Parents' Guide to

Big Lake

By Kari Croop, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Unfunny sitcom can't wring laughs out of language, sex.

TV Comedy Central Comedy 2010
Big Lake Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

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What's the Story?

When financial "whiz kid" Josh Frankllin (Chris Gethard) makes a major miscalculation and misplaces $200 million, he loses his job and moves home to BIG LAKE, Penn., to live with his mother (Deborah Rush), father (James Rebhorn), and 13-year-old brother (Dylan Blue). But the millions he lost is nothing compared to his parents' now-squandered retirement savings, which amounts to some $385,000. In an effort to clear his conscience, Josh teams up with his former best frend (Horatio Sanz) and favorite teacher (Chris Parnell) and vows to pay his mom and dad back.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

Big Lake is so bad that you're left wondering what went wrong -- and whom to blame. Whether you love him or you hate him, Will Ferrell (who executive produced, along with longtime collaborator Adam McKay) can typically be trusted to deliver a laugh. But the only chuckles you'll find here are part of the show's ham-handed laugh track. How in the world did this make it on the air?

According to news reports, Napoleon Dynamite star Jon Heder was originally slated to play Josh but left the project just weeks before filming, citing "creative differences." The decision to cast a relative unknown in his role didn't help. But Gethard (a former member of the Upright Citizens Brigade and writer for Saturday Night Live and The Onion), is no slouch when it comes to comedy, and his presence alone can't explain away all the bad jokes and dead air. The only thing we can say for sure is that this one is utterly skippable.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the show's intent when it comes to comedy. Is it a satire of the sitcom format or a serious attempt to be funny? Does it work? Would another approach have been more successful?

  • How does this show compare with other sitcoms? What does it do differently, particularly when it comes to language and tone?

  • What are the potential real-life consequences of some of the behavior included in the show? What message does playing that kind of behavior for laughs send?

TV Details

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