Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Variety show shtick and stunts are fun but unoriginal.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris
What's the Story?
BEST TIME EVER WITH NEIL PATRICK HARRIS is a variety show hosted by actor, singer, and all-around entertainer Neil Patrick Harris. Along with sidekick Nicole Scherzinger and celebrity guests such as Reese Witherspoon, Ricky Martin, and Carson Daly, audiences are treated to live performances, previously recorded hidden-camera escapades, studio-audience trivia challenges, crazy stunts, and even karaoke contests with at-home audiences. Harris occasionally performs a magic trick or two, while dancers, jugglers, and even pogo-stick jumpers join the fray. Together they create an hour of nonstop entertainment.
Is It Any Good?
This energetic series, which airs live, combines crazy stunts, jokes, audience participation, and lots of prerecorded shtick to create lots of silly-but-fun moments. Harris' natural stage presence and quick wit make it easy to watch, especially when things inevitably go wrong.
It's amusing, but overall the show doesn't really offer anything new or original. There's lots of obvious product promotion and plugs for upcoming events too. But despite all this, there are still enough laugh-out-loud moments to make it a solid watch for parents and older kids.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the challenges of airing a show on live TV. What are the benefits? The risks? What happens if something goes wrong or someone makes a mistake?
Variety shows were very popular forms of stage entertainment in the 1800s, especially in England. Did you know they first aired on the radio before they aired on TV? What do you think that was like?
TV Details
- Premiere date : September 15, 2015
- Cast : Neil Patrick Harris , Nicole Scherzinger
- Network : NBC
- Genre : Variety Show
- TV rating :
- Last updated : November 13, 2019
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