STRIKE! - First episode

STRIKE! tells the story of the Kloefkappers, a bowling team.

The Kloefkappers are four guys with family ties largely caused by three sisters. The fourth member of the group is the brother of the sisters. Together, the quartet forms a bowling team. A significant part of this Flemish series takes place in a bowling alley, but mainly during the après-bowling. The second important fact about this series is the episode titles. They all come from the culinary world—not the high-end cuisine, but the everyday snacks and drinks. For instance, the first episode is titled "bacon." Bacon? Exactly, that's a component derived from cutting a pig, and that's precisely the animal that plays a central role in this first episode. How? You'll have to discover that for yourself, just as you'll need to watch to find out what antics the gentlemen and their spouses get up to.

Still, we hope that in the next seven episodes the humor becomes a bit stronger so that we really end up in stitches!

STRIKE! aims to pull out all the stops in the comedy genre with a cast of actors and actresses whose names alone might tempt you to give the series a big nine. Ben Segers steps into the shoes of school principal Gunther, who is married to Hilde (Ini Massez). Lukas (Steve Geerts) is a plastic surgeon, and his wife Elke (Nathalie Meskens) embodies the level of a true doctor's wife living off her husband's income. Lastly, there's the third sister Katrien (Lynn Van Royen), who was married to the meticulous policeman Stefan (Jonas Van Geel). The latter plays a significant role in the first episode, and his character is the most developed during those first 24 minutes.

Other roles in this series are reserved for Vincent Van Sande as Kloefkapper number four, Jeroen, who still lives at home with dad Marcel (Vic De Wachter) and mom Rita (Camilia Blerau). Paulien De Bock steps into the role of Fleur, the teenage daughter of Katrien and Stefan. Add to that the secretary Betty (Sarah Vandeursen) and waitress Linda (Tania Kloek), and you can say you have a cast to be reckoned with.

What is remarkable in STRIKE! is the use of the scripted reality technique, where the characters regularly get to comment on the events. People who have seen "Oogappels" will surely recognize this technique. Personally, I'm not sure if this technique always hits the mark. In STRIKE!, it certainly adds value, and in my opinion, it also saves on the length of the episodes because you quickly learn a lot about the gaps in the story that still need to be filled.

However, based on that first episode, I wouldn't call STRIKE! a high-flyer. The series is definitely funny, but the real belly laughs are absent. The humor is quite tame and never far-fetched. The strength of this series mainly lies with the cast, who know how to portray their characters well, bringing a smile to your face during the funny moments. Still, we hope that in the next seven episodes, the humor becomes a bit stronger so that we truly hit a STRIKE!