Parents' Guide to

Dog Bites Man

By Kari Croop, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Fake news at its best, but a bad choice for kids.

TV Comedy Central Comedy 2006
Dog Bites Man 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?

DOG BITES MAN takes a few of its cues from The Daily Show and The Colbert Report but adds an increasingly popular comic twist: a "mockumentary" format that's part scripted, part improv, and undeniably funny. The plot follows the antics of the Spokane, Wash.-based KHBX "news" team -- on-air personality Kevin Beekin (Matt Walsh), producer Tillie Sullivan (Andrea Savage), cameraman Alan Finger (Zach Galifianakis), and trusty assistant Marty Shonson (A.D. Miles). Each episode finds these TV journalists chasing down their next "hard-hitting" story, an endeavor that involves startling exposés on professional bodybuilding and homophobia -- and once resulted in the local Emmy Award-winning segment "What's in Your Muffin?"

Is It Any Good?

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

Most adults and older children are bound to chuckle at this single-camera comedy. But the show's humor, while smart, relies too much on off-color bathroom references (with an unexplained focus on testicles), and characters are typically shown doing and saying things you wouldn't want your kids to repeat. On the plus side, the show can be used as a starting point for family discussions about the way news is actually produced and whether it's ever truly objective -- or, for that matter, newsworthy.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the way the show portrays the integrity of television news -- and whether or not it hits the mark. How does TV news produced at the local level compare with national news broadcasts? To what extent do reporters' on-air personalities match their off-camera antics? What makes a topic newsworthy as opposed to simply scandalous? And, ethics-wise, what are the downsides to having a sexual relationship with someone you work with?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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