The Big Door Prize

The Big Door Prize could easily be a deep dive into the dark recesses of the human psyche. But it’s not. Helmed by David West Read, who wrote for and helped produce Schitt’s Creek, The Big Door Prize is a lighthearted look at how there isn’t just one path in life. Although the series isn’t as funny as Schitt’s Creek, it’s filled with as many delightfully offbeat characters and sets up deeper themes than its Canadian predecessor. 

Dusty Hubbard (Chris O’Dowd) serves as our entry point into Deerfield. He’s a family man, a history teacher, a damn good wrestler, and extremely pleased with his new scooter, a gift for his 40th birthday. He’s married to Cass (Gabrielle Dennis), and they have an adorable relationship; they invade their daughter’s workplace, a Dave & Buster’s-esque restaurant, and enthusiastically embarrass her. Dusty seems to have everything he’s ever wanted, but should he want more? He’s wary of the Morpho, the potential-prophesizing machine that mysteriously appears at the local convenience store. Has he lived up to his life’s potential, or should he upend his life the way everyone else around him seems to be doing? 

Instead of focusing just on Dusty, the series explores the lives of his students, wife, and family. Each episode’s opening hints (in stunning animation) at who the focus will be on and what their potential might be. Following just Dusty would be rather dull, and trying to focus on all of the characters at once would be overwhelming. Giving each character their own specific story lets us learn more about them, which in turn also reveals more about those around them. It’s a clever storytelling device that also ensures each episode stands on its own — and offers a character and a destiny for everyone. It’s similar to reading a book of interlinked short stories: they build on and are in conversation with one another.

Most of the humor comes from what the Morpho tells people about their potential. Dusty’s father is told he should be a male model, so he struts around Dusty’s basement, perfecting his catwalk. The local principal wholeheartedly becomes a biker and isn’t even deterred after she crashes her new motorcycle into a tree. Some of the characters receive more mysterious potentials, as in “Hero,” which takes us into deeper territory. The different types of potentials revealed make the machine even more of an enigma, which is what makes the show so interesting.