Bonus Family

2017

Seasons & Episodes

  • 4
  • 3
  • 2
  • 1

EP3 Episode 3 Nov 08, 2021

7.6| 0h30m| en
Synopsis

A new couple, their exes and their children navigate the emotional challenges and tricky logistics of blended family life in this Swedish dramedy.

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Trailers & Clips

Also starring Emma Peters

Reviews

Inadvands Boring, over-political, tech fuzed mess
TrueHello Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.
Tyreece Hulme One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.
Phillipa Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.
vicki-hi67 Loved it it was entertaining and very realistic would definitely recommend it
jonkersanne Watched season 1. I like the show, but did not love it. Its put well together. Pro's: modern day western family themes, dry humor, sometimes surprising, funny moments. There are some characters very dominant in the show. But I like the scenes with the less dominants characters as well (even more sometimes), like the two therapists (nice to have an "outsiders" view, funny lines), Martins mom and friend are also nice to have in the show and Henrik (nice humor). Would love to see more of them, a storyline. I Like Katya as a character, she is more "layered", interesting person. Love this kid Wille. He is adorable.Dislikes: the forever and ever arguing, fighting between, well, everybody. It does not always add something to the show/storylines, in my opinion. It gets bored even, its shallow. Like they cant even have a normal conversation as adults. This kid Eddie is very dominant and annoying... He shouts, calls his bonusdad/others names, in every episode! Oh my, horrible. It bothers me that he does not get disciplined on this. Also, the "new" couple fight a lot, it seems not realistic that they have a good relationship. Suddenly, right after a argument (and thats everyday...) they have fun again, huh... Martin is not always very reasonable, picking fights. He behaves childish, narrowsided (cause he is hurt..). He annoys me as well, good playing by the actor *). He can be funny though. The daughter could have a better storyline, more scenes and text, in my opinion. She is there, but not really. So bottom line, I would like a little bit more depth in the storyline(s) and less superficial arguing. Will see what happens in season two...
VivaCinematicArt 8 stars for the lipstick, reduced to 2 because it's on a pig. Warning: many spoilers. This review only covers episodes 1-6. I quit after that.The lipstick: interesting premise & script, good acting, and engaging characters. See other reviews for details.The pig: rampantly corrupt values. These include parental delinquency and promiscuity.Another reviewer warned that "sexually liberated themes may not sit well with more prudish audiences." I'd call them "sexually corrupt themes." The highest values embraced by this modern, extended, Swedish so-called 'family' are to communicate with each other. Granted, this is important, but don't these values count anymore: fear of God, marital fidelity, respect for life, responsible parenting, childhood obedience, childhood respect for elders, and parental discipline of a child when needed? Granted, many people in Sweden and other countries have rejected these bonds that hold together families and civilizations, but a TV series that embraces this lifestyle has no appeal to me. We've all heard of "family values". What might "bonus family values" be? Here are a few examples. Spoilers start here.Lisa, still married to Martin, is committing adultery with Patrik, her boyfriend, in full knowledge of her two children.Lisa, after learning that Bianca, her young teen daughter, is sleeping with Bianca's boyfriend, does nothing to restrain her.Lisa and Eddie consider her getting an abortion because she becomes obnoxious when pregnant and might spoil their relationship. Although she doesn't end up getting one, they would place their own happiness above the new life they have conceived.Eddie, the son of Lisa and Martin, is an obnoxious, out of control, spoiled brat. He constantly insults Patrik, his pseudo-stepfather, and at least once kicks him in a painful place. Yet Lisa, Patrik, and Martin do nothing to restrain Eddie, discipline him, or teach him how to respect his elders. Instead, they rejoice when Eddie expresses himself, however obnoxiously.Katja, who is Patrik's self-centered ex-wife, sleeps with two coworkers and obsessively favors her work over caring for her son, William. She's even willing to leave him alone at night, even though he's only seven years old.Martin, a nervous wreck, only gets around to sleeping with one coworker, at least through episode six.Jan and Ylva, the married 'family' counselors, are dysfunctional in their own relationship and hate each other's guts. This comes out clearly in episode six. How could they possibly be effective counselors?
veo First of all, do not get deterred by the fact that it is Swedish: it has nothing of the dry, coward European cinema. The subject itself is nothing new: the problems of a recent couple along with problems of their children, ex-partners, new partners of their ex-partners. But it is so brilliantly written and perfectly played, it doesn't let you down for a single episode. It a shows about serious matters (family, commitment, divorce, kids...) but approached with a great sense of humor and (rare thing) really funny jokes. It also has great characters and witty comebacks that make it a hidden gem that I hope Hollywood will never remake.