Cox Sitcom Short on Situations, Comedy

By Jordan Teicher 

There can only be one Phil Dunphy. And as much as Draftfcb would like you to pretend Paul Hattery is the second-coming of TV’s ultimate patriarchal dweeb, it’s not even close.

Paul Hattery is the main attraction in Cox Communication’s unique commercial/sitcom campaign Home with the Hatterys–a fake show about a family of four struggling with slow download speeds and other telecom-related hijinks. The original spot (above) was supposed to run as a one-off commercial, but after a positive reception, Cox and Draftfcb turned the idea into an ad sitcom with one-minute “episodes.”

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The initial premise holds some value, straddling the parody v. pastiche boundary for a mockumentary like Modern Family. But, with 11 episodes, there are only so many DSL gags you can sit through before the humor dries up. Stale writing does in Paul’s character; he’s just a shallow sketch of Dunphy, mostly a consequence of one-minute clips that rely on soft one-liners. Although, when he drills his wife in the face with a dodgeball, you might crack a smile.

Interesting side note: The Home with the Hatterys opening credits play for 20 seconds even though the episodes last a minute; the Modern Family credit sequence plays for 10 seconds, and the episodes run for 22 minutes. There’s probably a more efficient way for Draftfcb to use their time. Credits after the jump.

Todd Tilford – Chief Creative Officer
Chuck Rudnick – EVP, Group Creative Director
Susan Betteridge – SVP, Creative Director

Ron Lazzeretti – Writer

Tim Mason – Writer
Sue Salvi – Writer

Berk Wasserman – VP, Creative Director
Todd Durston – VP, Creative Director

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