality. She cares deeply for her friends but is more driven to make something of her life.
Willie Jack (Paulina Alexis) is my favorite member of the group. Tough and honest, her straight-shooting personality not only makes her funny but endearing. Cheese (Lane Factor) is the quiet and youngest member of the gang, who everyone treats like a little brother. He follows the lead of his friends but has a sweet sensitivity the others lack.
Bear Smallhill is the leader of the group, although his friends laugh at him when he makes that claim. Thoughtful, tormented and sincere, he’s the most layered character in the series. Bear experiences the same frustrations, self doubt and big dreams most teenagers do, but his life is also shaped by his uncommon culture. He’s played spectacularly by D’Pharaoah Woon-A-Tai, this series’ breakout star.
Bonded by friendship, these four deal with a rival gang, share a love of catfish, take advice from diminutive rappers, listen to visions from dead warriors, laugh, argue and try to figure out their place in the world. It’s an unusual combination to be sure, but it’s a winning one.
Lows: Much like some of Waititi’s other work, the humor in this series will either be a direct hit or miss you completely. This is not a network sitcom. Some of the jokes can be a bit dark and most of the comedy is abstract. If that’s something that doesn’t appeal to you, this series likely isn’t for you. There’s also some crude language and adult situations. Teenagers characters may be the center of the series, but this is a program with a more mature tone.
Grade: (B+): “Reservation Dogs” takes a couple of episodes to find its footing, but by episode three, I was hooked. Watching this series made me feel like I was viewing the Indigenous version of “Atlanta,” a series I love. After four episodes, I was fully invested in the lives of the four leads and fascinated by the world they live in. Give this series a shot.
Gazette TV critic Terry Terrones is a member of the Television Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. Follow him on Twitter: @terryterrones
From left, Paulina Alexis, Devery Jacobs, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai and Lane Factor in “Reservation Dogs.”
D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai as Bear Smallhill in “Reservation Dogs.”