The Upshaws Season 2 review: This heartfelt comedy has nothing new to offer

Netflix's The Upshaws is one of the few comedy shows around that has retained the traditional multicamera set-up and laughter cues from the golden days of sitcoms. Apart from the stylistic aspect, the show's narrative is also heavily inspired by older shows. Following the complicated Upshaw family and its patriarch Bennie (Mike Epps), this new season continues to dwell on tried-and-tested formulas and tropes to deliver some good laughs in this era of changing television.

All eight episodes of The Upshaws premiered on Netflix on Wednesday, June 29, 2022, giving binge-watchers a chance to consume the series all at once. The story picked up from a big cliffhanger, only to end up in a crucial one by the end of the second season. The journey covered in the second season has been fairly intense.

Read on for a detailed review of the second season of The Upshaws.

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The Upshaws Season 2: Beginning to feel a little dated, but still has plenty to offer

To make it clear right at the beginning, The Upshaws is not a show that will leave you rolling on the ground with laughter or surprise you with its wit and charm. It is fairly mediocre is both those aspects. However, the show exudes a familial comforting vibe and offers a nostalgic throwback to some memorable times. It is able to impart the joy and happiness that comes with familiarity and relatability.

The show is able to reproduce traditional sitcom norms with remarkable ease and panache, which is to its credit. The season feels adequate. While there is nothing overly impressive, there is nothing incredibly disappointing either. The family-centric plot in all its awkward glory feels warm and wholesome, but the second season was uanable to hold on to the tempo over the eight episodes.

The slow beginning from the cliffhanger at the end of Season 1 is quickly compensated with a burst of pace in the second and third episodes, especially with Regina's (played by Kim Fields) lingering doubts about Bennie and the awkward situation it lands them in. Bernard's (played by Jermelle Simon) character is also more developed and has a better arc this season.

The daily shenanigans of the family are just as fun as ever, with each character taking turns to step to the forefront of the story. The brilliant Wanda Sykes, who plays the ever-present Aunt Lucretia, has many such moments, especially with the budding tension between her sister Regina and her. One of the episodes also brings in a lot of laughs in the form of their third sister, who is a preacher.

The kids, particularly Aaliyah (Khali Daniya-Renee Spraggins), had a great stint this season, often single-handedly enlivening an episode with their story.

While the show is worth a quick watch, the main problem with the second season is that the not-so-funny jokes and the washed-up format lose their edge after a while. However, the signature flavor of the show can be attributed some of its 'shortcomings' which makes the situation tricky. It seems that The Upshaws will have to make its peace with being an average throwback sitcom instead of aiming to stand out as something exceptional.

All episodes of The Upshaws Season 1 are now streaming on Netflix.