# My Name Is Earl (2005)

> A small-time crook who wins the lottery sets out to make amends for a lifetime of petty wrongs, one karmic checklist item at a time.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/2198

## Facts

- Seasons: 4
- Episodes: 92
- Episode runtime: 22 min
- Status: Canceled
- Genres: comedy
- Created by: Greg Garcia
- Network: NBC
- Cast: Jason Lee, Ethan Suplee, Jaime Pressly, Nadine Velazquez, Noah Crawford, Eddie Steeples, Page Kennedy, Lou Wagner
- TMDB rating: 7.8/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460091/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: mild
- Tone: irreverent, sincere, breezy, good-natured, raunchy

## What critics say

Critics and viewers generally find My Name Is Earl a likable, well-acted sitcom whose karma-driven premise and working-class ensemble deliver steady laughs, though its formula wears thin over time.

## Synopsis

My Name Is Earl is an American network sitcom created by Greg Garcia for NBC, running four seasons from 2005 to 2009. Jason Lee plays Earl Hickey, a petty criminal and hapless small-time crook from a rural trailer park who wins the lottery and resolves to repair his questionable karma. Ethan Suplee plays his lovable, dim-witted brother Randy, and Jaime Pressly plays Joy Turner, a waitress who orbits Earl's ambitions. Earl's engine is a handwritten list of every wrong he has ever done; each episode checks off one item, often producing chaos as his earnest, poorly judged amends spiral into trouble with neighbors, local authorities and the people he tries to help. The structure mixes case-of-the-week misadventures with a slowly advancing arc of redemption. The humor is raucous, irreverent and affectionate toward its blue-collar characters, blending brash slapstick with a sincere, hopeful heart. Fans of Arrested Development, The Good Place and Roseanne will find a similar mix of flawed, good-hearted characters and sharp working-class comedy.

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