 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
The Ricky Gervais Show
Common Sense Media says
Animated series is an acquired (and foul-mouthed) taste.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this animated series is aimed at adults and contains an array of unbleeped swearing (including "s--t" and "f--k") and other iffy words most parents wouldn't want their kids using (for example, "bollocks," "wanker," and "knob" -- basically, British slang for "balls," "idiot," and "penis"). Sexual content is played for humor, and there's some cartoonish violence, too, including a few mildly bloody incidents. Two of the characters routinely gang up on the other and generally insult him the entire episode, calling him a "little bald Manc twat" or a "round-headed buffoon," etc. Some of the speakers' accents might be difficult to understand.
What's the story?
Created from edited-down conversations that originally aired on satellite radio and, later, on a series of popular podcasts, THE RICKY GERVAIS SHOW throws co-hosts Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, and Karl Pilkington into a suspended state of animation and captures their musings on a variety of random topics -- from population control to the prowess of chimpanzees. Gervais and Merchant are best known for dreaming up the hit British sitcom The Office, which spawned an Emmy-winning American series of the same name. Pilkington originally worked with Gervais and Merchant as an off-air radio producer before he became an on-air personality.
Is it any good?
In the first episode of The Ricky Gervais Show, Karl Pilkington is talking about a monkey who single-handedly launched a rocketship when an incredulous Ricky Gervais blurts out, "Karl, you are living in a cartoon world!" And maybe that's why someone thought animating Karl's imagination would make good television -- or at least a good cartoon. The animation style is reminiscent of old Jay Ward shorts of the 1960s (think The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show's "Fractured Fairy Tales"), and it does, at the very least, give the viewer something to look at while Karl rambles on with his stories and misguided theories.
That said, it will take a real fan of these three to truly love this series; anyone else will be mildly perplexed at best. But whatever you make of it, it's not like the narrator at the beginning of each episode (who calmly explains that you're about to see one of a series of "pointless conversations" recorded over the past few years) didn't warn you. Besides, Gervais and Co. already know their show has no real purpose -- or any kind of plot, for that matter. But they still think you might want to see it. So there's that.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the show's format and whether or not it works. For kids or parents who have listened to the original podcasts: Does the series work better as a cartoon, or was it funnier when you only had the audio and had to provide your own visuals? Why do you think Gervais essentially re-released something that already existed, just in a different form?
In terms of sexual content and cartoon violence, does the series ever go too far? Do you consider Ricky and Stephen's constant pecking at Karl a milder form of violence? Does it qualify as bullying -- and do you think Karl is in on the joke?
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
AGE
funny
i love this show it's so funny but i can only watch it with my dad
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AGE
Perfect for adults wanting something a bit more engaging
I absolutely love the "Ricky Gervais Show." It is a breath of fresh aire from all the same old comedies out there and I look forward to every episode. Despite it's apparent sophomoric humor, I find it intelligent and fun. Anyone out there can write silly one-liners and basically dumb sexual teen comedy, but it takes intelligent writers like these to make jokes out of history and thoughtful maters.
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AGE
Karl's funny, but kids that are younger won't get his jokes.
The Ricky Gervais Show is just funny. Perfectly funny. Karl is so innocently misinformed, you can't help but laugh at his incredibile (and often impossible) stories. His friends poke fun at him, but always in a lighthearted sort of way, because obviously Karl needs a little bit of that to bring him back to earth. Though, I don't think that it's good to encourage kids to tease others like this, because it's not the same as in the show, so a little bit of an older audience is best. Besides, it'd be hard for younger kids to get the jokes.
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Kid, 9 years old
July 2, 2011
AGE
15+
bad language
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AGE
16+
Judging by the review, I think this show is suitable for 16+. If the strong language was bleeped, it would probably be iffy for 14+ or on for 15+.
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Kid, 12 years old
February 2, 2011
AGE
Some Swears, but funny
The Ricky Gervais show is funny, but a swear is found in about every episode. I personally would say that it was iffy for ages 11+ because of the slight swearing. You would feel bad for Karl, but he is so misinformed it is funny.
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| TV rating: | TV-MA |
| Network: | HBO |
| Cast: | Karl Pilkington, Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant |
| Genre: | Comedy |
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