By Josh Nason
Despite being married to the funniest man she has ever met, I rarely see my wife laugh as much as when Dan Levy is on the screen.
You will best remember Levy from his breakout role as David Rose in Schitt’s Creek (It’s still wild to me it was born on Pop TV of all places), a show he co-created with his dad and all-around funnyman Eugene Levy. Since the Creek dried up, Levy has done a few things but nothing with the mass appeal that Schitt’s Creek was.
Until now.
It’s time for another round of Should You Watch featuring Levy’s new Netflix show, Big Mistakes.
Should You Watch Big Mistakes (Netflix)?
How many seasons?
One with a second season renewal.
How many episodes?
8.
What type of show is it?
A comedy that trends on the dark side.
What year(s)?
2026
Where can I currently find it?
Netflix
Who is it for?
Fans of dark comedies centered around family and things going wrong with a bit of cringe.
What’s the commit level?
This is the beauteous part: all eight episodes are just over a half hour. It’s a total of 263 minutes, so 4.38 hours (we’re precise around here). Each episode has roughly 3:45 in credits so you can bring that total down to four hours. It’s a breeze.
Is there a bailout episode?
Give it two.
Any interesting background in the show’s creation?
It’s part of Levy’s overall development deal with Netflix, getting the green light in May 2025 and debuting a year later. Co-creator Rachel Sennott was set to play Levy’s sister but her I Love L.A. series got picked up by HBO.
Are there actors the average TV watcher would recognize?
Dan Levy, Laurie Metcalf, Elizabeth Perkins
What’s the reaction been?
Rotten Tomatoes has the entire series at an 80/77 split while Metacritic is at a “generally favorable” 65. As of this writing, it’s too early for any award nominations.
What’s the main plot in a sentence?
A bickering brother and sister go on a very unexpected ride after visiting a gift shop while their mother and sister have their own journey involving city government.
What’s the rewatch factor?
Low.
If you like these shows or movies, you’ll like this:
Schitt’s Creek, The Chair Company, Fleabag, Arrested Development
Is this a first or second screen show?
First. There’s a lot happening and it’s 30 minutes. You can do it.
Should you watch Big Mistakes?
This is a completely original idea and proves Levy wasn’t a one-hit wonder with Schitt’s Creek. This definitely has the DNA of Schitt’s in that it involves a family with plenty of drama, but also like Schitt’s, Big Mistakes doesn’t expand too far out from the core group of four-ish characters. This is my first experience with Ortega and she’s really incredible playing off Levy’s signature frenetic pace. Laurie Metcalf, who plays Levy and Ortega’s mother, has a great secondary storyline that somehow weaves into the main one seamlessly in a very unexpected way with her other daughter played by Abby Quinn.
Most importantly, this show is very funny. Like his dad, Levy is a natural. His style may not be for everyone, but if it is, you’ll love Big Mistakes. Even if it isn’t, give it a shot anyway.
Should you watch? Yes.
