Common Sense Media Review
By Stephanie Morgan
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Activist mockumentary goes all out for laughs; not for kids.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Chad & JT Go Deep
What's the Story?
Mockumentary-style prank show CHAD & JT GO DEEP focuses on two big-hearted but moronic "surfer bro" activists creating chaos wherever they go. Chad (Tom Allen) and JT (John Parr) never break character, and some of their causes are real while others are the height of ridiculousness, which younger viewers may find confusing.
Is It Any Good?
This mockumentary about a couple of surfer activists on a mission to "spread stoke" is confrontational, but not aggressive; its silliness manages to shed light on the occasional important issue. Based on the popular podcast of a similar name, Chad & JT Go Deep is the kind of farce only accomplished when the unsuspecting public is prayed upon by comedians who refuse to break character. It's part Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, part Punk'd. And it works, but only for adult audiences due to lots of nudity and sex-related pranks.
As in the podcast, it's the pair's outrageous town hall appearances that bring the most laughs to the show. The occasional celebrity cameo also adds to the appeal but the funniest bits come when the jokes go national and the guys appear in character on the likes of Fox News and The Howard Stern Show. The biggest win here is that the laughs come without the cast trying to intentionally hurt each other as they do in similar shows like Jackass. Older teens and young adults will find the shenanigans hilarious but adults need to be aware of the explicit content.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what a mockumentary is and how it's different from other styles of comedy.
Many of the people featured in this show don't know that Chad (Tom Allen) and JT (John Parr) are characters. Do you think it's OK to trick people in that way to get a laugh? Why or why not?
Talk about the real impact of some of the issues that Chad and JT touch on: immigration, environmental protection, etc.
TV Details
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