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Enlisted premieres Friday, January 10 at 8:30pm on Fox.

Enlisted TV review

Fox's new comedy, set on a military base, will tickle your funny bone and tug at your heartstrings.

Written by
Jessica Johnson
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After more than a decade engaged in wars overseas, it seems only right that this era of military conflict is finally getting its answer to M*A*S*H. Set in Florida Army base, far from the fog of war, creator Kevin Biegel manages to balance the laughs and drama in the lives of the soldiers left behind.

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The Hills have always been an Army family. As children, they watched their father go off to serve his country, never to return, and as adults all three men are enlisted soldiers. Oldest brother Pete (Geoff Stults) has been serving in Afghanistan, proudly engaging in dangerous missions to protect his country, but when he punches a superior officer for failing to provide his men with proper support, he gets busted down a rank and sent stateside. Pete finds himself stationed at Fort McGee, commanding a Rear Detachment (Rear D) unit. In times of war, these units are tasked with maintaining the base and taking care of the families of deployed soldiers. Pete's new unit is filled with a bunch of reject soldiers, two of which are his younger brothers. Middle-child Derrick (Chris Lowell) is a smart-ass who has problems with authority. While the youngest, Randy (Parker Young), is incredibly enthusiastic about being a soldier, he's just not very good at it. Filling out the cast of characters is rival and love interest Jill Perez (Angelique Cabral), who commands another Rear D unit, and the base's NCO, Command Sergeant Major Donald Cody (Keith David).

The secret weapon of Enlisted is it's incredibly strong cast. Not only do Stults, Lowell and Young have incredible chemistry, but Pete's unit is composed of strong comedic talents including Tania Gunadi, Michelle Buteau and Mel Rodriguez (sadly, comedians Ron Funches and Baron Vaughan only appear in the first episode) that expand show into a workplace comedy, as well a family sitcom. While the laughs are plentiful, Enlisted isn't afraid to address the meaningful topics that come with the setting, such as the pain of having family members deployed and the difficulties a soldier faces when returning home from war. It's a surprisingly touching and layered comedy that's wildly entertaining.

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