“The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh,” debuting this Thursday on Prime Video, offers a delightful and humorous glimpse into the life of an offbeat family, crafted by Vijal Patel. His previous work includes writing and producing for notable series like “The Kids Are Alright,” “black-ish,” and “The Middle,” all of which exemplify some of the best family comedies of this century. This new series resonates with authenticity drawn from Patel’s own family experiences.
While it may touch on familiar themes — such as culture clash, feuding neighbors, and zany family dynamics — it stands out due to its unique characters and consistently outstanding writing and performances. If I mention its resemblance to Jason Jones’ excellent “The Detour,” particularly in its storytelling style (narrated to investigators), family relations, and frenetic energy, it might not resonate with everyone; however, those familiar will certainly understand the comparison.
The show kicks off at the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service offices, where the five Pradeeps, fresh from India two years ago, are being interrogated by two agents referred to merely as Dark Suit (Pete Holmes), the more personable one, and Light Suit (Romy Rosemont), his stern superior. They’re trying to uncover the truth behind two incidents: a house fire and some questionable dealings in Ohio, which could lead to the family’s deportation.
Father Mahesh Pradeep (Naveen Andrews) has relocated the family to Pittsburgh (filmed in Toronto, during a snowy backdrop). He has secured a contract with SpaceX to manufacture a rocket component, utilizing a space that was once a sex toy factory (with some leftover inventory). His wife, Sudha (Sindhu Vee), a formidable surgeon, anticipates that the American diet will keep her busy in their new home. Their eldest child, and only daughter, Bhanu (Sahana Srinivasan), views America as an opportunity for independence; the middle child, Kamal (Arjun Sriram), exhibits an intense attachment to his mother and is fearful of the world; while the youngest, Vinod (Ashwin Sakthivel), is playfully described by Sudha as “an optimistic doofus” with a fascination for garbage men.
Vinod (Ashwin Sakthivel) is the youngest Pradeep, whom his mother describes as an “optimistic doofus.”
(Steve Wilkie / Prime Video)
“It’s alright, we have two more,” Mahesh quips to Sudha when Vinod expresses his desire to pursue that career.
“Do we?” she answers wistfully.
The Mills, their neighbors just two houses away, include Janice (Megan Hilty), Jimbo (Ethan Suplee), and their son Stu (Nicholas Hamilton). Although Sudha labels them as low-quality individuals, they share a fondness for the television show “The Good Fight.” Janice, who crafts velour Bible covers hoping to sell them on QVC and has a side hustle in nutritional supplements, is also Kamal’s crush-worthy English teacher. Jimbo, who coaches basketball at Vinod’s school, is easygoing and supportive, establishing an immediate bond with Mahesh. Meanwhile, Stu, a lovable goofball, becomes a target of Bhanu’s affections, while Vinod also takes a liking to him after discovering his online stunt videos.
As expected, the narrative takes its fair share of twists and turns. The story unfolds through interviews, as each character narrates with their unique perspectives, akin to passing a basketball — it influences the on-screen action in varied ways. (Sudha and Janice’s perceptions of each other’s children are humorously skewed as corrupting influences upon their own.)
Ethan Suplee and Megan Hilty star as the Pradeep’s neighbors, Jimbo and Janice.
(Ian Watson / Prime Video)
Throughout the series, there are more comedic insights from the South Asian perspective about (white) Americans than the opposite. Upon boarding the school bus, Bhanu exclaims she’s “blinded by the Caucasians.” Sudha explains that a denied medical license stems from “accreditation and compatibility, a.k.a. America hates brown foreigners.” However, while racial themes are occasionally humorous — as Janice remarks, “I don’t even see color; to me everyone’s white” — they are not the series’ primary focus.
There are some shortcomings too. The subplot involving Mahesh’s business becomes an almost invisible background detail, provoking questions about how the Pradeeps have survived for two years. A storyline involving drug dealing, treated with surprising levity, concludes without much significance to the characters at hand but does yield some amusing moments in Janice’s imagined retelling.
The central plot points are stretched out across the eight episodes, with the agents incrementally seeking resolutions. (Their developing rapport is itself a humorous narrative.) The episodic storylines include bullying incidents, basketball games, financial struggles, failing grades, a Halloween bash, and even a hunting expedition. Vinod befriends two unique kids, Willa (Beatrice Schneider), who has a stutter, and Mo (Zachary Rayment), who uses two canes, emerging in a sort of pint-sized “Jules & Jim” scenario.
In conclusion, you may lose interest in the question of who actually burned down the Mills’ house long before realizing that it’s not a mystery you’ll solve this season. What truly matters is how our protagonists — who each embody heroic qualities in their own right — navigate their lives together. At its core, every dysfunctional family comedy is fundamentally about connection.
