Created by John D. Beck and Ron Hart
Starring Dove Cameron as Liv/Maddie RooneyJoey Bragg as Joey Rooney
Tenzing Norgay Trainor as Parker Rooney
Kali Rocha as Karen Rooney
Benjamin King as Pete Rooney
Disney Channel’s latest live-action offering, Liv and Maddie, focuses on the misadventures of eponymous diametrically-opposed
twin sisters upon Liv’s return from her four-year stint on a hit TV show. Liv –
a diva too long out of touch with the real world – and Maddie – a basketball
player with little taste for the glamorous life – realize just how much they’ve
grown apart in the past four years and struggle to reconnect. In other words,
it takes Disney’s typical ‘TV star in the real world’ element and analyzes the
more gritty and realistic side of it. Liv
and Maddie features the comedic flavor of its DC predecessors but the
actors and writers really shine in
the show’s dramatic moments. Now pull up a chair and let’s take a closer look.
Lights, camera, acting: Disney
Channel certainly isn’t known for having the best actors, but they really do
bring together a great cast once in a while, and this is one of those times.
The show rides on the talent of Dove Cameron, one of the best young actors Disney’s
picked up in a while. She possesses the rare talents of 1) staying in character
when she’s not delivering lines, and 2) emoting like a human when she is delivering lines. Her authenticity in
her dual lead roles is impressive, particularly considering that many of her
most emotional scenes are opposite her doubles. Besides Cameron, the rest of
the cast shows some talent as well. Tenzing Norgay Trainor brings back memories
of Jake T. Austin in first-season Wizards
of Waverly Place, except he’s better at keeping a straight face and
provides more nuanced acting than Austin did at that age. Comedian Joey Bragg
is still new to TV acting, but he’s rapidly improving and has a lot of
potential. It’ll be interesting to see how he develops as the show goes on. Rounding
out the main cast are Benjamin King and Kali Rocha, who make for compelling
parents but have yet to receive a significant amount of development.
Surprise, surprise: The surprise
star for me was Jessica Marie Garcia, who plays Maddie’s friend and basketball teammate
Willow. Although Willow is only a side character, Garcia impresses in her few
minutes on screen. Willow – a tough young woman with difficulty expressing her
more feminine side – draws a lot of laughs with her excessive aggressiveness
and her awkward attempted romance with Joey. I’m definitely looking forward to
seeing more of Garcia in future episodes.
The Erlenmeyer Flask: So I
already talked up the acting quite a bit, but how does the cast mix? Overall,
pretty well, but let’s remember that the show’s still new. First season show =
first season chemistry. I was really impressed with the sibling bond between
Trainor and Cameron (in both of her roles) in the episode “Sleep-a-Rooney.”
Having two older sisters myself, I could definitely feel the family ties in
that one. I also like the dynamic between Bragg and Trainor, who interact in a
way reminiscent of David Henrie and Jake T. Austin early in WoWP. They clearly have a lot of fun
together and add that element of mischief to the show that will draw in the
male viewers. Finally, I can’t wrap up this section without bringing up the
chemistry between Cameron and her real-life boyfriend Ryan McCartan, who plays
Maddie’s love interest Diggie. The familiarity they have with each other shows
on screen, and the writing serves to make the couple even cuter. I won’t say
they’re my OTP (Phil and Keely forever!), but I liek totes ship them.
Technicalities: The
technical aspects of the show are pretty good as well. The jokes aren't exceptional and the episodic plots are the average Disney fare, but what
it lacks in those areas is made up for in the dramatic scenes. Here, the
unflinchingly real dialogue sets Cameron up for a level of emotional intensity
rarely seen in a Disney show. I previously mentioned how impressed I was with
the relationship between the twins and Parker, but that realism goes double for
the relationship between Liv and Maddie. The characters’ dynamic personalities
bring them at times head-to-head, at times heart-to-heart, and the relationship
is always fresh and authentic. While I take my hat off to Cameron for bringing
both characters to life, I must also hold to my conviction that an actor is
only as good as his writers and directors.
So basically: Liv and Maddie is a solid sitcom, with
just the right amount of drama mixed in. The cast and crew work together to
deliver a solid performance that may not be revolutionary but is
refreshingly natural for Disney. Only a couple of episodes in, it’s difficult
to tell exactly where it ranks in Disney Channel canon, but it’s been a very
impressive start to what I hope will be a long-running series.
Liv and Maddie airs Sundays at 8/7c on Disney Channel.
Acting: 71° thumb (on a scale of -90° to 90°)
Technical aspects: Ultraviolet (based on frequency of electromagnetic radiation)
Quote to Remember: “Who knew carpentry camp would pay off, right?!”
