Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this high-concept sitcom includes vivid discussion of sexual activity. Viewers see a couple wake up in bed together without knowing each other's names -- as well as a character having an orgasm during a foot massage (the incident is discussed pretty frankly). The show's humor is usually clever, but it can also be crass and immature. Some characters smoke cigars and several discuss getting drunk.
Families can discuss the show's premise and structure, which are unusual for a sitcom. How does the single-day time-span affect the series' pace? What will happen after the wedding? Families can also talk about wedding mishaps. Did anything go wrong at weddings you've attended? What's the worst wedding mishap you've heard of? What's the best way to handle a snafu at a big event? What kind of wedding, if any, do teens want for themselves?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Sierra Filucci
If 24's Jack Bauer had to wrestle with a tux and cufflinks instead of terrorists and nuclear bombs, the result might be something like BIG DAY, a quirky sitcom following a single day in the life of two families who are about to become in-laws.
Each episode of the show edges viewers later in the day when sweet Alice (Marla Sokoloff) will marry loveable Danny (Josh Cooke) ... unless something terrible happens. The fact that Alice's bitter older sister slept with the boorish best man and then drank his contact lenses from the nightstand water glass won't be enough to stop the ceremony. Nor will the accidental orgasm that Alice's high-strung mother Jane (Wendie Malick) experiences thanks to Danny's free-spirited father's reflexology massage.
Much of the show's humor is crass and sophomoric, but its clever writing and talented acting are pleasant surprises. Malick plays Jane with the same comedic accuracy she brought to Just Shoot Me. And as wedding planner Lorna, MADtv veteran Stephnie Weir steals scenes with her winces as Lorna bears the brunt of Jane's micromanaging wrath when things go wrong.
Along with debates about fiscal responsibility, Caesar vs. vinaigrette dressing, and the What's Happening theme song, Big Day sweetly addresses some of the real anxieties that come along with weddings. After Alice's father tells her he doesn't approve of Danny, for example, she has a crisis, fearing that Danny isn't a responsible adult who's ready for the commitment of marriage.
Some questionable comedic targets pepper the plot, like the recurring character of a portly Spanish-accented cosmetologist who wanders through the house with tweezers saying, "I pluck bride?"
The show's unrestrained dialogue about sex, drinking, and sexual orientation -- as well as its visible drinking, smoking, and gag violence -- means that younger viewers should stay away. Older teens may enjoy some of the physical humor as well as the funny dialogue, but Big Day is clearly oriented toward adults.
Mature fans might also enjoy Arrested Development and the movie The 40-Year-Old Virgin.
Rate It!
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| CS | adults | kids | ||
Sexual ContentTwo characters had a drunken one-night-stand. Lots of discussion about sex, some crude. A character has an orgasm during a foot massage. |
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ViolenceA man gets hit by a truck in a gag-ish way. |
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LanguageLots of sexual discussion, including frequent use of the word "orgasm" and its many euphemisms. Rare "ass" and "hell." |
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Message |
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Social BehaviorThe two main characters are generally good people. But those around them have various flaws, which are all played for humor -- promiscuous, controlling, selfish, rude, self-involved, etc. Treatment of service people is particularly harsh. Some stereotyping. |
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Commercialism |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoSome drunkeness, cigar smoking, and the possibility of drug use. |
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