Moone Boy (2012–2015) User Reviews

This show is awesome

[kikkapi20 · 9/10 · 1 January 2015]

I'm in on anything Chris O'Dowd and Moone Boy did not disappoint. There will be lots of comparisons to Wilfred, which I've yet to watch, but the Freaks and Geeks / Wonder Years family elements really sold me. It's only a six episode season, so jump in and try not to get frustrated by the Hulu ad breaks, of which there are far too many. The group of Dads just crack me up!I loved it when they were on the dock, and the boys rode by and yelled "queers"! BUT THEN…the one dad asked "Who's got a gun?"!! And the end, when Trevor's dad shows up! This was one of the BEST scenes! I LOVE this show!!

Another comedic triumph import from across the pond.

full of heart

[k-lynch-754-706333 · 9/10 · 4 November 2014]

Moone boy's charm is in its heart and it's firmly in the right place. At its core, it's a coming of age comedy/drama about a boy and his imaginary friend. There are so many poignant moments that it may be deserving of a second viewing. If you were a kid growing up in the late 80's and early 90's you're more likely to get the humour but there's humour aplenty for everyone. I was never a fan of Chris O' Dowd (I thought his humour bland) but it works here and in the right places. The first series is the better as it dips in the second, hence the nine out of ten rating, still Moone Boy hits much more than it misses and I recommend it highly.

Absolutely Feckin Brilliant!

[smitty_cregger52 · 9/10 · 15 May 2015]

This is one of those shows that comes along once in a while and it literally makes you laugh out loud at every single moment. The show revolves around a young boy named Martin Moone...who is a bit of a buffoon, which leads to numerous shenanigans...all the while Martin is guided by his trusty imaginary friend named Shaun Murphy, who is a bit plain as imaginary friends go, which kind of describes the type of person Martin is...if you're looking for a good time, a laugh a minute period piece...yes...this is set in the late 80s in Ireland, then look no further. Moone Boy delivers blow after comedic blow and the supporting cast is just as good, from the Moone parents and siblings, to Padraig, Martin's best friend, whose imaginary friend Crunchy Danger Haystacks is just as entertaining as anyone else. This is an ensemble gem that deserves your attention. I only give it a 9 out of 10, because I reserve that 10th star for something that is absolutely the best show or movie ever made, IN MY OPINION of course, but this show has entertained me just as much as anything ever made, and I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Enjoyable in many respects

[amchugh89 · 10/10 · 16 December 2014]

Very funny stuff - centers around Martin, a cheerful outcast with an imaginary friend (Chris O'Dowd) who (being a product, after all, of his own thoughts) reinforces his many amusingly terrible ideas. In addition to this friend/partner-in-crime, Martin has three sisters, and a mom and dad who are absolutely brilliant characters. The mother is kind of like Lois from Malcolm in the Middle, in that she's a real pro at the parenting gig, probably the smartest cat in the family and tells it like it is. Unlike Lois, she does all of this with a calmness that makes her more humorous, likable and watchable. It's clear that the dad would lose all control without her around, and often fails spectacularly at important parenting tasks. He's no fool though, even if he often plays the part. He and his wife have the air of people who could be much more if they didn't have 4 kids to raise in Boyle. They're brutally 'real' with their kids, hilariously practical in their parenting and daydream almost as much as their screwball son Martin. So, when they inevitably have to help out one or a few of the children, you as the viewer can't help but feel a little moved. This isn't just about Martin's coming of age - it's also about family and unconditional love and community. That said, it's also just hilarious. It's clever (Martin's exchanges with O'Dowd come to mind), absurd (Martin's ideas), irreverent and much more. Best comedy I've seen in a long time.

Magnificently fantastic!

[walshb9420 · 10/10 · 21 September 2012]

Truly unique and original........ or maybe just a typical Irish childhood experience resulting in his participation to the human race. I'm not quite sure if I ever had an imaginary friend though, although I am Irish so maybe I did, actually I did and Chris did too... evidently. (It was quite boring living in the Irish country-side you know, and in addition, growing up in the 1980's in a recession definitely didn't help with the boredom!) But we did have the A-Team to watch and Where's me Jumper to listen to...... and ZZ Top!, but all that set aside, it was standard procedure to have an imaginary friend in rural Ireland! In fact growing up one of my many many REAL pals had an imaginary friend that he called 'Mr. Kipling'. He often tried to introduce him to me!

After watching the first episode I could see the similarities to Fr. Ted but that was purely down to the fact that it was simply Irish. Steve Coogan's character is outstanding and his Irish accent was surprisingly acceptable, we want to see more of him (but less of his pecks). Not sure if that was a Cork accent though, not that it matters of course but Corkonian fish mongers don't generally go to Roscommon, they have an ocean full of fish.

Johnny Vegas hasn't made an appearance yet but I hope he and Steve's characters get to unite at some point. I wonder what role Johhny will get to fulfill, another sleazy Irish fish mongering womanizer? Obviously not but I cant wait to see what they have come up with nonetheless.

My rating: 9 out of 9!

Success!

[carlesmiquel · 10/10 · 4 June 2014]

When ideas have a heart, this kind of comedies come to life.

This may be one of the funniest -really funny, heart warming and cozy series I've seen. And I suppose there are reasons for it to be so good. David (Martin-Martin) is not an actor and comes across as the most believable boy ever (maybe above Nick H. as Marcus in About a Boy). Another very strong one is that most people are from the region, and Boyle becomes part of the characters.

Definitely, O'Dowd's connection with the land (the soil, in fact) is so deep that it really shows off in each episode. Paul's (Dad) character is amazing.

Positive, funny, family oriented. A plain joy to watch. Let's hope the job they did for the third season comes out of the can. I suppose Sky1 is not "that" happy with something.

Just Magical

[misersmac · 10/10 · 30 May 2015]

I cherish when a series like this comes along. This is such a magical show. I had to watch all available 3 seasons in a weekend I just could not stop. The whole cast is wonderful, I was transported back to the 80's and it was a fun ride. I still smile thinking about it. Kudos to all involved with this project as everyone in the Moone family reminded me of someone in my crazy family. Being a Mom in the 80's of a son who was Martins age I so related to Deirdre O'Kanes as Debra Moone and the struggles we make entertaining and funny just to get through it. And Chris O'Dowd and David Rawle just like peas and carrots,, feckin great show,,, and great writing Chris...thank you all ,,such a treat.

Charming heartwarming and funny biographical narrated comedy

[user-847-318571 · 13 July 2013]

What a gem! For those who liked "Malcom in the Middle" or "Everybody Hates Chris", "Freaks and Geeks" or "Scrubs" even, I think they'd enjoy this series a lot. It has that quirky family dynamic and coming-of-age story arc that's timeless and relatable, and kept me coming back. I cannot wait for more seasons.

It's very funny but also poignant at times, as it doesn't shy away from serious topics. It has the right amount of cutaways (i think many non laugh track sitcoms abuse this), and I love the occasional 80s soundtrack. The 'Goodfellas' episode had me laughing out loud. The only other show that makes me do that is Community. I'm so glad that it's on hulu, I hope more Americans watch this show.

hilarious comedy

[clareobrien9 · 9/10 · 20 November 2012]

First of all I would like to point out that this is a comedy based in Ireland please everybody stop saying "British comedy". I have watched and laughed through each episode. Padric is a excellent character i knew someone just like him when i was 12! Having grown up in Ireland during this period the music the details on the set all bring my childhood rushing back to me and even though growing up in Ireland at this time was not a bed of roses its lovely to watch it with humour. in fact i watched it with my Greek husband and he thought it was brilliant! well done to Chris o Dowd I'm looking forward to the next series!

Laugh out loud comedy

[bostongreekgirl · 10/10 · 19 August 2013]

Below is summary if TLDR: I've been perusing some TV shows online that are from all over the world but mostly English speaking ones unless there are subtitles; even ones that are no longer airing. I've been out of work due to illness for a while now & well I'm BORED. I stumbled on this great show "Moone Boy" & it is not only hysterical but really witty too. I love Martin (David Rawle)the kid this show centers around on. He has great comedy timing & his expressions are priceless. He reminds me of when Jake (Angus T. Jones) was young on Two & Half Men. The writers always gave Jake the best lines especially the one liners & he was adorable. Martin's character is the same. I also love his relationship with his family but most of all his imaginary friend Sean played by Chris O'Dowd; who BTW is hysterical in his own right but plays such a great character, friend, confident & partner in crime to Martin's naive, funny, witty kid. Plus they are both smart-asses & have some of the best exchanges. I highly recommend this show. It is based in Ireland & takes place in the 1980s. What more could you ask for? The retro look w/the 80s props are the best. I am a child of the 80s as I was born in 1975 so this brings back a lot of memories. There are only 6 episodes for the 1st season but I guess that is common for shows based out of the UK & Ireland but it has been picked up for a 2nd season. I can't wait to watch the rest of season 1 & looking forward to season 2. Hope you laugh & enjoy this show as much as I do. Cheers, BGG TLDR: Great funny show about a kid named Martin & his "friend" Sean living in Ireland during the 1980s. A must watch, very funny.

Charming little diversion with some excellent bits.

[obiwayne · 7/10 · 14 August 2013]

Moone Boy isn't groundbreaking, but it is charming.

I watched the first season over the past week and enjoyed it quite a bit. Considering his young age, David Rawle really shines as the main character Martin who has an imaginary friend, Seán(played by Chris O'Dowd).

Honestly, I was hoping for more from relationship between O'Dowd and Rawle. While the premise is set up and there are touches of what goes on in the world regarding imaginary friends, I feel like it was ultimately unnecessary to the storyline and kind of pushed to the back to make way for the rest of the characters in the real world. Even while searching for synopsis information for each episode as a refresher for this review, the thing you notice is the lack of story lines involving Seán in any major way. Given the basic premise of the show I would have expected much more storytelling involving the imaginary friend. If it weren't for the fact that I like Chris O'Dowd so much and that the rest of the cast really sold the family stories, I might have been annoyed at the under-use of the concept. The rest of Martin's family really grows on you over the first season and you find yourself connecting more with them than you would have expected. I will say that I am glad they did not go so far as to make Seán a "Drop Dead Fred" sort of character, as this would have completely changed the tone of the show.

Overall, I think Moone Boy is a show I will continue to watch when the new seasons arrive in the US. It is probably too late to really focus more on the Martin and Seán relationship at this point, so I hope they continue to make the family people I care about.

Very funny

[kdupes-1 · 8/10 · 5 May 2020]

I found this show after I watched, The I.T. Crowd. ( The altar boy episode was hysterical ) > Doesn't matter that it's an Irish show, my teenagers & I loved it and we're American and its a good comedy show, period. P.S. watch " The I.T. Crowd" also, if you haven't seen it.

Light hearted humour revolving around growing up and family matters of a 12 year old boy

[matthew-cowell · 7/10 · 8 October 2012]

Decent promising new series! I'll say this right up front. Out of the 4 episodes i've seen, only the 1st episode is laugh out loud funny. I would not call this a pure comedy, but rather a comedy drama.

The episodes are individual with no real flow through of plot, as in most British comedies. Chris O'Dowd is really only a minor role who pops up every now and again, as the focus is really on Martin, the young boy.

The intro is horrible, i have seen it only 4 times and am already sick of it.... "Where is my JOOMPA" x4 times or so.

The show is made well, and i love the setting and even the characters. I would like to see more humour like the 1st episode as it can get a little boring at times. I feel as though it wants to be a comedy and wants to be a drama, but it doesn't excel at either.

I'd rate it a 7.5/10 but gave it a generous 8. Hopefully the episodes get a little funnier.

Flat out funny

[thrall7 · 9/10 · 9 August 2015]

This show first came to my attention on a NYS station from Long Island. I was a fan of Chris O'Dowd's, but hadn't seen or heard of any of the other cast members. From the first episode I became a fan. It's a very clever, and original, premise. One of the things I enjoy the most about the show is that even though the imaginary friend is portrayed as an adult, he doesn't have any more smarts than the schoolboy who thought him up. The fractured family dynamic, with the financial and interpersonal struggles, plays very well, too. It weaves in the charm of small Irish towns with some consistently funny writing and plots. I hope that this show sticks around for many more years, at least until Martin gets through high school, because it's one of the shows I look forward to seeing every week.

A light-hearted adventure

[everthekiller1 · 9/10 · 15 June 2014]

Great show! The small Irish locale has lots of charm, and the characters are both entertaining and familiar. he show invokes a powerful feeling of nostalgia, and I would recommend it for anyone. It primarily revolves around the changing life of a small boy, and a small Irish family who are always using their wits to get ahead, or at the very least catch up. The plots are both ironic, and dramatic, but the humor is light-hearted and sarcastic, making it a great show for all ages. The characters are fascinating, but easily identifiable. The setting is exiting but familiar. the humor is both thought-provoking and childish. As I said there is truly something for everyone here, and it reminds us all about a powerful lesson- live life on your own terms.

My favorite show

[rowan_red · 10/10 · 8 August 2017]

When I discovered Moone Boy, I found the answer to everything I'd hoped for in a series, considering my love for things Irish! It is the story of Martin Moone, a boy growing up in Roscommon, with three scary older sisters and a helpful imaginary friend named Sean Murphy. As the series continues, wonderful new characters come into the picture: Padraic, the comical best friend; Dessie, the church musician and love interest for older sister Fidelma; the Bonner Brothers and their hapless dad; Granddad Moone, who used to be a musician in the old days; the parish priest, who is a very nice guy, but harried; the mom's slutty friend; and a family of travelers which includes Martin's love interest. This show just gives and gives! And I LOVE the opening song, "Where's Me Jumper?".

Chris O'Dowd is brilliant including David Rawle!

[Irishchatter · 8/10 · 11 June 2017]

Honestly, whenever it was on, it really makes you laugh and as someone who lives in rural Ireland, there is a connection that the whole series takes place in Boyle where Chris O'Dowd grew up in! Seriously, Boyle badly needs to be remembered as a nice little town in which it has potential to make it into a tourist attraction!

Anyways Chris O'Dowd really does well in an Irish comedy series, I am really surprised he wasn't involved with Father Ted in the 1990's. David Rawle as the boy is such a great little actor, he is one of the best Irish young actors out there who I can see a future for him and I'm not kidding!

This is a really great series that you have to watch regardless if you are Irish or not! It makes you laugh your head off and I give this TV series 8/10!

Wishing there was more

[libean83 · 10/10 · 11 March 2019]

I just loved this show. I would have loved to see more of it. Charming characters. Excellent acting. As a previous reviewer stated, it has a lot of heart. I find most of O'Dowds productions do, and somehow they go unappreciated. This and Family Tree deserved a lot more.

Creative, Hilarious, Watch It

[untilnow99 · 10/10 · 17 May 2021]

There really is a truckload of wonderfulness in this series. My only gripe is that it should have gone on and on. Such a drag that it was cancelled/ended.

The acting is superb. The casting is phenomenally good. Talent. What talent.

If you haven't seen this, do yourself a favor and get stuck into right now.

A nice family show....and most unusual.

[planktonrules · 9/10 · 22 March 2020]

"Moone Boy" is a cute Irish television show...the type that's hard not to like because the characters and plots are so sweet and nice. While I like other Irish shows like "Derry Girls" and "Father Ted", this one is quite a different comedy...more character-driven and sweet.

One of the stars of the show is Chris O'Dowd, who plays a little boy's imaginary friend. He also writes and directs some of the episodes as well. And, I love him in "The IT Crowd"....but I also think that "Moone Boy" would STILL be an excellent show if he wasn't acting in it. It isn't that he is bad in any way....he's quite good. But the characters and writing are so good that the show would still be very good whether or not he's in the shows.

Overall, a nice slice of life comedy that's hard not to dislike. Too bad they only had three short seasons...like too many Irish TV shows. And, too bad the final episode was a terrific downer!

Endearing and creative

[javan23 · 9/10 · 23 December 2021]

The family has great chemistry and the characterization of Boyle is charming. While the various plotlines trod familiar territory of other coming of age type shows/movies, Moone Boy operates on a level above the obvious. The chosen points of emphasis always reveal funny truisms about youth and life at the bottom wrung of a big family. Also the imaginary friend mythos is highly entertaining, allowing O'dowd to exercise his quirky improvisational skillset.

A delight

[sublimineyes · 2 November 2019]

Series 1 is almost all wonderfully observed, written & acted with bags of charm and has the off kilter sensibility so often seen in Irish comedy. I'd score it a 9. Really feels written from experience, flows well, nothing forced. The lead actor is the standout but all of the family seem nicely drawn and several are well rounded. Well photographed, soundtracked, paced.

Things begin to change in the final episode of series 1 and not for the better but it is still funny. Just in a different, for me a more forced, way. Series 2 continues in the same way. It's still funny but more absurd, episodic and looking for jokes. Feels like much of the biographical, character driven charm in series 1 must have been used up wirting those initial episodes. The lead actor, now I guess 2 years older, has also lost some of his twinkly charm. Still excellent though. I'd rate series 2 as a 7.

Series 3 feels slightly different again. Has a better balance than series 2. It still feels more episodic than series 1 but ties together for me better than series 2. Feels to me like it is channeling a bit of inner Father Ted. Has a couple of the best episodes of the 3 series. I'd score it an 8.

A solid 8 and a bit across the 3 series.

Heartfelt and Entertaining

[figmar · 10/10 · 13 April 2022]

An all around great show with unique characters and undeniably funny scripts. Some laugh out loud moments intermixed with the cringe moments of family life. Don't miss this!