Average Joe (2023) is the latest dark comedy and action-drama released on BET +, a creation of Robb Cullen. One of the dramatic changes the show takes is the casting of Deon Cole, as the character he plays is not a comic one. The art of this action-comedy combines suspense, humor, and drama, with underlying issues such as family ties, ethical compromises, and fighting against crime and corruption. Based in Pittsburgh, Average Joe tells the story of a regular man who enters the world of the international criminals and gets his life completely changed.
Synopsis
Joe Washington, played by Deon Cole, is a plumber who works hard for his money and prefers to stay out of limelight in the beautiful city of Pittsburgh. But after the death of his father, he finds dark information, and it changes everything; for Joe, that is. Joe gets to know about a secret strongroom from his father that contained wealth looted by Russian mobs. Without being in the crime scene or exploring the criminal underbelly, Joe will now in a race to protect what is his and the horde of criminals that are about him and the treasure.
In dealing with crime, Joe is accompanied by his average friends, among them his wife Angela (Tammy Townsend) and his close friend Leon (Malcolm Barrett). There are specific dangerous circumstances, and while Joe and his group of friends are trying to control the enemies, they have to make some hard decisions about their own and one another’s safety so that they do not wrinkle their morals too much.
Key Characters
Joe Washington (Deon Cole): Joe is a rather ordinary person in terms of ciminal records so having to work through pain and struggle is quite normal for him. Resilience is something he possesses as well as innovation and resourcefulness. Cole plays Joe well, portraying sympathy, jealousy and how he becomes a hero while pushing back against his nature.
Angela Washington (Tammy Townsend): Although Angela has her own internal considerations, she is the supportive parent and wife of Joe who has quite a strong personality. It is her that Joe is able to confide in. Her character is more than just a romatic angle as she brings sensation emotion into the mix and there is a sense of weight to whatever joe has to do.
Leon Montgomery (Malcolm Barrett): Sara’s closest fan to make the mixed marriage funny, Leon turned out to be very devoted to the chief and his best friend. So as Joe gets shittier and pushes Leon away, he stays by Joe’s side since childhood.
Themes
Ordinary vs. Extraordinary: The show depicts a perspective that not all extraordinary acts are performed by extraordinary people such as the case when there is imminent danger to a loved one. It is his evolution from being ‘just an ordinary guy’ to someone who doesn’t shy away from cowards who seek cover behind the mob that makes it humourous and gives the storyline more depth.
Family and Loyalty: For Joe, the main factor that drives him is his focus on safeguarding his loved ones. The show delves into the value of family unity to an extent that moral codes can be bent.
Moral Compromise: Joe and his associates are subjected to morally gray areas which leave them with no choice but to consider their principles in the light of the perilous environment they are in.
Style and Tone
In an unusual fashion, both dark comedy and action handling find themselves quite easy to blend into the Average Joe. The severe and humoristic sides of the series are executed through the sharp exposition of dialogue and situational jokes, which provide balance to the jeopardies that Joe and his friends come across. The violent and crime as an atmoshere is suitable to the overall pattern as well as its charming, making Joe’s usually outlandish predicaments all the more believable.
Reception
Average Joe has been well received for its unique blend of humor within the action and suspense genre. These critics drew attention to the performance of Deon Cole whom they drew attention to because the fact that he is a stand-up comedian but he does not make too much sense as the role of an average joe which is somewhat a bum but tires really hard. The audiences were engaged and enjoyed the fusion of humorous excerpts with chaos, owing to the show’s bleak comedy and the unique plotline.
Similar Recommendations
In the event that Average Joe sounds interesting, here are other related drama with elements of crime and dark comedy, as well as the theme of “the 7th-grade drama life of the average person”:
Barry – An HBO show that follows a hitman who wishes to become an actor. The show blends dark comedy, criminal activities and moral conflicts.
Breaking Bad – is the eventful life of a typical high school chemistry teacher turned methamphetamine creator. It features thrilling drama, suspense and dark humour.
Fargo (TV Series) – It traces the ordinary characters caught in criminal scenarios always imprinted with dark humour in the previous seasons all the last one provides the narrative of a criminal tale along with the crime.
Average Joe interestingly presents a story of how the ordinary people survive against the most odd challenges turning it into 3 dimensional plot saturated with thrill, humor, and drama and plenty of action.
