NO GOOD DEED on Netflix is a new dark comedy series from the creator of DEAD TO ME. We’re getting a stellar cast and eight solid half-hour episodes. Also, new secrets come out in each one. Read our full No Good Deed series review here!

NO GOOD DEED is a new Netflix series in that deliciously quirky “Dark Comedy” hybrid genre. We’re dealing with crime (murder) and a whole lot of secrets for this one. It comes from the creator of Dead to Me (which I loved), so if you’ve watched that, you have an idea of what to expect.

I’ve watched all eight episodes of the series for this review. Mostly because it got me hooked so well that I simply had to watch all of it. Also, I watched the whole thing to be sure this review would be correct for the entire season. Fortunately, all the episodes are really good, so you’re in for a treat.

Continue reading our No Good Deed series review below. Find in on Netflix from December 12, 2024.

Battle for the perfect family home

In No Good Deed, we’re getting the story of a house. Or really, it’s the perfect family home. It has been to those who currently live in the house, Lydia and Paul Morgen (Lisa Kudrow and Ray Romano), and the three couples who dream of being its next owners feel the same way.

The house is a gorgeous 1920s Spanish-style villa, and the three families dreaming of buying it, are ready to go broke to get it. Each family is somewhere in their life, where they believe this house could make all their dreams come true.

However, it’s not long before it becomes apparent that maybe the current owners aren’t in agreement on selling the house. Even though they’ve actually lived through a personal nightmare in this dream house.

Secrets come spilling out – in every family, you meet – and the battle of the house becomes way more complex than anyone ever anticipated. Who is able to go the distance to finally become the new owner of the house? You’ll have to wait until the final episode of No Good Deed to find out.

Don’t worry though, the journey there is what it’s all about.

No Good Deed – Series Review | Netflix

Stellar cast and strong characters

Lisa Kudrow and Ray Romano star in No Good Deed as the couple currently owning the house this series revolves around. Both are of course household names from Friends and Everybody Loves Ray respectively.

For this series, they portray darker and hurt characters, so their performances are much more drama-driven than comedy-focused. While I’ve watched both in other productions and know they can handle this, I was still positively surprised at just how well they portrayed these characters.

The three families come from very different backgrounds, but can all still (hopefully) afford the house, so they’re not that wildly different.

We have the interracial LGBTQ couple, Leslie and Sarah, who are dreaming of a family home though the family may consist of just the two of them. These two are portrayed by Abbi Jacobson (A League of Their Own) and Poppy Liu (Dead Ringers), who both deliver nuanced and organic portrayals.

Then we have the multi-generational family consisting of a couple expecting their firstborn very soon and his mother. Though not if the pregnant wife can help it as her husband isn’t quite himself around his mom. This family is portrayed wonderfully by Teyonah Parris, O-T Fagbenle, and Anna Maria Horsford.

Finally, there is a couple already living on the street but still intrigued by this house. They consist of the washed-up soap opera actor JD and his wife Margo, who loves spending money. Luke Wilson and Linda Cardellini portray this little family.

Be sure to check out Liz Feldman’s previous show

Linda Cardellini also co-starred in Dead to Me and plays a very different character in No Good Dead. She was sweet and cooky in the former, while she’s quite deceptive and selfish in the latter. Of course, Linda Cardellini (The Curse of La Llorona) can pull both kinds of characters off just fine.

If you haven’t watched the three seasons of Dead to Me, then you have a real treat in store. I have to admit that I preferred that series to No Good Deed. However, this was due to Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini being the perfect duo in that one.

This new series has a much larger core cast and it works wonderfully. I just can’t help but miss Christina Applegate and (obviously!) that isn’t fair to this series.

Watch No Good Deed on Netflix now!

The new dark comedy series is – as mentioned already – from creator Liz Feldman, who also blessed us all with the wonderful Dead to Me. Along with being the creator, Liz Feldman is also the showrunner, executive producer, and even director on two episodes.

The remaining six episodes are directed by Silver Tree, who also directed episodes of Dead to MeYou, and The Flight Attendant. Writers on the series (along with Liz Feldman) are Madie Dhaliwal, Cara DiPaolo, Crystal Jenkins, Bruce Eric Kaplan, Zora Bikangaga, and Kelly Hutchinson.

Along with the core cast mentioned earlier, you can also look forward to seeing Kate Moennig (Ray Donovan, Squealer), Denis Leary (Rescue Me), Linda Lavin (Santa Clarita Diet), and Chloe Eat (Heretic) in key roles.

Liz Feldman’s Dead to Me series ran for three seasons and there’s room for No Good Deed to continue as well. However, fear not, this eight-episode series is a complete story. Nicely wrapped up in most areas, but with enough open-ended stories to ensure it could easily be continued.

And yes, I do hope it will.

No Good Deed Season 1 is out on Netflix globally from December 12, 2024.

Details

Creator / Showrunner / Director / Executive Producer: Liz Feldman
Director / Executive Producer: Silver Tree
Starring: Linda Cardellini, O-T Fagbenle, Abbi Jacobson, Lisa Kudrow, Denis Leary, Poppy Liu, Teyonah Parris, Ray Romano, Luke Wilson
Directors: Silver Tree (101-103, 106-108), Liz Feldman (104-105)
Writers: Liz Feldman (101), Madie Dhaliwal & Cara DiPaolo (102), Crystal Jenkins (103), Kelly Hutchinson (104), Cara DiPaolo (105), Bruce Eric Kaplan (106), Zora Bikangaga (107), Liz Feldman & Kelly Hutchinson (108)

Plot

The sale of Paul and Lydia’s picture-perfect LA home forces them to face painful family secrets — and hide them from prying eyes and cutthroat buyers.

I write reviews and recaps on Heaven of Horror. And yes, it does happen that I find myself screaming, when watching a good horror movie. I love psychological horror, survival horror and kick-ass women. Also, I have a huge soft spot for a good horror-comedy. Oh yeah, and I absolutely HATE when animals are harmed in movies, so I will immediately think less of any movie, where animals are harmed for entertainment (even if the animals are just really good actors). Fortunately, horror doesn't use this nearly as much as comedy. And people assume horror lovers are the messed up ones. Go figure!
Karina "ScreamQueen" Adelgaard
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