Government Cheese (TV series)
American comedy drama
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Government Cheese is a historical surrealist comedy drama television series created by Paul Hunter and Aeysha Carr and starring David Oyelowo, Simone Missick, Bokeem Woodbine, Adam Beach, and Sunita Mani. Set in 1969, the series follows the Chambers family, an African American family living in the San Fernando Valley, and the chaos that arises after burglar-turned-inventor Hampton Chambers returns from prison. Government Cheese premiered on April 16, 2025, on Apple TV+.[2]
- Paul Hunter
- Aeysha Carr
- David Oyelowo
- Simone Missick
- Jahi Di'Allo Watson
- Evan Ellison
- Bokeem Woodbine
| Government Cheese | |
|---|---|
Promotional poster | |
| Genre | Comedy drama |
| Created by |
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| Starring |
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| Theme music composer | Pharrell Williams |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 10 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Cinematography | Matthew J. Lloyd[1] |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | Apple TV+ |
| Release | April 16, 2025 – present |
Premise
In 1969, Hampton Chambers, a convicted burglar, is released from prison and returns to his home in Chatsworth, Los Angeles, where he reunites with his family and tries to start over with a second chance by inventing the "Bit Magician", a self-sharpening power drill. However, the unconventional structure of the Chambers family formed in his absence, moments from his past, run-ins with shady and dangerous figures, and even instances of seeming divine intervention complicate matters.
Cast
Main
- David Oyelowo as Hampton Chambers
- Simone Missick as Astoria Chambers
- Jahi Di'Allo Winston as Harrison Chambers
- Evan Ellison as Einstein Chambers
- Bokeem Woodbine as Bootsy
Guest
- Jeremy Bobb as Manny Brinks
- Louis Cancelmi as Jean-Guy Prevost
- Julien Heron as Patrice Prevost
- Christopher Redman as Nicholi Redman
- Djilali Rez-Kallah as Claude Prevost
- Louis Ferreira
- John Ortiz
- Adam Beach as Rudy
- Sunita Mani as Edith
- Stephen Schneider as Ronald
- Dan Donohue as Dean Dremel
Episodes
| No. | Title [3] | Directed by | Written by [4] | Original release date [3] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Gospel of Kenny Sharp" | Paul Hunter | Paul Hunter & Aeysha Carr | April 16, 2025 |
| 2 | "Trial and Error" | Paul Hunter | Paul Hunter & Aeysha Carr | April 16, 2025 |
| 3 | "Two Doors" | Colin Bucksey | Paul Hunter & Aeysha Carr | April 16, 2025 |
| 4 | "A Long Road Home" | Colin Bucksey | Hugh Moore | April 16, 2025 |
| 5 | "Father Facts, Figures, and Failures" | Paul Hunter | Wes Brown | April 23, 2025 |
| 6 | "Parable of Drawing in the Net" | Paul Hunter | Migizi Pensoneau | April 30, 2025 |
| 7 | "The Woman on the Roof" | Stacie Passon | Katherine Kearns & Cece Burke | May 7, 2025 |
| 8 | "An Evening with Abraham Cohen" | Stacie Passon | Katherine Kearns | May 14, 2025 |
| 9 | "R&D" | Sylvain White | Wes Brown & Hugh Moore | May 21, 2025 |
| 10 | "St. Hampton" | Sylvain White | Paul Hunter & Aeysha Carr and Migizi Pensoneau | May 28, 2025 |
Production
Development
It was announced in June 2022 that Apple TV+ was nearing a deal to order the series, which would see David Oyelowo star in and executive produce.[5]
Casting
The deal for the series was closed by December 2023, when Oyelowo and his production company Yoruba Saxon signed a first-look deal with Apple,[6] and Simone Missick would be cast.[7] In April 2024, Bokeem Woodbine, Adam Beach and Sunita Mani would be among additional castings announced.[8][9]
Filming
Filming began in May 2024 under the working title Bonneville in Los Angeles.[10]
Reception
Critical response
The series holds a 73% approval rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, based on 30 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "Peculiar and peppy, Government Cheese has some holes but gets by on the strength of its nutty writing and a collection of tangy performances."[11] On Metacritic, the series holds a weighted average score of 63/100, based on 16 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[12]
