Why You Should Watch Gortimer Gibbon's Life on Normal Street

Life is anything but normal for Gortimer and his two best friends, Ranger and Mel, as they navigate Normal Street - an ordinary suburb that has a hint of something magical just beneath the surface. -IMDb

I discovered this show when it first came out. Amazon was pretty new to making original series back then. The only one anyone had really heard of was Transparent, which is for adults. I was unsure what to expect when I decided to watch this show, but I am so glad that I did. It is so much better than I could have ever expected. After the recent release of the second half of Season Two, it appears that the series has ended for good. So, I have decided to share a few reasons you should watch Gortimer Gibbon's Life on Normal Street.

1. It's a lot like Pushing Daisies.

 Wonderful baker who solves mysteries and wants to be a good guy? Check. Childhood best friend(s) who help solve the mysteries? Check. Crazy disguises? Check. Only two seasons? Check. (I mentioned Gortimer Gibbon's Life on Normal Street last Thanksgiving when discussing Pushing Daisies, but I didn't say how the two shows were similar.)

2. The actors have impressive ranges.

So many crazy things happen in the show, from switching bodies, becoming a book character, or even acting like a bug. Crazy stuff aside, the characters struggle with real-life situations like death, moving, and divorce. I was very impressed with the talent of these child actors to portray these situations and emotions realistically.

3. The kids act like kids.

At the very beginning of the show, the main characters are going into 8th grade. Unlike some shows I have watched portraying middle schoolers/early high schoolers, Gortimer and his friends actually act like kids instead of snobby, privileged college students. Whenever they hang out, they play outside or play games. They respect their parents and treat them properly, except for the rare eye roll. (Hey, everyone's human!)

4. The plot twists are really, really unexpected.

*zips lips* Not saying anything.

5. It accurately portrays childhood without seeming childish.

Childlikeness and childishness are two totally different things. Childlikeness is innocence, trust, and unconditional love; childishness is the selfish, wild behavior seen in children before they are taught better (or, more often, in adults who never grew out of the terrible twos). Often, television struggles in maintaining this boundary. This show highlighted the difference really well.

Have you ever watched Gortimer Gibbon's Life on Normal Street? Who is your favorite character?