I largely enjoyed Funny Woman but I do understand the negative reviews. The problem, IMO, is the show is about a woman in comedy in the 1960s and not actually a comedy.
Gemma Arterton plays Barbara Parker, an attractive woman who learned to love comedy from her father. The show is about Barbara rebelling against the stereotypes associated with being an attractive woman and wanting to make her own way.
When it sticks to that premise, it's fantastic. We see Barbara fighting to be comedic when everyone else just wants to see her assets. Her relationship with her father is an absolute treat.
Another great part of the show is the relationship with her friends. Women sticking together instead of stabbing each other in the back.
It's great as the show runner, writers, and other lead slowly understand she's funny, that audiences laugh at her. Is she actually funny to modern viewers? Not really but considering Lucille Ball is the standard she measures herself against, you get what she's trying to do.
Where it fails is when it tries to be comedy, particularly the slapstick scenes they throw in every episode that are just totally out of place. It's not a comedy! Even the writers seem confused by this, let alone the viewers.
This would be one of my favorites if they stuck to the premise instead of trying to make it comedic. It's a drama and a darned good one.
