The always hilarious Rowan Atkinson is gracing our screens once more this Christmas. And no, unfortunately, it’s not as Mr. Bean. But 3 years after the original debuted, its sequel is on Netflix, and in the number 1 spot on the FlixPatrol Top 10 Streaming List—managing to beat out Stranger Things for the top spot.
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The series is none other than Man vs Baby, with the summary reading: As Christmas approaches, a blundering-all-the-way dad juggles housesitting a posh London penthouse with an unexpected pickle: caring for a lost baby. The plot certainly has something going for it, but when asked what he enjoyed most about filming at a recent Q&A panel for the show, Atkinson, who also co-wrote the script, said, “I have none. I can’t think of anything that I enjoyed filming. But that’s just me when I’m filming, so I apologise for that.” He elaborated, “I think the show is very good, but I can also see holes in it. I keep thinking, hmmm.”
Man Vs Baby Hits The Same Notes As Its Predecessor
Despite Atkinson’s feelings, it seems that critics largely enjoy the show, giving it an 80% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer. “Man vs Baby is not a groundbreaking comedy, but it works as a simple and cheerful festive watch. It has enough laughs, enough heart, and just enough mess to suit viewers who want something uncomplicated for the holiday season,” says Abhishek Srivastava of The Times of India. Rebecca Cook of Metro UK says, “The gags are entirely hung on Atkinson’s ineffable Atkinson-ness… Is he wasted on this? Well, yes. But when he can still contort his features in ways it’s impossible not to laugh at, it’s hard to begrudge more Atkinson.” And she’s right. There’s no such thing as too much Atkinson.
Casual viewers were more critical of the series, with one viewer saying, “This is so incredibly boring that I stopped watching it halfway into E3. Totally predictable except for the “jokes” that are so pointless that they are beyond prediction. I really like Atkinson btw but this was a big disappointment.” Is it perfect? No. But there are worse Christmas offerings out there by far. It’s a silly, good time, and an easy way to kill a few hours as the holiday ramps up.
Did you enjoy Man vs Baby? Let us know in the comments, and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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