User reviews

As a Dutch person, I was curious to see where the show was gonna go, It was somewhat ok for a pilot, some jokes were good but most fell flat. I like Dennis Leary but the others were kinda meh. What bothered me the most though is if you wanna make a show about Going Dutch, actually do that then. Besides the many (unfunny) typical stereo types, there wasnt much Dutch, I think its filmed somewhere in Eastern Europe with Eastern European people with wrong accents. Atleast try to get it right if you wanna make a show like this, otherwise just call it Going Eastern Europe or whatever country they made this in.

It's funny but seems like a budget pilot. It has that Community kind of humor but lots of flaws. It misses some authenticity. The Dutch are some German crossover stereotype, Dennis Leary looks like a vampire and it often misses opportunities for cultural jokes. Still it has potential to be really funny. Danny Pudi saves the first pilot with his typical performance. Maybe a decent make-up artist can give Dennis Leary some spark, so the show can have a second star shine.

Without Danny Pudi's Community-input there's not much left worth watching. I'm wondering for which audience the show is made, what do you think?

Denis Leary is hilarious. Danny Pudi is hilarious. The missing part of both those sentences is "...but not in this."

On the surface, this should work. It's basically F Troop, and they hired two veteran comic actors who have lengthy histories that tell you they know comedic timing.

None of the side characters are memorable. None are funny. None are interesting. The jokes never land, and there honestly aren't even all that many jokes. The best comedies are incredibly efficient at setting multiple jokes at a time and then ripping off punchline after punchline.

Whomever the writers for this thing are, they're terrible. I strongly encourage someone to revisit the concept. A modern day F Troop would be great. Or a Sgt Bilko. A military unit that is dreadful and terrible, where each character has some over the top trait? This formula can work.

But you need to hire comedy writers who can write jokes. And they didn't.

I don't expect a low budget comedy to deliver an accurate depiction of the Netherlands, but this is just downright lazy. It's one thing to take creative liberties, but to conflate Dutch culture with... German, Swiss, Austrian maybe? Who knows? Honestly, I can't even tell what they're aiming for. It's as if the writers skipped geography class entirely, glanced at a pack of stroopwafels and cobbled together the entire plot based on a handful of tired Dutch stereotypes. If at least the humor could be its redeeming factor. But alas, the jokes are flat, shallow and barely enough to elicit even the faintest hint of a smirk.

After the pilot where I was very underwhelmed I thought I would at least give it one more chance. I don't think I made it ten minutes in the second episode. The plots are just written like a junior high school project. Then again Dennis Leary's usual sharp wit is both missing, and what is attempted just falls flat. I guess because he played a hard nosed drunk fire fighter and a cop in two different series they figured it would work as an army officer. Part of the problem was in those other series he broke the rules, but usually for a good reason to help others. Here he is supposed to be the top brass in what seems like a dumb joke in the first place. I've never served, but I've heard wild tails by some who have. Somehow a base like this one just does not seem plausible in the military. So Leary being sentenced to it for insubordination seems just so dumb.

As a Dutch Dennis Leary fan, I was very interested in this show, but boy does it miss the mark. It is bad with not just a capital B, but with a capital A and D too. Leary is perfect for this role, but that is the only positive thing I can say about the episodes I have watched. (Most of) the jokes are just not funny, the quip about Anne Frank being the lowest point in a long string of lows. At no point was there a reason to laugh, at best it makes you wonder how this show came to life. My guess is it is some kind of high-school work-experience project.

And for the Dutch bit of Going Dutch: please at least try to give the impression of having made an effort to get some things right. Stroopdorf... Dorf is German, it is not even the right language, there is no place in the Netherlands with "Dorf" in the name. The rest of the "Dutch-i-ness" is just a tiresome string of touristy cliches; windmills, cheese, tulips & clogs. I am pretty sure in the next episodes herring, stroopwafels, poffertjes and chocolate sprinkles will make an appearance. It seems to me the research for this was watching a tik-tok video of somebody recanting a mate talking about the day his aunt spent in Amsterdam.

The "Dutch" appearing in the series have every European accent BUT Dutch, the most bizarre was casting Catherine Tate as Dutch. She puts on some bizarre accent which she can't even be bothered hold on too in some of her lines.

It all has an air of "why put in any effort at all, the couch potatoes will watch anything we will put in front of them".

As a Dutch person I think it's hilarious to see what these writers think is dutch.

Many reviewers already pointed it out and they are right, most things Dutch in this series are German.

So I made a little game out of it: spot the mistake and laugh at the correct things.

Just watched the episode about korfbal, really dutch game. And it was funny. Seeing the French flag, a Swiss horn and all the terrible accents.

There is just one thing that really irritates me and that is Katherine, a great British actrice/comedian, trying to have a Dutch accent. Just nope.

Just ask Dutch actors for these roles, even the best English speaking wil have that telltale's Dutch accent.

My whole family loves this show! Its a comedy so get past the hair, uniforms with too many medals and misplaced patches etc. Enjoy the show for what it is! We need more comedy military shows. There are far worse shows on tv comedy wise that made it so five this one a chance....... I was in the military so appreciate some of the subtle quirks and references in the show. Too many people bash a show before it even gets started and then gets cancelled... If someone doesn't like it the it gets cancelled too soon and then those of us that like a show get the shaft. It's a decent show, loosen up folks.

It is clearly a fictionalized version of an Army base in the Netherlands so don't expect too much or any realism. It reminds me a little like Hogan's Heroes; I just didn't think too hard about how implausible almost everything was and just enjoyed the banter and shenanigans. The cast has good chemistry and the show has enough heart to make me want to watch more. I haven't liked the complete cast of a show this much since Community. Similar to Community this show is more focused on the characters interacting then the basic premise which I consider a good choice considering the weakness of the premise and apparent lack of care in doing research.

The casting of Denis Leary is an insanely bad choice. He could have being awesome in the part but the writing gives him and the other actors nothing.

This is just pay check material for the better known actors. I can see no way they would have signed on otherwise.

Leary is the main problem, they give him nothing to work with other than bad reactions to bad jokes, and I don't think he is an actor who can bring it without a decent script and direction.

The script is from an era of canned laugh tracks to boost the vague comic element.

They pack so much into the first episode at a incredibly superficial level no idea has time to breath and I have no idea how they will come up with material for later episodes.

The first episode feels like a first draft or even story outline which they fleshed out in 5 minutes.

I have zero hope this will get better in later episodes, there is nothing good .. the casting, script, directing, photography it is all bad.

I'm the biggest fan of when after a punchline to some conversational joke there's a extra little snarky or sarcastic remark by a character afterwards to themselves, quick if you catch it, almost like it wasn't written in but makes you belly laugh. Quick wit, I call it. Makes the characters more real. This show is full of that. The comedic writing and timing are perfect, and it makes for a great time.

Haters though, I don't know what they pass for comedy, sheesh. Yeah this show pokes fun of another country, yeah it has cliche story lines and predictable but those are never bad things when it works.

Mr. Leary is brilliant. He's so believable as a lovable grump with irrational standards; but who understands, and makes hilariously obvious attempts to shove down, his vulnerabilities (his big heart and this love for his daughter). He demands a lot from his soldiers, but it's clear it comes from a good place (somewhat).

Every other cast member contributes, and I absolutely love them all. The comedic chemistry is amazing. You can tell they're having fun, and that means I have fun watching.

Ms. Misiak and Mr. Leary might as well be father/daughter, their so great together. They have contrasting opinions with everything, but share the same strive in being their own version of a model soldier. This makes the banter between them deviously delightful. I root for them to have shared understanding, but no rush, keep the arguments coming, lol.

I was reluctant for a another goofy show as some take it over the top, but this show doesn't; it's a perfect balance of dryness and outrageousness, with some feels sprinkled in. I'm loving every minute of it and can never wait for the next episode. Great work everyone involved.

Btw I'm not a bot, I like proper punctuation. Yeah I gotta say it, you all need to get your heads outta your rears and use some commas and periods... and would it kill ya to use a capital letter when starting a sentence?... seriously.

Aw yeah, Coronel Quinn is already rubbing off on me.

It has potential. The funnier characters start to open up as the season progresses, and the show will blossom if it's given a chance. Supporting cast has the comedy chops. It needs to find its rhythm but its a fun storyline of the contradictory national identities and how it impacts individuals at a small scale. The characters Jan and Papadakis especially shine. I think season 2 should start at a higher baseline of emotional intelligence, the adult children thing is too predictable. There are odd moments of magical realism, heartfelt portrayals of efforts at connection, non-insulting reflective humor about America, Green light Season 2, then decide!

As a Dutch person, I was excited to see Going Dutch, hoping for a show that would capture at least some of the humor and culture of the Netherlands. Instead, what we got is a painfully inaccurate, stereotype-filled mess that feels more like an American parody than anything remotely Dutch.

First, the setting is completely off. A fictional town called Stroopsdorf? That sounds more German than Dutch. Then there's the language-actors speak with bizarre, fake accents that are nowhere near authentic. The show seems to think the Netherlands is just windmills, clogs, and people who speak like cartoon villains. It's clear no one involved actually bothered to research Dutch culture, daily life, or even basic geography.

Denis Leary does his usual thing, but even a decent cast can't save a show when the foundation is built on lazy writing and tired clichés. If you know nothing about the Netherlands, you might not notice, but if you're even remotely familiar with Dutch culture, Going Dutch is frustrating to watch.

If Hollywood ever decides to set a show in the Netherlands again, I sincerely hope they actually visit the country first. This was an embarrassing misfire.

I like how this show rattles the cages of chauvinists in both the US and the Netherlands. This is primarily a show about Americans, for an American audience. As such, the specific location doesn't really matter all that much. But still, everyone in this tiny country seems offended. :) "We are not Germans! Tulips and clogs are offensive stereotypes!" ... I'm sorry but that is totally beside the point of this show. The comedy itself is actually very similar in style to popular modern Dutch absurdist cinema as you might find on YouTube. It is not unthinkable that a similar Dutch show or movie could be made about a Dutch private stationed at a stereotypically absurd "American" military base (manned by Mexicans).

If you're looking for an excuse to waste an hour of your life and your only other options are watching paint dry or running your fingernails on a blackboard - do yourself a favor and watch the paint or rake your nails until they bleed. Both would be much more entertaining.

I was hopeful seeing that Denis Leary was in the cast. Thoughts of his 'Rescue Me' had me hoping for quality TV and a long series run. Do yourself a favor: abandon all hope.

Writing dialog was some of the worst I've forced myself to listen to. I could almost wish my eardrums had burst and bled out because temporary deafness would be an better.

Sets were low budget. Humor was lacking to any human capable of multisyllabic words. If you want to be optimistic and claim this has any potential - it would be as a future measuring stick to judge how bad other shows can be. Maybe also as a test. Watch it with a future interest to gauge their reaction. If they start laughing and enjoying this show for any sum of time greater than five seconds - dump them!

As others have mentioned, plot lines aren't always great. But it gives me early days Parks & Rec vibes (you know how you have to tell friends who haven't seen P&R to just stick through the first season or so?). They're working on it and I see it getting better with every episode. If it gets renewed, I think one day it'll become a cult classic like the aforementioned Parks, or even Community. Which reminds me, Danny Pudi is no stranger to this type of comedy. I recommend sticking with it, it has a lot to offer, and the dry wit is on point. The acting is, as others have said, great even when the plot isn't there which helps immensely. Are there a few dumb plots or issues with the show? Yes. But I think they're shaping it up and, if they get a second season, they could really do something great with it. So, while I'm not surprised at the poor reviews, I think it'll grow on folks like other cult comedies have.

I love almost everything that Dennis Leary has done. With that being said this isn't his greatest work. I think him and his daughter have some good quality screen chemistry. If you go into it thinking that it's a goofy show about stereotypes then I think you'll enjoy it. Not sure how long they can have it last though. I thought the same way about ghosts on CBS (while the BBC version is better still) they made it work. I hope it gets 2 seasons to see if it can do something. I think if they can't get a solid story line after then it's done. It's not like modern family where they can grow the story line anyway they want it's the military and can only go so far but we'll see. I see a lot of people saying the locals aren't Dutch, and I completely get it but I think that's part of the show it's like they say Dutch bc the main character just doesn't care and calls it what it is.

Rarely has a show been so infuriatingly bland and directionless as Going Dutch. Marketed as a witty, culture-clash comedy, the series instead delivers a painful, cliché-ridden experience that neither entertains nor enlightens.

The premise-an expat navigating life in the Netherlands-had the potential to be charming, insightful, and humorous. Instead, it quickly devolves into a lazy collection of tired stereotypes. The humor is painfully forced, relying on predictable gags that would barely pass as funny in a 2005 expat blog post.

The protagonist is as compelling as a wet paper towel. Supposedly a fish out of water, they stumble through cultural misunderstandings that feel more like the result of poor writing than an actual exploration of cultural differences. The Dutch characters, meanwhile, are reduced to one-dimensional archetypes.

Visually, Going Dutch is about as imaginative as a corporate training videoThe pacing is a disaster, dragging out unfunny jokes and pointless dialogue exchanges while rushing through anything that might have added depth or emotional weight.

If the writers had spent five minutes researching modern Dutch culture, they might have realized that the jokes feel outdated and lazy. The show pretends to be self-aware, but in reality, it's just regurgitating tired tropes without any fresh perspective.

Going Dutch is a prime example of wasted potential. Instead of offering a clever, heartwarming look at cross-cultural experiences, it delivers a stale, predictable mess with unlikable characters and zero charm. If you're looking for a show about cultural clashes that actually works, watch Ted Lasso or Derry Girls instead. But if you enjoy second-hand embarrassment and painfully awkward humor, Going Dutch might be the trainwreck you're looking for.

Just think of it as a reworking of Stripes with Bill Murray and John Candy from 1981..today's generation will hate it! ..which makes it even funnier 🤣

Nice to see Denis Leary found a new vehicle that suits his style of comedy, the interaction between his character and Danny Pudi is well written and timed almost like an old comedy double act.

Catherine Tate's Dutch Madame is in the same vein as Sally Phillips Finnish politician Minna Häkkinen in Veep ..both righteously funny.

If you're under 30 you'll hate this show...so what? In case you haven't noticed, populations in developed countries are aging rapidly. All shows can't be aimed at the 16-30 age demographic, as you're disappearing..fast!

Really don't understand the negative reviews here. Though I suspect some of them might have originated from people on the right side of the political spectrum to put it tactfully. This show is fun! It's not Community. It's not even MASH. But it's fresh and fun and light and by god that is needed in this day and age. Dennis Leary's character is narcissistic and hapless but vulnerable. Danny Pudi can steal a scene with a roll of his eyes or a barely suppressed giggle. I feel like this show wants to be an ensemble comedy but isn't quite there yet, probably due to underdevelopment of the secondary characters. Still, after watching and enjoying the first two episodes, I will continue watching. Fingers crossed it strengthens further and doesn't fall down the cliche rabbit hole.

A derogatory series that is in no way funny. It is discriminating toward Dutch people and makes the most awful accusations. It shows that FOX and the creators of this series lack competence and IQ.

It makes me wonder why there is this need to make The Netherlands seem this way. Or is the true meaning that far right USA needs to defame other cultures because they themselves are stupid and incompetent? Further it is lame to use Nazi comparisons to a nation that suffered under Hitlers regime.

If FOX can't do better than this, they better stop making television at all. Or make derogatory television about the USA itself.

I was going to watch it with preconceived expectations. Unfortunately I was 100% correct. I'm an OLD Veteran and I'm very aware of how ridiculous,incompetent, and even funny the military can be. I could tell you some very funny and hard to believe stories. There is nothing funny about this show. I forced myself to watch the entire pilot. I then forced myself to watch the second episode. I could only handle about fifteen minutes before I turned it off. I couldn't believe how bad it was. Denis Leary has been around for many decades. He is a" One Trick Pony". I'm from Philly. You can see thousands of him in Jersey, New York, and PA. It's the abrasive, cynical delivery that's so common. It doesn't have the funny effect of sarcasm that I love so much. Just because you have an idea for a premise, doesn't mean the show is going to be good.. Like I've said before, Hollywood hasn't had an original idea in DECADES. Take care and have a blessed day. Stephen L. Minarik.