'Throwback' Netflix comedy is addictive viewing despite a 'terrible' first episode

Netflix has just unveiled the debut season of a fresh sitcom that's got critics buzzing - though it stumbles with a rather lacklustre first episode.

The show features comedian Leanne Morgan, who shot to fame in her 50s following her 2023 Netflix comedy special, playing a fictionalised version of herself as her world gets turned upside down.

After her longtime husband Bill (played by Ryan Stiles) drops the bombshell that he's ditching her for someone younger, Leanne refuses to roll over and begins rebuilding her existence as a newly single mother.

Joining her journey are Leanne's chaotic sister Carol (Kristen Johnston), who's been through two divorces, her perfect son Tyler (Graham Rogers), and her wayward daughter Josie (Hannah Pilkes).

Leanne also finds herself caring for her elderly parents - the steadfast Daddy John (Blake Clark) and sweet Mama Margaret (Celia Weston), reports the Mirror US.

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Co-created by Morgan alongside The Big Bang Theory's Chuck Lorre, the series titled Leanne has the potential to become Netflix's most successful original comedy in years, provided viewers persevere through the rocky start.

The Guardian's review cautions that despite the show's endearing lead, the series suffers from "terribly written" scripts, with the opening episode proving particularly cringe-worthy.

"It is best to be upfront about these things and say that the opening episode is bad," they wrote. "Worse than you've just assumed when I said 'bad'. Gone is the lightness of touch, the consummate ease, the subtly immaculate timing of her stage show; instead, we have a leaden script punctuated by a desperate laughter track, and a one-note performance by Morgan."

Yet, despite initially criticising the programme's wobbly start, the critique eventually acknowledged that the debut series transforms into a soothing 22-minute escape.

"And once your expectations are suitably lowered, it takes on a charm of its own," the review continued.

"The colours are bright. The multi-camera format reminds you of happier, simpler times from your youth. Morgan and Johnston are in almost every scene and have comedy chops that can overcome even the most defiantly second- and third-tier writing and reward your viewing investment with glimmers of merriment. It starts to take on a rosy hue."

The programme has also garnered acclaim from publications such as Variety, who described it as "a heaping plate of Southern charm with a side of mid-life reinvention".

"I may not be the target audience for Leanne, but I found much to like in it, and suspect many Netflix subscribers will as well," they praised.

The Hollywood Reporter also commended the show's gentle wit, noting: "That its throwback sensibility mostly comes off as classic rather than hoary is a testament to the competence of the seasoned cast and crew, as well as to Morgan's confident lead turn.

"It helps, too, that the episodes never overstay their welcome, clocking in at around 20 minutes each in an era when 'half-hour' streaming comedies have a habit of ballooning into 40-minute run times."

Viewers who enjoy family comedies like The Conners or laid-back sitcoms such as Superstore should certainly give Leanne a go for some light-hearted laughs on a relaxed morning.

Leanne is available to stream on Netflix.