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Michael & Michael Have Issues

(Rated TV-14, Comedy, Starring Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter, Where to watch: Comedy Central, Online)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 14, age appropriate for kids over 18; suggested age 15.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    Comedy duo's many "issues" are adult-oriented.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 15–18

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    No clearly positive messages; in fact, the series' central friendship is based on bickering and conflict rather than support.

  • Role models:

    Neither character could serve as a positive role model for kids -- or anyone else. They're immature, passive agressive, and manipulative, and they both engage in negative behavior like lying, fighting, and flat-out illegal activities ... but all of their foibles are meant to be funny.

  • Violence:

    Some physical violence (including fistfights, implied muggings, etc.) and shouting matches, which are played up for comedic effect.

  • Sex:

    The word "sex" is used quite a bit, and characters make crude references to things like "getting laid," being "engorged," and "doodling" between their legs. There's also a joke about a high school-aged boy who meets a 45-year-old man on the Internet in a chat room for teens.

  • Language:

    Audible words include "goddamn," "son of a bitch," "butt," "balls," "pubes," and "vagina." "S--t" and "f--k" are bleeped (though characters essentially say the latter out loud several times during a skit making light of a British accent), but it's generally clear what's being said. In one sketch, the guys invent a new curse word, "mother f---ing n----r c--t Nazi unicorn," but the second, third, and fourth words are bleeped.

  • Consumerism:

    The Michaels sometimes appear as themselves/their characters in ad spots for sponsors' products (Klondike Bars, for example) right after the show breaks for commercial or before it comes back.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Some episodes deal with drugs and alcohol. One plot finds the Michaels trying to buy pot for their boss; one fails and lands in jail, while the other succeeds and smokes it himself. They also make ironic statements like "Drugs are really bad for you. Unless you're bored. Or you want to feel good." References to steroids.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Michael & Michael Have Issues

Parents need to know that, while this deadpan comedy is littered with content red flags, it's also not intended for younger viewers. For example, while adults and older teens will recognize the irony in a loaded statement like "College isn't getting any cheaper, but steroids are -- espeically south of the border," younger teens and tweens probably won't. In addition to jokes about sex and illegal drugs, expect to hear some pretty salty language, although the strongest words are bleeped.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Do you think the series exaggerates what happens behind the scenes of a TV show? Do you think the Michaels are markedly different than the "characters" they play here?
  • How does the show portray topics like drinking/drugs and sex? Does making light of them make them any less serious?
  • How is the comedy style of this show different than, say, a more traditional sitcom like How I Met Your Mother?
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