Vacation at the Lake

There's more "prestige television" available now than any person could ever keep up with. Yet I would posit that even if you tried to do so, watching nothing but "serious, award-worthy television," you'd burn yourself out with the weightiness of it all. I say you need some fluffier, low-stakes diversions in your TV diet. And for me, lately, that's been The Lake.

The Lake is a Canadian series streaming on Amazon Prime. It centers on Justin, a gay man who has returned from overseas to spend a summer bonding with a now-teenage daughter, Billie, that he gave up for adoption. But there are plenty of hijinks with the "heartfelt," as Justin is also trying wrest control of a lakeside family cottage from his hyper-competitive step-sister, Maisy-May.

Over the course of (so far) two 8-episode seasons, The Lake has been a light and breezy half-hour show that has the spirit of a sitcom without (usually) trading in the rote "setup / punchline" construction of that format. Actually, for most people, the acting might be the main avenue into interest in the show. Orphan Black fans may recall Sarah's wild brother Felix from that show; here actor Jordan Gavaris gets center stage (and a more comedic canvas to play broadly on) as Justin. His foil is a performer I think everyone has seen in at least one movie at some point, Julia Stiles. She's perfectly vindictive and "wound too tightly" as Maisy-May.

Try a few episodes, and soon you'll find you're as interested in other performers rounding out the odd ensemble cast. Madison Shamoun plays Billie, who grounds the wilder elements with a beyond-her-years poise. Terry Chen is fun as Maisy-May's retired pro-hockey-playing bro of a husband, Victor. And young Declan Whaley is an absolute scene-stealer as Opal, Maisy and Victory's gender-queer son.

The first season is the better of the two; it's centered on the bitter rivalry between Justin and Maisy. Season two wisely recognizes that that story can't be stretched to fill another season, and so introduces a mystery instead... but that never quite reaches the comedic potential inherent in the "step-siblings at odds" premise of the original. Regardless, both seasons are simply fun, a welcome de-escalation from the sort of "life and death" stakes likely at play in other television shows you're probably watching.

I give The Lake a B. No decision has been announced yet on a season three; I only want them to do it if they really feel like they can find another entertaining story to tell. Either way, I'm glad for the lightness that it's brought so far.