‘Going Dutch’ Review: Denis Leary’s Fox Military Comedy Needs More Basic Training

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As a longtime fan of both “Enlisted” and “Brockmire,” I must admit that my expectations for “Going Dutch” were sky-high. Having watched the first three episodes, I find myself torn between admiration for the talented cast and disappointment with the show’s pacing and lack of swearing.

I can’t help but reminisce about the good ol’ days when I was a young soldier stationed at Fort McGee (not a real place, but it should be). The camaraderie, the humor, and the shared sense of absurdity that permeated “Enlisted” resonated with me deeply. Similarly, the witty banter between Jim Brockmire and Jules in “Brockmire” made me laugh out loud more times than I can count.

So when I heard about “Going Dutch,” a show that promises to blend these two worlds, I was beyond excited. Unfortunately, while I appreciate the ensemble’s performances and some of the character development, I can’t help but feel that something essential is missing from the mix. The episodes feel rushed, as if key story beats have been left on the cutting room floor.

That being said, I’m an optimist by nature, so I’ll keep watching “Going Dutch” with hope in my heart. Who knows? Perhaps it will find its footing and become the excellent-but-unsuccessful hybrid of two great shows that I’ve always dreamed of seeing.

And on a lighter note, if anyone tells me that “Going Dutch” is too much like a real military base, I might just have to remind them that I didn’t join the army for my health!

If I possessed a secret recipe for creating a successful TV series, it’s likely I would be leveraging that secret in a more financially rewarding career opportunity. However, it’s unlikely that this secret formula would consist of blending elements from “Enlisted,” a series that Fox canceled after only one season, with “Brockmire,” a show that IFC kept running for four seasons despite ratings comparable to a well-attended college football game.

Speaking of it, I found “Enlisted” and “Brockmire” to be outstanding shows, a fascinating blend of humor from traditional sitcoms and genuine patriotism in the former, while the latter was a hilariously vulgar comedy with an undeniably heartwarming sentiment. If Fox is planning a new series that seamlessly combines the creative elements of both “Brockmire” and “Enlisted”, who am I to argue about its potential success in the market?

In simpler terms, “Going Dutch” isn’t quite as good as its predecessors, “Enlisted” and “Brockmire.” Despite its established characters and dialogues, the series seems to struggle with consistent storytelling. However, if given a chance to improve, especially in its second season, it has potential to become quite decent, although its popularity might not be as widespread as one would hope based on past examples.

As a fan, I’m sharing my take on “Going Dutch,” a series created by Joel Church-Cooper, the genius behind “Brockmire.” The story revolves around Colonel Patrick Quinn, portrayed by Denis Leary, a military icon who believes his time has finally arrived to take command at a German combat base. By his side is his trusted aide Abraham Shah, played by Danny Pudi.

In high spirits, anticipating congratulations, Quinn finds himself in a meeting with General Davidson, expecting accolades. However, the general surprises him by playing a video of a training exercise that ended disastrously, with Quinn unleashing a profanity-laden rant directed at the general himself. Whoops!

Rather than leading a combat base in Germany, Quinn is granted an assignment at USAG Stroopsdorf, which is referred to as the “Least Significant U.S. Army Base on a Global Scale.” Located in the Netherlands, Stroopsdorf is renowned for just three things: cheese production, laundry services, and bowling alleys.

In Stroopsdorf, we have an eclectic gathering of individuals who don’t quite fit the norm, such as the disheveled IT expert Papadakis (Hal Cumpston) and the ingenious scavenger Conway (Laci Mosley). Interestingly, there are no soldiers among them. The atmosphere is far from disciplined. In fact, guns are nowhere to be found because their whereabouts remain a mystery.

However, the disrespectful comment didn’t seem like sufficient retribution. Instead, Davidson had placed Colonel Quinn temporarily in command of a base, which was initially overseen by… Captain Maggie Quinn (Taylor Misiak), the colonel’s long-lost daughter.

Can Colonel Quinn manage to transform Stroopsdorf, mend his rapport with a woman whose defiance of her father, through emulating him, is deeply ingrained in her character?

Does comparing my show to Brockmire mixed with Enlisted hold water at least, since it seems quite clear? The story follows a hot-tempered, crude character who loses job after job due to truth-telling outbursts, taking on a last resort job alongside a younger subordinate and attempting to mend his relationship with the one woman capable of accepting him fully, thereby redeeming himself. Going Dutch doesn’t share Enlisted’s deep affection for military life, even the rebellious ones, which made it such an unexpected gem. However, once the third of the non-sequential episodes sent to critics showcased a fantastic guest appearance by Parker Young, the comparison became just as evident.

The advantages of the series “Going Dutch” are clear. Although Leary might have been ideal for this role a few years ago, his portrayal of a blunt, contemptuous character who matches his students’ personalities perfectly, seems fitting. Misiak, who shone in the first season of FXX’s “Dave” and was surprisingly underused in the subsequent seasons, provides a bright contrast with her casual, unselfconscious portrayal of Maggie, showing she takes after her father. Mosley recaptures the quirky energy I enjoyed from the cancelled series “Florida Girls,” while Pudi consistently delivers socially awkward yet officious performances. With Morton’s trademark amiable ruthlessness and Catherine Tate as a PhD-holding madam of a Dutch brothel, “Going Dutch” boasts an ensemble capable of generating long-term laughs right from the start.

In the short term, the laughter seems scarce. A notable issue is that the humorous flow, as seen in the rapid-fire exchanges between Brockmire and Colonel Quinn, which often include obscenities, works best when they are interspersed. The monologue that leads to Colonel Quinn’s fate in Stroopsdorf (yes, a comedic name) contains bleeped obscenities, and as the one-time Fox comedy Action demonstrated, censored swear words can be quite amusing. However, this method is not employed extensively by Church-Cooper here. The absence of profanity is problematic, and the softening of Colonel Quinn’s rough demeanor for a television audience is even more troubling.

In essence, compared to Jim Brockmire, Quinn exhibits a mild lack of political correctness, but not to the extent that he requires a complete personality transformation. It’s intriguing to wonder who decided that using the term “midget” was the ultimate boundary crossed to reveal his out-of-touch nature, yet he swiftly realizes the inappropriateness and modifies his behavior promptly, demonstrating he’s not malicious. Poking fun at gout is acceptable, though. As for Colonel Quinn, he’s unlike some old-school characters who grumble about modern issues like personal pronouns, which I appreciate immensely.

As a long-time fan of comedic television shows, I firmly believe that “Going Dutch” would undoubtedly be funnier if it found a home on networks like FX, IFC, or streaming platforms. The quick-witted humor and sharp dialogue reminiscent of shows like “Enlisted” are elements that thrive in these environments.

What left me slightly underwhelmed was the pacing of each episode. While the lack of explicit language might not have been a problem, it felt as if key story beats were missing, making some episodes seem incomplete. The series could significantly benefit from extending its run time to 28 or 32 minutes, which would allow for more developed plotlines and better character development.

In my opinion, “Going Dutch” could use a stronger backbone, much like “Enlisted” had with its military-centric perspective. The show leans heavily on parades and training exercises, but it often falls short in delivering the wacky, escalating situations that I was hoping for. Instead, I found myself waiting for something truly outlandish, which never quite materialized. If “Going Dutch” can find a way to incorporate more of these elements, it has the potential to become a standout comedy series.

The episode featuring Parker Young’s character as a CIA operative dating Maggie had a plot that almost reached a suitably absurd climax. However, it was also hasty, and the decision by Fox to forgo several episodes in order to present this one to critics as a highlight doesn’t seem promising.

I’ll continue to watch “Going Dutch”, as I did with “Enlisted” and “Brockmire” which I adored. The cast and character development in “Going Dutch” are appealing, much like those other shows. Who knows, maybe a fantastic but lesser-known series could be born from this if it turns out to be successful!

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2025-01-02 17:55