Central Park is Just What Apple TV+ Needs

We could all use a little cheer in our life and Apple TV+’s latest show Central Park might just be it. Created by Loren Bouchard, of Bob’s Burgers fame and Josh Gad, the voice of Olaf in Disney’s Frozen, it’s a family-friendly spin on animated comedies.

From IMDB

An animated musical series that tells the story of a how a family of caretakers, who live and work in Central Park, end up saving the park, and basically the world.

Central Park comes with the same dry humor as Bob’s Burgers does but the delivery and timing still make it fun. Where it separates itself from Bob’s is the musical bits. While its predecessor has many moments where it breaks out into songs, Central Park has a minimum of 3 to 4 per episode and uses them to drive the narrative. Each episode feels like a condensed theatrical musical.

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So far the most entertaining part of the entire show is just how well the songs fit. Where most movies that are musicals characters are forced to break out into song to hit a quota, the short nature of television episodes makes it feel more natural throughout each one.

Not only are the songs kind of catchy and at times humorous, but the real fun also comes from seeing each character break out into a song that doesn’t fit their character. Each character has their own personality but the fun and connection to them are highlighted by their ability to pull these songs out of their bag of tricks.

Apple Tv+ is pushing hard for comedies and dramas but it’s their family-friendly programming that’s setting them apart. On top of Central Park, they have Snoopy, Elmo, Fraggle Rock, and a host of kid-friendly content. So while their content is limited right now, they have a pretty decent leg to stand on. Where Netflix is loaded with content due to its head start in the streaming world, Apple TV+ is making up ground with shows like Central Park.

Netflix has something for the entire family but most of their content seems directed towards separate members of the family to watch individually. Apple doesn’t appear to try and cut their piece of that pie, instead, they’re building their own unique style. Shows like Central Park aren’t just your cookie cutter, copy and paste, change out a few characters and redistribute. So far, their weekly release schedule and unique style appear to be paying off.