Netflix’s No Good Deed isn't 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 occurred in the living room, the bedroom has a creepy hideout, or the neighbors are insane? Any potential buyers of Paul (Ray Romano) and Lydia Morgan’s (Lisa Kudrow) vast, sunny corner home on Derby Drive might have to deal with these issues. In the intriguing premiere, as people waft in and out during an open house, the couple munches on popcorn and spies on everyone from a locked room. The two are obsessed with finding the right family to take over the property and prevent their horrible 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, Dead To Me, especially after a few eager buyers ingrain themselves into the Morgans’ lives (just like Judy did to Jen in DTM). Not to mention, No Good Deed’s coveted cast also includes Dead To Me alum Linda Cardellini in another scenery-chewing performance. Despite these advantages, Feldman’s Netflix follow-up slowly falls apart because it’s—gasp—pretty boring, with half-baked scripts, a lack of suspense, disjointed arcs that align too late, and surface-level character development. 

This is disappointing considering Feldman has proved her ability to tackle dark personal stories told through a seamlessly droll lens. Dead To Me is tender and comical in its examination of two friends’ bond in the face of trauma. No Good Deed seriously struggles to attain a similar vibe, with the script unable to sufficiently cultivate the emotion or zingers for a proper payoff. It’s not for a lack of trying from Kudrow and Romano, though, who seem determined to lend nuance to their characters’ complicated marriage. 

The show shakily unpacks Paul and Lydia’s fractured 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 kids were raised. 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 flashes of success when it dwells on how Paul and Lydia are coping. But the show gets distracted often with brief flashbacks and meandering twists.