HBO’s “Family Tree,” which airs on Sundays at 10:30 p.m., is a new British mockumentary series about a British man who travels the world trying to find his ancestors. The show stars Christopher O’Dowd as protagonist Tom Chadwick, a man recently fired, dumped by his girlfriend, and overall down on his luck—that is, until Tom receives a box of items from his great aunt. In this box, he finds a photo of a family member, and the picture compels him to figure out the story of the photographed relative. With photo in hand and determination in his heart, Tom sets off on a journey in which he travels all over Britain and eventually the U.S. to find all of his long lost relatives and fill out his family tree.

Because it is a mockumentary, the show is set up very similar to hit t.v. shows like “The Office” and “Summer Heights High,” as the cast is periodically interviewed by an anonymous camera crew. However, the show fails to explain why Tom has been chosen to be followed around by a camera crew, and this lack of explanation does not make much sense. On the comedy end, “Family Tree” is also similar to “The Office” and “Summer Heights High,” as many of the laughs the show produces come from the oddball characters that make up the main cast. For example, Tom’s sister Bea takes up ventriloquism to express her true emotions and feelings towards others after a traumatic experience with a puffin.

Overall, the show has a different comedy style than most American television shows, for it focuses more on off-color comedy and quirky characters. While the show certainly has its problems—the lack of explanation for why Tom is the main focus for a documentary piece as well as several dull moments—the show is generally funny and seems to be getting better with each episode.