If you like chubby guys -- and who doesn't? -- the Canadian sitcom Run the Burbs provides more in 20 minutes than most tv series give you in three seasons. Andrew Phung, best known as the comic-relief Kimchi on Kim's Convenience, plays Andrew Pham, a stay-at-home Dad with a wife who longs to leave her soul-destroying corporate job; a teenage daughter who crushes on girls; and a preteen son who, going against sitcom protocol, doesn't crush on girls. That's a lot of representation, but I'm holding out for a gay male character. Bob, played by "openly gay" Gavin Crawford, becomes a regular in Season 2, so I'm reviewing Episode 2.1, "In Phocus" Each episode title in Season 2 has a ph- replacing an f: "Phamily Ties," "Phresh Start," "Phlash Back."
Scene 1: At some kind of community festival, two women walk past holding hands. Then we see Andrew, wife Camille, and preteen son Leo face-timing their daughter, who is in Paris. Maybe written out of the show?
When they stop for ice cream, Camille has trouble deciding, and the racist behind her in line sneers that there's no chicken-butter flavor, "so pick a normal flavor or go back to your country." Dude, look around you. Almost everybody in that park is Black, Middle Eastern, or Asian, including the ice cream vendor! You think you're going to get any Rocky Road that way?
Camille lays him out with unheard profanity that has everyone covering their ears, then applauding. Andrew brags that she is the "sexiest woman in the world." Well, that was a superheroic response to a microaggression.
Scene 2: Andrew is getting dressed to apply for a job as Rockridge's new Community Development Coordinator. Meanwhile, Camille is starting a focus group for her new business, Cam Pham Eats, and preteen son Leo hangs out in his sister's bedroom because she's in Paris and can't stop him. He gets a face-time from his buddy, who invites him to a dead skunk viewing.
Scene 3: At City Hall, Andrew is told to kiss up to Robin, since she'll be deciding who is going to replace Bob, the retiring Community Development Coordinator. He'll have a say, too. "Got it -- make Robin and Bob fall in love with me." Bisexual joke.
Into the interview, with Bad Cop Robin "I hate everything about you!" and Good Cop Bob "You're perfect!" He offers to take them on a walking tour of the improvements he's planning. Robin: "Absolutely not!" Bob: "I'm in!"
Scene 4: First stop: those little libraries where people get rid of their books. The problem is, they're full of erotics, so Andrew proposes adding an adult section. Robin: "That's a stupid idea!" Bob: "What a wonderful idea!"
Meanwhile, at home, Camille and her assistant have invited her friend who runs the Bubble Bae hangout, her neighbor Hudson (Jonathan Langdon, left) , and her Dad Ramesh, to a tasting session for her new catering business. Shouldn't you have strangers in a focus group?
They don't like the logo: "Campham," one word, looks like "Camp Ham," and Dad is a conservative Muslim! But they love the food..
Camille invites her preteen son Leo to be in the focus group, but he's busy: "Going to poke the skunk." "Um...I don't think you're ready for that." She thinks he means sex, har har
Scene 5: The interview over, Good Cop Bob invites Adam to his office. We see a closeup of a framed photograph: he explains that they are his husband and two kids -- Tina and Turner, har har. After assuring him that "Bad Cop Robin loved you!" and "I like you!", he drops a bombshell: "You're not getting the job."
Say what?
"I was so inspired by all of your creative ideas that I want to stay on and do more for the community." People often fail to get the job because they're too good -- "He's a superstar -- he'll make me look bad."
"But don't you want to spend more time with your family?"
"No, I hate them. The twins are into crypto, and Vance forces me to watch RuPaul's Drag Race. Aren't families the worst?" Uh-oh, Family Man Andrew roils
More after the break