Common Sense Media Review
By Kari Croop
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Fictional characters flirt with offensive stereotypes.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
What's the Story?
Matt Lucas and David Walliams (best known for their sketch comedy hit Little Britain) apply their shtick to airline culture in COME FLY WITH ME, a BAFTA-nominated mockumentary series that documents the lives of various airport employees. Among the kooky characters -- all played by Lucas and Walliams -- are married pilots Jackie and Simon Trent, passenger liaison Moses Beacon, and paparazzi Mickey Minchin and Buster Bell.
Is It Any Good?
Poking fun at the fly-on-the-wall British documentary series Airport and Airline (which spawned a U.S. reality series of the same name), Come Fly with Me offers Little Britain stars Lucas and Walliams the chance to create an all-new roster of kooky characters and, basically, do what they love. But whether Americans will embrace the show's blatantly British humor and love it, too, is up in the air.
With so many characters sharing screen time (and two actors practically playing them all), it stands to reason that some creations will be funnier than others. But married pilots Jackie and Simon Trent, at least -- whose hilariously dysfunctional dynamic as "Britain's first husband-and-wife flying team" stems from Jackie's jealously over Simon's one-time indiscretion with a female flight attendant -- are funny enough to land their own programme ... er, program.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the fine line between satire and stereotyping. Can something be funny and offensive at the same time? Do any of the characters on this show cross the line?
How does the show use satire to make light of current events, including terrorism and airport security? Is throwing humor at the problem disrespectful -- or refreshing?
This series was nominated for a prestigious BAFTA in its native Britain. Do you think American audiences will embrace it? Is there a cultural gap when it comes to any of the show's humor?
TV Details
- Premiere date : June 18, 2011
- Cast : David Walliams , Matt Lucas
- Network : BBC America
- Genre : Comedy
- TV rating :
- Last updated : September 29, 2022
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