Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Lighthearted newsroom sitcom stars lots of comedy veterans.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Great News
What's the Story?
GREAT NEWS is a comedy series about a producer, her mom, and the staff of a fictitious news show. Katie (Briga Heelan) is a 30-year-old news producer who is questioning her career choices. Meanwhile, her doting mom Carol (Andrea Martin) decides to pursue her own dreams and lands an internship at the Breakdown, which just happens to her daughter's news show. Katie doggedly works with the colorful news team, including mismatched show anchors Chuck Pierce (John Michael Higgins) and Portia (Nicole Richie), executive producer Greg (Adam Campbell), video editor Justin (Horatio Sanz), and meteorologist Beth (played by Winfield), to produce their national show with some sort of journalistic integrity. There's never a dull moment, but throughout it all, Katie realizes that her mom supports her every step of the way.
Is It Any Good?
This lighthearted comedy series offers lots of quirky characters and fun banter, with a style reminiscent of shows like 30 Rock and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. There's some quick wit throughout, but the humor isn't always sharp enough to avoid some clunky moments.
Great News does offer lots of silly fun. It's full of seasoned comedy veterans, most of whom are able to deliver. But the jokes can be inconsistent, on the verge of producing laugh-out-loud moments but not always making it. Nonetheless, there's enough here to keep you entertained, even if the overall show needs a little polish.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about who decides when something is funny (or not). When do jokes or gags go too far? Do you think Great News is funny?
Great News features a very strong mother-daughter relationship between Carol and Katie. Does Katie rely too much on her mom, even though she's an adult? Does Carol go too far when it comes to protecting her daughter? How does this relationship work when they're in the office versus at home?
TV Details
- Premiere date : April 25, 2017
- Cast : Briga Heelan , Andrea Martin , John Michael Higgins
- Network : NBC
- Genre : Comedy
- TV rating :
- Last updated : September 27, 2020
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