Notice: All forms on this website are temporarily down for maintenance. You will not be able to complete a form to request information or a resource. We apologize for any inconvenience and will reactivate the forms as soon as possible.

Downward Dog

Credits

Cast

Network

Reviewer

Paul Asay

TV Series Review

Whoever said that “it’s a dog’s life” was clearly not a dog.

Granted, dogs rarely speak English anyway. And when they do, it’s not typically to philosophize and coin future clichés.

But Martin, the dog, does speak English—at least to his television audience. And he is prone to philosophizing. Because really, when you’re a dog, what else are you going to do with your time? There’s only so much kibble one can eat.

No, Martin has done some thinking on the subject, and he’s decided that whatever life is all about, it’s not a dog’s life. Not this dog’s, anyway.

Ruff Times Ahead

Oh, maybe a dog’s life has some advantages, Martin might admit: the free food, the free time, the freedom to go to the bathroom on the carpet every now and then. But those are mere superficial accoutrements to the nature of life itself. To truly make a dog’s life significant requires something more. Perhaps a new squeak toy. More quality time with his harried caretaker, Nan. Maybe the unexpected passing of Pepper, the neighborhood cat.

But for now, Martin’s life is one extended existential crisis. He’s prone to more navel-gazing than most of us whose actual navels are more readily in view. “Sometimes dog culture can feel like a breeding ground of anti-intellectualism,” he grouses. “And I just want to say, like, it’s not a sin to be smart.”

Nan, meanwhile, has her own problems to navigate. She works long hours at Clark and Bow Outfitters, forcing her to spend time away from the precious canine in her life. She recently broke things off with her longtime beau, Jason. But they still hang out all the time, and temptation to sleep with the guy sometimes can confuse things. And as the young Millennial tries to dive into the dating world again, she gradually realizes that Martin’s about the most stable male in her life.

Some Content to Give You … Paws

Downward Dog, based on a web series, is a strange, sweet and sadly problematic summertime sitcom.

Martin’s rarely the cause of the show’s unfortunate content. The pooch’s propensity to opine about his life and the people around him (from a strictly canine point of view, of course) can be pretty entertaining and mostly innocent. He wonders what Nan does without him all day: throw balls? And why do people make such a big whoop over dogs that play dead? “Just the phrase, ‘play dead,’ is pretty dark if you think about it,” he notes. Granted, his bathroom habits can become plot points in any given story. But dog owners are well aware that pets and poo can often be a wellspring of both domestic angst and unintentional comedy.

But when the show focuses on Nan’s life, this walk through the park can be littered with unfortunate little landmines. Nan’s sexual relationships are inherently problematic. And even if she’s not having sex, that doesn’t stop her and her friends from talking about it. Drinking and drug references can sully the yard further. And language can sometimes stray beyond the confines of “sit” and “stay.”

The content’s not horrible, mind you. Compared to many sitcoms, it’s relatively innocuous. But take ABC’s TV-PG rating seriously: Parental guidance is indeed advisable—with parents perhaps guiding their children to turn off the television.

Episode Reviews

Downward Dog: June 6, 2017 “The Full Package”

Nan and Martin meet a wealthy entrepreneur, Eric, and his well-trained dog in the park. Eric offers to help train Martin too, and Nan accepts—hoping to begin a romantic relationship with the guy.

At first, Martin’s excited about the prospect of getting more physically fit. “Sometimes it’s hard not to wonder what it would be like to have it all,” he mulls. “Brains and brawn.” But a subsequent afternoon of agility training makes Martin feel woefully inadequate.

Eric feeds Martin some unfamiliar food, which leads to an unfortunate accident in Eric’s mostly white house. (Martin thought that the pain was, at first, just “weakness leaving the body.” Then he admits, “It was something else leaving the body altogether.”) We don’t see the accident, but Eric tells Nan that Martin’s dog doo “is all over.”

Eric and Nan share an awkward kiss. (“Thank you for kissing with me,” he tells her.) Nan plots with her friend, Jenn, about how to handle an evening with Eric, with Jenn wanting to know how much Nan wants to have sex with him. (We hear a few related double entendres.) Eric and Nan quaff a couple of glasses of wine, and Nan speculates that Eric used to smoke marijuana but gave it up. (Nan and others drink champagne as well. Or, as Eric says, “sparkling wine.”)

Someone says that the bearded, bohemian-looking Eric looks like a “sexy old Jesus.” There’s a reference to transcendental meditation. Characters say “b–ch” once, “d–n” once and “crap” twice. God’s name is also misused twice.

The Plugged In Show logo
Elevate family time with our parent-friendly entertainment reviews! The Plugged In Podcast has in-depth conversations on the latest movies, video games, social media and more.
paul-asay
Paul Asay

Paul Asay has been part of the Plugged In staff since 2007, watching and reviewing roughly 15 quintillion movies and television shows. He’s written for a number of other publications, too, including Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. The author of several books, Paul loves to find spirituality in unexpected places, including popular entertainment, and he loves all things superhero. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew and terrible B-grade movies. He’s married, has two children and a neurotic dog, runs marathons on occasion and hopes to someday own his own tuxedo. Feel free to follow him on Twitter @AsayPaul.

Latest Reviews

Animal Control season 2
Comedy

Animal Control

Animal Control is yet another recycled comedy about public servants who can’t seem to do anything right.

Elsbeth season 1
Comedy

Elsbeth

The NYPD hires a quirky, former defense attorney in “Elsbeth.” And while it’s a likable show, the content is sometimes out of order.

The Regime season 1
Drama

The Regime

Kate Winslet rules this fictional European country through guile, paranoia and delusion. The show itself is on shaky ground, as well.