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Goodnight Burbank
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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 online comedy series tries for cultural satire but relies on racial and religious stereotypes and strong sexual references for laughs. The language is salty ("dick," "crap," "bitch,") and references are made to popular social networking sites like Twitter.
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- Parents say
- Kids say
Social satire giving perspective on the people who bring us news; great for kids 14+
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What's the story?
GOOD NIGHT BURBANK is a comedy about the behind-the-scenes drama of a live nightly news show. The online series, which began as a short-form series and expanded to be one of the first half-hour sitcoms created for the Internet, features Laura Silverman and Hayden Black as co-anchors Whitney Appleby and Gordon Winston-Smyth. The hapless reporters read the headlines from a garage in Burbank, California. Field reporters like Paul Lynch (Dominic Monaghan) and Genevieve Nigwa (Diahnna Nicole Baxter), and weather reporter Paisley Parker (Adrienne Wilkinson), also join the team. Managing the fray behind the cameras are folks like former adult movie producer Yan Bobek (Camden Toy), makeup artist Nadira Farhad (Hadeel Sittu), assistant producer Holly Johnson (America Young), and their obnoxious executive producer, Chilton Chivers (Cameron Bender). It’s definitely crazy, but somehow they manage to make it on the air.
Is it any good?
Like most online comedy series, this web comedy pushes the envelope by mixing slapstick with political incorrectness in order to appeal an online viewing audience. Rather than relying on witty or insightful political satire, it draws its humor from obvious stereotypes about Muslims, conservative Christians, the disabled, and other groups. It also depends on some strong sexual references for laughs.
The show's longer segments makes it possible for more characters and a few more plot lines than its online counterparts. But folks looking for an online comedy that duplicates the comic traditions of television will not find it here. What they will find is a typical Internet series that is both harebrained and irreverent.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about online programming. How does the content of online shows differ from television shows? Why do you think this is? Do you think online shows should look and sound just like television?
Why do comics sometimes rely on stereotypes for a laugh? Do you think this is appropriate? Why or why not? What is the difference between being satirical and just being insulting?
TV details
- Premiere date: April 25, 2011
- Cast: Dominic Monaghan, Hayden Black, Laura Silverman
- Network: Hulu
- Genre: Comedy
- TV rating: NR
- Available on: Streaming
For kids who love comedy
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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.