Netflix, Season 1

DJ Nanny

I liked this first season and quickly went through the eight short episodes.

All is not right in the life of former one-hit-wonder popstar, Charlie Ayo, played by Idris Elba (who plays Heimdall in the Thor movies and Stringer Bell in the HBO-series The Wire). He longs for a comeback but ends up becoming a nanny (or manny) for his famous movie actor friend's problem-kid Gabrielle played by Frankie Hervey.

All the while Charlie is lying to his parents in Africa, claiming to be a successful record label manager while in reality he struggles to make ends meet. Living out of a tiny room in his auntie’s house and working as a part time DJ doing crap gigs, friend's weddings plus odd-jobs around London.

Charlie gets suckered into the Nanny job in the hopes of studio time with his friend’s wife, hit DJ Sara Cane, played really well by Piper Perabo (you might remember her from the 2001 movie Coyote Ugly or from Covert Affairs). He longs to be just as good as her, and his life is complicated by his attraction to her as well as to her manager Astrid (Angela Griffin).

Idris Elba not only stars but is also one of the creators of the series together with producer and director Gary Reich. Mr. Elba does a fine job of portraying the former popstar who dreams of renewed fame. A hopeful loser with a good heart who might just make it back to the top despite his age.

If you want to see something really funny, then pick some other show. Turn Up Charlie’s strength is not the comedy despite the labeling. Sure, there are funny moments in each episode, and some whacky characters, like Auntie Lydia, Del and Hunter, but what makes this series work is the underlaying issues and sadness.

/Rune S. Nielsen