Conan
Common Sense says
- TBS
- Variety Show
- 2010
Parents say
Kids say
Searching for streaming and purchasing options ...
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Get it now on
Searching for streaming and purchasing options ...
A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this version of Conan O’Brien’s late-night show is bit looser than when he was on The Tonight Show, and bit more adult. Conan appears liberated to structure the show however he wants, to make jokes about anything he wants, and that freedom has loosened him up and bettered his performance. Some of his guests also take that freedom to mean they can swear (most of it gets bleeped) and to make jokes about sex and drugs that are best suited for adults.
Wondering if Conan is OK for your kids?
Set preferences and get age-appropriate recommendations with Common Sense Media Plus. Join now
Stay up to date on new reviews.
User Reviews
- Parents say
- Kids say
Conan comes to TBS in a funny show
Conan
What's the story?
Ten months after being ousted from his dream job as host of The Tonight Show, Conan O’Brien returned to the air with another late-night forum, titled simply, and significantly, CONAN. The format is nearly identical: opening monologue, a bevy of celebrity guests, and his longtime sidekick Andy Richter in attendance. But the results are different, and an improvement.
Is it any good?
Late-night talk shows have different personalities that reflect their hosts. David Letterman is arch, sardonic, and brilliant. Jay Leno is likeable, uncomplicated, a pleaser. And Conan? He’s always been funny, but during his brief tenure at The Tonight Show, he also seemed antsy and constrained, perhaps by its formidable history.
All that’s out the window in his new show at TBS, where he is finally free to be exactly who he wants to be. (Cue the classic tune from childhood.) Here, Conan has verve -- and nerve. His brand of humor was never as mainstream crowd-pleasing as Leno’s, and now he doesn’t have to try to be something he’s not. A bit about a clown talking above the heads of little kids? Check. A Ricky Gervais put-down? Check. Free-wheeling interviews with famous types? That’s all here, all done in quintessential, quirky Conan style.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about Conan’s type of humor. How does his humor on this show differ from that of The Tonight Show? Is one format better than the other?
Talk about the swearing -- is it necessary to swear to be funny? What is the function of swear words?
Why do celebrities come onto Conan's show? Do you consider any of these celebs role models? What about Conan himself? Why or why not?
TV details
- Premiere date: November 8, 2010
- Cast: Andy Richter, Conan O'Brien
- Network: TBS
- Genre: Variety Show
- TV rating: TV-14
- Last updated: May 27, 2020
For kids who love offbeat humor
Our editors recommend
Top advice and articles
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
Streaming options powered by JustWatch