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In “Government Cheese,” Apple TV+‘s latest dramedy series, audiences are introduced to Hampton Chambers (David Oyelowo). Following his release from prison, he attempts to reunite with his wife and sons and launch his new invention, the “Bit Magician,” a self-sharpening power drill. Despite solid performances, the show’s erratic surrealism, baffling narrative and jumbling themes don’t amount to much. Instead, the show becomes a meandering account of a man making one poor decision after another.
Created by Paul Hunter and Aeysha Carr, “Government Cheese” opens in Chino State Prison in 1967. Hampton has just completed a long stint in solitary confinement, and his cellmate Rudy (Adam Beach) urges him to find a purpose or risk extending his now three-year-long sentence for check fraud once again. Flash-forward two years, it’s clear Hampton has heeded Rudy’s advice. The men chat in the machinery room the day before Hampton is set to go home. He has a Bible in one hand, and his “Bit Magician” blueprint stuck between the pages. Still, Hampton’s reintegration won’t be nearly as seamless as he’d hoped.
As Hampton and Rudy chat, a series of mishaps sets off a full-fledged prison riot. Though Hampton still manages to be released on time, his freedom comes at a major price he doesn’t expect. Moreover, when he arrives on the front steps of the Los Angeles bungalow where his wife, Astoria (Simone Missick), and sons, Einstein (Zane Moyer) and Harrison (Jahi Di’Allo Winston), live, he isn’t exactly given the warm welcome he expected. Astoria and Harrison are openly hostile about Hampton’s reemergence in their lives. Moreover, after finding out he’s indebted to a group of Canadian mobsters and struggling to launch his “Bit Magician,” Hampton reteams with his oldest friend, Bootsy (Bokeem Woodbine), in a wacky scheme to rob a synagogue.
One of the main points of contention in “Government Cheese” is that Hampton isn’t likable, even with Oyelewo’s charisma. From the moment he gains his freedom, he’s off engaging in his latest scheme, having little regard for how his previous incarceration, lies and thievery have gotten him into his current position. Even when viewers root for him to make headway, a baffling choice or an unsettling interaction with his sons allows little room for sympathy. By the end of the first episode, it’s evident this man thinks only of himself, having no regard for how his actions might deeply affect or harm his family. Hampton is an irritating character who manages to blunder everything he touches.
Additionally, most episodes are meandering, disjointed, and humorless. However, Episode 7, “The Woman on the Roof,” stands out. Putting Hampton’s hijinks and schemes on the back burner, the show shifts toward Astoria, who attempts to enjoy a rare day in her empty home. She’s determined to smoke a joint and create a portfolio to interview for an associate designer role at the design studio where she’s a receptionist, but her day is continually interrupted. From intrusive thoughts about a horribly sexist coffee commercial to Hampton’s aloof parole officer and, later, a neighbor who is equally dissatisfied in her life, Astoria hardly has a moment of peace. Throughout the day, and in these varied conversations, she realizes how small she’s become in her own life, and what she must do to break free of the cycle in which Hampton has their family trapped. Missick is endlessly charismatic on screen, and watching her transform into a new version of Astoria is one of the gratifying aspects of the series.
“Government Cheese” stumbles because it doesn’t know what to make of itself. Though it has a highly talented cast and sound performances, the story and themes feel like fragments of ideas that just bang against one another instead of unfurling or supporting the narrative as a whole. Huge ideas concerning faith and religion also don’t amount to much. The 1960s set and style are intriguing, offering glimmers of absurdism. Still, having little historical context, it’s unclear why this was the chosen setting. Worse, the show’s finale is so terribly dissatisfying that viewers will likely wonder why they bothered going on a journey with Hampton in the first place.
The first four episodes of “Government Cheese” premiere April 16 on Apple TV+ with new episodes dropping weekly on Wednesdays.
English (US) ·