NBC's Sunnyside Premiere: Grade It

Ryan Schwartz

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NBC on Thursday invited viewers to check out Sunnyside, a new ensemble comedy co-created by series star Kal Penn.

The House and Designated Survivor vet plays Garrett Modi, a Queens councilman who falls from grace after he gets busted for publication intoxication. He loses reelection to AOC stand-in Diana Brea, then is forced to crash on his sister Mallory’s couch after his girlfriend kicks him out.

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To make some easy cash, Garrett signs up for a website that allows you to earn money by selling your life experience, and begins charging people $50 to spend the afternoon with a disreputable politician. He is eventually hired by a diverse group of immigrants who need his help preparing for their citizenship exam. They also figure that the former councilman can make a few calls and get someone to help expedite their citizenship applications, which he leads them to believe is possible. They eventually discover that Garrett is full of crap when their Moldovan friend Drazen is taken by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and he has no one he can call to get an update on their friend’s status.

The group ditches Garrett, but Mallory convinces her brother not to give up on them. He gathers everyone and marches down to Diana’s office, where he asks his successor to help them find Drazen. She tells them she can try, but I.C.E. doesn’t give that information out to just anyone. Meanwhile, Garrett convinces the group to rehire him as their teacher. He says he’ll do whatever it takes to help them on their path to the American dream.

What did you think of Sunnyside‘s first episode? Weigh in via the following polls, then drop your thoughts in a comment below.

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