Freevee’s Jury Duty is the perfect combination of reality TV and sitcom. Absolutely hilarious with one of the best final episodes in television history.
Reality TV is addictive, there is no question about that. Freevee’s new series Jury Duty takes the best parts of reality television and combines it with a hilarious sitcom. In this show everyone is an actor, except the lead cast member.
Ronald Gladden answered a Craigslist ad to be part of documentary following a group of jurors. He was told that the show would detail the judicial system, and how jurors handle the process of sitting on a jury during a trail. However, there is no real trial, and what he experiences is completely scripted.
As more and more bizarre and hilarious things happen over the course of the show, viewers might think that he would figure it all out. However, he never does. At first he thinks it might be a prank show, however it goes on for three weeks and he eventually gives in and starts to think this is all just a bunch of coincidences.
James Marsden plays himself, as one of the jurors who was chosen to be on jury duty with Ronald. Of course Ronald recognizes him, which only adds to the humor that this series delivers. Don’t get me wrong though, James is certainly acting, as he portrays an exaggerated version of himself and leans into actor stereotypes pretty hard.
The thing about Jury Duty is that if Ronald was not such a likable person, there is no way this would have worked as well as it does. He is a truly caring human being, who is constantly taking the blame for things, helping others, and doing whatever he can to make others feel comfortable and happy. He offers advice to anyone who asks, even about the craziest of situations.
Probably the biggest issue with the show is that it really does feel so off the wall, that is is almost unbelievable that Ronald never figures it out. However, that is why the final episode works so well when it ties everything together.
It takes the time to explore how things were accomplished, how they were pulled off, and Ronald’s thoughts and opinions on things. It is then that the whole thing ties up nicely, allowing viewers to realize that yes, Ronald is just a really nice guy who wants to believe that what is going on around his is real as well.
Overall Thoughts
Jury Duty is an absolute blast to watch. There are so many moments that I start laughing until I cry when I think about them. Ronald is probably the sweetest human on Earth, and so it was a lot of fun getting to know him, and see the things he would sacrifice for people he barely knows.
If you are a fan of reality TV and mockumentary TV (think The Office), then this is the show for you. It is a quick and easy binge that is more than worth your time.
NEXT: Star Wars: Visions Volume 2 Episode List and Review
About Jury Duty
From the producers of The Office, Bad Trip, and The White Lotus, Jury Duty chronicles the inner workings of an American jury trial through the eyes of one particular juror, Ronald Gladden. What Gladden doesn’t know is that the entire case is fake, everyone except him is an actor, including James Marsden, and everything that happens — inside the courtroom and out — is carefully planned.
All episodes of Jury Duty season one are now streaming on Freevee.
