The Goodwin Games is an American sitcom series that aired as a midseason replacement on Fox from May 20 to July 1, 2013.[1] It was created and written by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas (creators of How I Met Your Mother) alongside Chris Harris.
Premise
The series revolves around a trio of estranged siblings: Henry, an overachieving surgeon with an overabundant ego; Chloe, a former child mathematical prodigy who became popular in high school and abandoned academia (and her friends) for a career as a struggling actress; and Jimmy, a career petty criminal with a string of convictions who has to sneak into his pre-teen daughter's bedroom at night to visit her. The siblings return home for their father's funeral. His attorney (one of Chloe's abandoned childhood friends) April Cho informs them that their father's will awards them $23 million, but only if they agree to compete in a series of games of their father's devising. The games are designed to force them to confront their personal failings, recall their childhoods, and bring them together as a family once again. When the siblings resist, April informs them that their father anticipated their reaction, and therefore a fourth individual will be involved in the games, a complete stranger named Elijah, who collects part of the remaining inheritance every time the siblings fail to follow their father's instructions.
On May 9, 2012, Fox placed a series order for the comedy[5] that was expected to premiere during the 2012–13 television season as a mid-season entry.[6] On June 7, 2012, it was announced that T. J. Miller was replacing Jake Lacy in the role of Jimmy.[7] On November 2, 2012, it was announced that Fox cut the episode order from thirteen to seven.[8]
Henry, Chloe and Jimmy Goodwin are brought together when their father, Benjamin, dies shortly after finishing his will video. At the will reading, it is revealed he has left a fortune of $23 million. When he sets the siblings a challenge, which he calls "The Goodwin Games", to complete a game of trivial pursuit, something that they have never seemed to accomplish, along with Elijah, someone hired by their father.
Chloe and April spend a night at the bar with an old friend from Math Club. Jimmy performs songs that are maybe a little too autobiographical. Henry accidentally "sexts" his ex.
Chloe becomes convinced that her father is controlling her life from beyond the grave, and her paranoia is infectious.
Broadcast
The series premiered in Australia on Eleven on May 20, 2014.[16]
Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, the series has an aggregate score of 38% based on 6 positive and 10 negative critic reviews. The website consensus reads: "The Goodwin Games is simply unimpressive in the most uninteresting ways."[17] On Metacritic, the series has a score of 57 out of 100 based on 17 critic reviews, indicating "Mixed to Average"[18]
