Will Forte and D’Arcy Carden team up in Sunny Nights: A Funny and Bloody Comedy
At first glance, two new comedies hitting screens this month, DTF St Louis and Sunny Nights, might seem similar. They both have dark humor, everyday people getting caught up in crazy situations that involve some mystery or mayhem—a dead body or a body part, to be exact. Plus, they both feature fantastic casts, with Will Forte and D’Arcy Carden bringing some serious chemistry to Sunny Nights. And let’s not forget the themes of midlife crises and missed opportunities that run through both shows. Oh, and they even share some sun-themed tunes in their opening credits, with DTF using “Let The Sunshine In” by The 5th Dimension and Nights using a cover of “Who Loves The Sun” by The National’s Matt Berninger and Rosanne Cash. And get this—the original versions of those songs were released just nine months apart!
But really, that’s where the similarities end. While DTF focuses on a lovable loser thinking he’s scored a date with a Bowie lookalike named Moonage Daydream, Sunny Nights goes all out with explosions, plane crashes, blown-up cars, and plenty of bloody moments thanks to its lead duo. It’s a wild ride that keeps the volume cranked up high. Comparisons to “Ozark but funny” might come to mind, especially with the fish-out-of-water setup and the thrilling season finale, but Sunny Nights is in a league of its own. Even with scenes of torture that are more amusing than shocking, it’s not quite like anything we’ve seen before, not even Barry.
The show, created by Nick Keetch and Ty Freer, follows a brother-sister duo aiming to kickstart their spray-tan business, Tansform. Forte plays Martin Marvin, a mild-mannered guy from the Midwest who’s out to win back his wife Joyce in Sydney. Then there’s Carden’s Vicki, the wild card of the pair who’s always stirring up trouble and providing some much-needed comic relief. When Martin gets blackmailed over a steamy video, the siblings get pulled into a world of crime that tests their limits.
The Marvins find themselves in one sticky situation after another, juggling their business success with their shady dealings and encounters with mob boss Mony. It’s a rollercoaster of ups and downs, with the duo constantly finding themselves in deeper trouble than before. Picture Walter White’s infamous quote about taking one step forward and two steps back—except in this case, it’s all happening in a comedy setting.
While the show’s quirky characters and offbeat settings make for a colorful backdrop, some viewers might find the story dragging a bit in the middle. With eight 45-minute episodes directed by Trent O’Donnell, you might start to wonder if a shorter season could have packed the same punch. But there’s no denying that Forte and Carden’s dynamic duo is what keeps the laughs coming in this unique and chaotic series.
