Big Lake

Common Sense Media says

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

Age(i)

2
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9
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17

Quality(i)

 
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What parents need to know

Positive messages

There's not really an attempt here to convey a "message," but most takeaways are pretty grim. The only bright spot is that Josh's actions -- and corporate greed -- had negative consequences.

Positive role models

Josh grapples with guilt, and he is trying to pay back his parents' lost investments. That said, he lost $200 million and caused the collapse of the bank that once employed him. Other characters have major flaws (including drug dependencies, rap sheets, and gambling habits) that are played for laughs. A 13-year-old character lies to his parents and claims not to have been to school since sixth grade.

Violence

Occasional cartoonish violence. Josh's 13-year-old brother carries a handgun.

Sex

Lots of sexually charged terms are used -- like "vagina face," "d--k," "junk," "penis," "titty bars," and "numb nuts." Some blurred nudity in a few episodes.

Language

"F--k" is used often for comedic effect, but it's bleeped. Audibles include "a--holes," "damn," "bitch," etc.

Consumerism
Not applicable
Drinking, drugs, & smoking

A few characters have dependencies on prescription drugs, including diet pills and Vicodin. Some social drinking.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this late-night sitcom leans heavily on bleeped language (mostly "f--k") and an arsenal of cheeky audibles (think "titty bar," "d--k," and "vagina face") for its few laughs. There's also some sexual content -- including blurred-out male and female nudity -- and some characters who have dependencies on prescription drugs. Another notable point for parents: A 13-year-old character who routinely lies to his parents and stays out from midnight to 5 a.m. says he hasn't been to school since the sixth grade. He also carries a concealed weapon, although that fact is played for humor.

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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?

QUALITY
 

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.

Families can talk 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

Cast:Chris Gethard, Chris Parnell, Horatio Sanz
Network:Comedy Central
Genre:Comedy
TV rating:TV-14

This review of Big Lake was written by

Kari Croop

About our rating system

  • 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 of any age.

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Quality

Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Learning ratings

  • Best: Really engaging, great learning approach.
  • Very Good: Engaging, good learning approach.
  • Good: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
  • Fair: Somewhat engaging, okay learning approach.
  • Not for Learning: Not recommended for learning.
  • Not for Kids: Not age-appropriate for kids; not recommended for learning.

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