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Lewis Black's Root of All Evil

(Rated TV-14, Comedy, Starring Patton Oswalt, Greg Giraldo, Where to watch: Comedy Central)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 14, age appropriate for kids over 99; suggested age 14.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    Funny, but verges on meanness; for mature viewers.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 14–18

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    The show follows a courtroom format, so the participants are in an adversarial setting as they try to make the case that a certain person, group, or concept has a negative effect on society. The present the subjects in the most unflattering way possible and at times skirt the line between funny and mean-spirited.

  • Violence:

    Some references to fights.

  • Sex:

    No sex or nudity, but plenty of references to sex. In an episode in which the Catholic church was one of the "defendants," for example, many references were made to sex with young boys (the phrase "boy f--king" is used several times), as well as oral sex. An historic image of a torture device also depicted a bound, naked figure.

  • Language:

    The participants are trying to paint people, organizations, or pop culture topics in the worst light possible and often swear, using words like "ass," "whore," "bitch," "f--k," "d--k" and other colorful phrases (the strongest terms are bleeped).

  • Consumerism:

    Many organizations, companies, people, and products are referred to by name, ranging from Oprah Winfrey and Donald Trump to the Catholic church, Viagra, and YouTube.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    No drugs or drinking shown, but there are frequent references to being drunk or high.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Lewis Black's Root of All Evil

Parents need to know that this show is all about mockery, casting famous people, organizations, or other well-known topics in the worst possible light and then deciding which is the "worst" offender against common decency. It's funny, but it sometimes seems mean-spirited. And while some of the subjects aren't too surprising (Donald Trump, Paris Hilton), it's hard to see why others (Oprah?!) have been deemed worthy of this treatment. Plus, the content is definitely on the mature side, with frequent references to sex, drinking, and drug use, as well as strong language (only the strongest words are bleeped).

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about fame and popularity. Why do so many celebrities evoke such a strong -- and often hostile -- response from the public? Lewis Black plays to that sentiment, defining the show's subjects o as evil, selfish, vain, stupid, or worse. Do you think anyone deserves this kind of ridicule? Do you agree with Black's assessments? There's an entire industry devoted to unearthing and selling gossip about stars. Do you think that the wealthy, famous, and powerful give up their right to privacy? Is it acceptable to mock them?
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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Adult Reviewer
    joshrob1995
    Lives in Texas
    I rate this title on for age 17 and give it 4.0

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    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
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