Ella McCay has been on the wrong side of the reviewers since its release. My advice, if you decide to watch it, is to think of it as a farce, not a sensible comedy about love and politics. Because I think it is a farce with a warm heart.

Emma Mackey plays Ella McCay. At 16, her parents left yet another scandal about her womanizing father behind and moved to California. Her dad, Eddie (Woody Harrelson), and her mom, Clair (Rebecca Hall), had somehow come to terms with the fact that their marriage was always going to include Eddie’s infidelity.

Ella stayed behind in New Jersey with her Aunt Helen (Jamie Lee Curtis). But Ella’s younger brother Casey (Spike Fearn as an adult) went with the parents. Ella was a fast-talking motor-mouth who had lots of ideas about how to make the world a better place. That plan included hiding her high school beau, Ryan (Jack Lowden), in her bedroom at night.

Skip ahead 20 years. Ella and Ryan are married. She is Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey under Governor Bill (Albert Brooks). The governor is offered a federal level cabinet position and Ella is installed as governor immediately.

Ella’s brain is always on. Hyperdrive. Her thoughts all come out of her mouth at hyperspeed. She’s worried about women and children and has plans for state government to help them.

She’s worried about Casey who is back living in New Jersey but hasn’t come out of his house in 18 months, ever since he somehow accidentally broke up with his girlfriend (Ayo Edebiri). She’s worried about the scandal that earned her the nickname “Little Miss Nooner” in the press. She’s worried about Ryan who magically turned into a colossal a**hole as soon as Ella had governor powers.

She’s worried about her dad, who shows up demanding forgiveness when she’s the most overwhelmed with life already.

Ella goes to Aunt Helen for her always good advice. Ella is handled with soothing grace by her security/driver Trooper Nash (Kumail Nanjiani). She still manages to blow everything up in mere days.

But there is a happy ending. Let’s all cheer for that.

This Disney+/Hulu comedy is from James L. Brooks. He’s been a writer on the Simpsons since ever and is also responsible for comedies like Spanglish, As Good as it Gets, and the Tracey Ullman Show. Speaking of which, Julie Kavner has an on-screen part as Ella’s assistant/narrator in this and Tracey Ullman makes a voice-only cameo. A flipped Easter egg for his fans.

Overall, Ella McCay is silly and not at all serious about details like plots and common sense. It makes fun of politics and politicians. But it tells a powerful tale about caring for the things you love and standing up for yourself with courage. That makes it a winner in my mind.