No Ordinary Family
2010
Original language: English
- drama
- sci-fi & fantasy
- comedy
The story
After their plane crashes into the Amazon River, each member of the Powell family starts to show signs of new, unique and distinct super powers.
What it’s like
Bright, sun-washed Southern California in saturated daylight: suburban kitchens, backyard pools and glossy house interiors shot in clean, even light, with the warm amber and bright blues of a network family drama. The camera stays fairly conventional, with medium two-shots over dinner tables and quick cuts for the power sequences, which arrive as flashy visual effects, shimmering energy and flashes of glowing light rather than anything grim. The score is upbeat, guitar-driven pop-rock with bright stingers, and the mood is breezy and amiable, a light family comedy with a sci-fi premise underneath. Episodes move briskly and end on small cliffhangers, and the emotional register stays warm and earnest: a stressed, overworked father, a mother pulled between work and home, and teenagers learning to live with strange new abilities and their own awkwardness. The violence is mild, mostly action beats and scuffles with bad guys, with no gore and little that lingers. Good for a comfortable weeknight watch or easy background viewing, especially for people who want a lighthearted superhero family show with a sunny, feel-good tone.
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