Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this show's humor often relates to the love of (and need for) beer on a regular basis, the desire for more sex in the single scene, and mean-spirited jokes about body weight and appearance. Many of the characters lack ambition for much more than their daily trip to the neighborhood bar, and, as such, they find their careers and personal lives unfulfilling. The show lacks any valuable lessons and should be viewed strictly as light entertainment.
Families can talk about making responsible choices for the future. Why is it important to set goals for yourself? What steps can you take to keep on track for those goals? What types of distractions might interfere with your plans, and how can you ward them off? How can friends help (or hurt) you in your efforts? Of the characters on the show, which one is the best role model? The worst? Why?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Emily Ashby
In THE DREW CAREY SHOW, comedian Drew Carey plays a character of the same name who wades through his mid-life years in Cleveland in the company of three longtime friends. The series developed a fan base during its nine-year run on ABC (it premiered in 1995), owing its popularity to Carey's relatability in this "everyman" role. Fans continue to enjoy the show in syndication and on DVD.
Forty-ish Drew is a lovable loser. He's single (and unlucky in love), works at the same department store desk job he's had for 10 years, and hangs out with the same friends he's had since childhood. In short, his life reeks of stagnancy, and even though he occasionally wonders if it could be more fulfilling, complacency often beats out any desire to change his situation.
Drew's friends lead similar lives -- each is also single and holds a dead-end job. Kate (Christa Miller of Scrubs) dates -- and sleeps around -- a lot but rarely gets serious, and Oswald (Diedrich Bader of Napoleon Dynamite) and Lewis (Ryan Stiles of Whose Line Is It Anyway?) are a dorky duo most notable for their off-the-wall observations on life.
Work brings Drew face-to-face with his obnoxious boss, Mr. Wick (Craig Ferguson), and his nemesis, Mimi (Kathy Kinney), a flamboyant, overweight woman who torments Drew with pranks and put-downs. He holds his own in their battles, though, and their exchanges, while often crass, make for constant laughs.
Edgy comedy, a great cast, and break-out dance scenes make The Drew Carey Show a fun way to spend half an hour, but although adult viewers might relate to the characters' mid-life issues, kids will miss much of the context that's needed to grasp the humor.
Fans may want to tune into another group of Friends or check out Carey and Stiles doing some improv comedy on Whose Line.
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentSex and body part humor are often played for laughs, but it's mostly inexplicitly worded. Occasionally men walk around in boxers, women in bras. |
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Language"Damn," "ass," and "hell" are used infrequently. |
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Social BehaviorCharacters often play jokes or pull mean pranks on each other and put each other down. Overall the characters aren't models of responsible living (see Alcohol note below). The only two female characters aren't stellar, either: One is slightly promiscuous and lacks ambition, and the other is overweight and rude. |
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CommercialismBrandless junk food and soda. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoNot only do the characters drink a lot at home, their favorite hangout is a bar. It's rare that any negative consequences from drinking are shown; it's treated as part of their relaxation routine. The friends brew their own concoction of beer and coffee called Buzz Beer. |
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