Cast: Dan Levy, Taylor Ortega, Laurie Metcalf, Jack Innanen, Boran Kuzum, Abby Quinn, Elizabeth Perkins
Creators: Dan Levy and Rachel Sennott
Rating: 2.5 stars
There’s a certain expectation that follows creators who strike gold early. After the global success of Schitt’s Creek, Dan Levy returns with Big Mistakes, a chaotic crime-comedy co-created with Rachel Sennott. Positioned as a star-driven follow-up in the streaming era, the show attempts to blend dysfunctional family comedy with a spiralling crime plot—but rarely finds the balance it’s chasing.
Set in suburban New Jersey, the series follows Nicky, a tightly wound pastor hiding a relationship that could upend both his personal and professional life. He’s pulled back into family chaos when his domineering mother Linda—midway through a mayoral campaign—insists he and his sister Morgan procure a meaningful gift for their ailing grandmother. What begins as a simple errand quickly derails when Morgan impulsively steals a necklace from a shop, only for the siblings to discover it belongs to a dangerous criminal network. From there, they’re unwillingly dragged into a world of gangsters, secrets and escalating consequences.
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The good
Where the show truly comes alive is in its family dynamics. Levy understands the rhythms of sibling relationships—the regressions, the petty arguments, and the strange comfort of shared dysfunction. Nicky and Morgan’s dynamic is consistently engaging, with Taylor Ortega delivering a standout performance as the sharp-tongued, impulsive sister. Their interactions feel lived-in, messy, and often hilarious.
Laurie Metcalf, as the overbearing matriarch, brings a volatile mix of control and vulnerability that anchors the show whenever it threatens to spiral too far. Even in the most exaggerated moments, the performances remain committed. The dialogue is quick, biting, and often amusing enough to keep things moving, while the show’s restless pacing ensures it never feels dull.
The bad
The central premise, however, struggles under scrutiny. The leap from a petty theft to full-blown involvement with organised crime feels forced, with several plot developments existing purely to keep the chaos going. The criminals themselves lack menace or depth, coming across as generic obstacles rather than compelling antagonists.
More frustratingly, character motivations are often thin or inconsistent. Nicky’s role as a pastor, for instance, rarely informs his decisions in meaningful ways, while several supporting arcs feel underdeveloped or forgotten altogether. A late-season twist aims to shock but instead raises more questions than it answers, undermining whatever narrative cohesion the show had built.
The verdict
Big Mistakes thrives as a dysfunctional family comedy but falters as a crime narrative. It’s entertaining in bursts—thanks largely to its cast and dialogue—but the lack of narrative logic prevents it from fully landing. There’s potential here, especially if future episodes lean more into character than chaos. For now, it remains an uneven yet watchable misfire.
