No Good Deed TV review: Not worth the investment

No good deed confirms a known fact: the Los Angeles real estate market is no joke. Forget the mortgage or maintenance of a spectacular Spanish-style villa. What if a terrible crime took place in the living room, the bedroom has a sinister hiding place, or the neighbors are insane? Any potential buyers of Paul (Ray Romano) and Lydia Morgan’s (Lisa Kudrow) large, sunny corner house on Derby Drive may have to deal with these issues. In the exciting premiere as people rush in and out during an open house, the couple munch on popcorn and spy on everyone from a locked room. The two are obsessed with finding the right family to take over the property and prevent their horrific secrets from being discovered.

At first glance, the show is a promising, juicy mix of Desperate Housewives and series creator Liz Feldman’s previous show, Death to me, especially after a couple of eager buyers intervene in the Morgans’ lives (just like Judy did with Jen in DTM). Not to mention, No good deeds coveted cast also includes Death to me alum Linda Cardellini in another scenery-chewing performance. Despite these merits, Feldman’s Netflix follow-up slowly falls apart because it’s—gasp—quite boring, with half-baked scripts, a lack of suspense, disjointed arcs that fit too late, and surface-level character development.

This is disappointing given that Feldman has proven his ability to tackle dark personal stories told through a seamlessly sly lens. Death to me is tender and comedic in its examination of two friends’ bond in the face of trauma. No good deed seriously struggles to achieve a similar mood, with the script unable to sufficiently cultivate the emotions or brace for a proper payoff. It’s not for lack of trying, though, from Kudrow and Romano, who seem determined to nuance their characters’ complicated marriage.

The show harrowingly unpacks Paul and Lydia’s broken relationship in the wake of their son’s death three years ago. Through the conceit of selling their beloved home, No good deed delves into why Paul can’t wait to get away, while Lydia is unable to let go of the memories of where her children grew up. This tug-of-war, along with grief and an assortment of lies, has created a rift and the need for a fresh start. No good deed has glimpses of success when it dwells on how Paul and Lydia are doing. But the show often gets distracted with brief flashbacks and twists and turns.



The rest of the ensemble also feel wasted as underdeveloped backers scramble to acquire the expensive Derby Drive property. There’s the persistent Leslie (Abbi Jacobson) and Sarah (Poppy Liu), who want to start a family in their “dream house”; an expectant Carla (Teyonah Parris) and her new husband Dennis (OT Fagbenle), who hope to do the same, ideally without the help of her overbearing mother (played to perfection by Anna Marie Horsford); and JD (Luke Wilson), a washed-up soap opera star who wants to downsize and join Yellowstone universe.

The performances are fine, but it’s a special treat to see Cardellini as Margo, JD’s bitchy trophy wife who uses her cleavage and flirting skills to manipulate any situation. She comes alive in the impossibly long heels of a character who is the opposite of Death to meis Judy. Still, these three pairs don’t provide additional spark because they’re stuck with limited descriptions. Not even the secrets they keep from each other—Sarah’s IVF journey, Carla’s family background, Margo’s agenda—have impactful results. Their arches feel stilted – and the same can be said about No good deed‘s editing, which doesn’t flow naturally as it cuts between everyone’s interactions.

No good deedIts worst offense, however, is its unimaginative whodunit aspect. The tension over what exactly happened to Paul and Lydia’s son plagues the parents and the series. The answers, as they are gradually revealed, are unsatisfying and predictable to anyone paying attention. Beneath this mess is a faint commentary on belonging and the need to root oneself, even if it is in an unaffordable home. No good deed connects these dots poorly, making this show, unfortunately, a questionable investment of time.

No good deed premieres December 12 on Netflix