MovieChat Forums > Cuckoo (2016) Discussion > Having trouble with cast change/ season ...

Having trouble with cast change/ season 2


I enjoyed the first season, I'm finding it hard to accept that the actors who played Rachel AND Cuckoo are gone. I'm only on episode 2 of season 2, does it become less weird?

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Nope lol and in fairness if you don't like Taylor Lautner that probably isn't going to help your enjoyment. Episodes four and six were highlights for me in series two, so in that sense I think it does get better. Hopefully Taylor will grow on you.

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"Life is divided into the horrible and the miserable."
- Woody Allen

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No other cast changes. Andy Samberg will not show up again, Esther von Smith and Taylor Lautner will reprise their roles in season 3. Same counts for the other cast.

It just seems weird to me, the Show is named Cuckoo and, he's not even been in it for more than a year? I don't like Lautner either. Sorry to those who like him.


They've waited nearly a year for Samberg to come back, but he couldn't make it because of his show Brooklyn99 in the States. It's a similar case with Tamla Kari who played the daughter in season 1.
They didn't want to give up the show so they casted another younger Hollywood actor "with enough energy" to bring a breath of fresh air for a second start.
The show was well known as "Cuckoo" so they decided to keep it this way but as a synonym for a bird, sitting in a nest where it doesn't belong.

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I literally just started watching season 2 and only just realised that the inbetweeners actress isn't on it either. So that's also quite annoying and I really like Samberg, shame he couldn't do both shows.

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The cast change is an improvement - not because of the actors. Andy and Tamla are great. Its more that Cuckoo the character was so abrasive and seemed really rude sometimes that it wasn't funny and you ended up sharing Ken's annoyance. The change seemed allow the writers to rethink the characterisation of the 'fish out of water' and we ended up with a more flexible character (odd but lovable). The relationship between Ken and Dale is the highlight of the show in my opinion.

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I thought that was the point of the show, you were supposed to share Ken's annoyance, not to favor Cuckoo.

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To an certain extent, but I think it was supposed to be funny watching Ken squirm and sometimes it just wasn't. I think it came across more manipulative than an innocent clash of views.

Maybe its just me :)

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The problem with the character Cuckoo is, I live in Thailand and I know far too many people here who are just like Cuckoo on the show... and they are all oxygen thieves.

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Yep I found the same thing. Andy is one of my favourite actors, but his character was a real PITA in the first season. It was grating and made you want to jam forks in your eyes.

S2 flowed better with the new characters.

I think you've described it really well :)

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I'm having the same problem as you. Season 2 feels like an entirely different show and it's annoying the hell out of me.

Taylor Lautner's acting/comedic skills don't come even close to Andy Samberg's, and the new Rachel doesn't resemble the old one at all (I guess that's on purpose). I've watched season 2 solely for the other characters and literally skip every scene in which Rachel/Lautner interact.

The worst thing, for me, is that I'd grown to love Samberg's Cuckoo and was absolutely hooked from ep 03 onward. It's sad to think we'll never see Cuckoo again. By the way, how random it is that now the show's name refers to a protagonist that no longer exists.

Anyhow, we seem to be alone in this one. If you google Cuckoo seasons 2/3 review all you see is praise to Lautner's character. Go figure.

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Taylor Lautner is attrocious...the new Rachel is passable...everyone else is still great.

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The new Rachel did have one good line: "Who the fùck is Ling?"

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Under the circumstances I quite like Rachel's line in series three, episode three:

Yeah, right. So my face has completely changed in three years has it?


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I don’t want to achieve immortality through my work. I want to achieve it by not dying - Woody Allen

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(It certainly doesn't become less sh*tty. They should have just cancelled the show. If nothing else, they could have cast someone better than Taylor Lautner, which would be just about anyone) LOL

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The worst change is the daughter... The actress in season one was beautiful, yet innocent... Actress after season 1 was OK looking yet full of herself..

Taylor has neither the comedic timing or acting chops of Andy... However I'm happy to see him trying something new.. Hopefully they'll both grow on me...

Real star is the two parents anyway....

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I agree about the re-casting of Rachel. This new actress looks old enough to be the first one's mom. In fact, she doesn't look much younger than Lorna.

Yes, Ken and Lorna are definitely the stars of this show.

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