When audiences are used to being instantly gratified, it’s ballsy for a show like Government Cheese to be as hard-to-define as it is. At its core, it’s a family dramedy about ambition, grit, and second chances. Hampton (Oyelowo), an ex-convict and hopeful inventor, is our main guy. He has a lot of things on his plate—most urgently, he’s trying to sell a self-sharpening power drill and pay off his debt to a dangerous mafia—but for the most part, he just wants to do good by his family, who also have big dreams of their own. In that way, the series is sweet and moving but also quite thrilling as we follow Hampton in his quest to overcome criminal urges and fight off gangsters. All this is wrapped in layers of confectionery, Wes Anderson-esque style—the 1960s colors pop, as do the retro furniture and The Jetsons-like gadgets. The show can also be quite mystical and surreal, and never panders by explaining itself. It can be mind-boggling to try to pin it down to a single genre, so don’t. Part of Government Cheese’s fun is wondering what the hell it is you’re consuming.