'The Big Door Prize' Is a Charming TV Series Undermined by Its Concept

Apple TV+’s The Big Door Prize has a promising premise: a mysterious machine appears, claiming to reveal each person’s “Life Potential.” But over the course of two seasons, creator David West Read has struggled to turn this gimmick into a compelling television series. Despite a winsome ensemble cast and moments of charm, the show ultimately fails to balance its high-concept setup with its grounded portrayal of quirky small-town life.

Set in the picturesque town of Deerfield — the kind of charming small town seen in only movies and televisions shows — The Big Door Prize explores what happens when a mysterious machine appears in the local general store, offering vague “Life Potential” revelations on plastic cards with words like “Whistler” or “Royalty.” The concept suggests a town turned upside-down, but the show’s writers seem hesitant to embrace the machine’s impact, instead focusing on the far more interesting everyday lives of Deerfield’s residents.

At the center of the ensemble is Chris O’Dowd as Dusty, a schoolteacher content with his humdrum routine until the machine prompts his wife, Cass (Gabrielle Dennis), to seek more from life, leading to their separation in season two. Their daughter, Trina (Djouliet Amara), navigates a complicated relationship with Jacob, the twin brother of her deceased boyfriend, while the ever-optimistic Giorgio (Josh Segarra) runs a restaurant and Hana (Ally Maki) tends bar and flirts with the local priest (Damon Gupton). Justine Lupe (Succession) appears as a potential love interest for Dusty in the second season.

Though The Big Door Prize occasionally captures the warmth and humor of Schitt’s Creek, it consistently undermines its own momentum by returning to the mystery machine storyline, which feels increasingly insignificant as the show progresses. The season two finale cliffhanger hinges on this gimmick, leaving the show backed into a narrative corner that may prove difficult to escape if renewed for a third season. It’s almost as though David West Read is daring Apple to renew the series, just to see how he can extract himself from a narrative dead end.

Ultimately, The Big Door Prize too often squanders its potential by leaning heavily on a plot device that should have been minimized in favor of its more relatable small-town stories. The likable cast and charming setting could easily support multiple seasons of character-driven drama and comedy, but the show’s insistence on prioritizing the mystery machine subplot detracts from its strengths. As a result, The Big Door Prize remains a series in search of a purpose, much like the enigmatic machine at its center.

‘The Big Door Prize’ just wrapped its second season on Apple TV+, where all episodes are currently available.