History of Swear Words
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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 History of Swear Words delivers exactly on its title, with self-explanatory episodes titled "F--k," "S--t," "Bitch," "D--k," "P---y," and "Damn." Expect dozens, perhaps hundreds, of utterances of each word in its episode. We don't see any sex, but the "D--k" episode features many depictions of penises and a live one (prosthetic?) that appeared in a movie. Nicolas Cage, an actor known for his colorful language in many action movies, hosts the show in a faux-professorial manner, intercut with comments from real academics and other experts who ground the series in research and history.
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Lots of cussing
What's the story?
In THE HISTORY OF SWEAR WORDS, Nicolas Cage, whom many viewers may assume is the king of the curse word (spoiler: he's not), presides over a lightly amusing and predictably profane exploration of six expletives, each with its own 20-minute episode. Seated in a presumably green-screened library/study, Cage uses his most professorial manner to deliver some history and wax poetic on each word (and, of course, utter it repeatedly with relish). An array of opinionated comedians and actors (Sarah Silverman, Nikki Glaser, Joel Kim Booster, Zainab Johnson, Nick Offerman, and others) and linguistic and pop culture experts share the origins and experiences of each term, interspersed with TV and movie clips and original graphics and animations.
Is it any good?
Dip into any five minutes of this six-episode series about six well-loved and oft-forbidden curse words and you'll know exactly what to expect of the other 115 minutes. Nicolas Cage is a surprising host for this slight History of Swear Words; perhaps the lure was zestily uttering the words that double as episode titles: "F--k," "S--t," "Bitch," "D--k," "P---y," and "Damn." Some popular comedians well-known for their colorful language (e.g., Sarah Silverman, Nikki Glaser, Zainab Johnson) share their observations on the words, but aren't laugh-out-loud funny nor particularly insightful. Better context and lessons come from lexicographer Kory Stamper, real-life professors (as opposed to Cage's professor shtick), and other wordsmiths. Most high schoolers will have heard all these words, in all their variations, well before watching this show. Who'll be offended? Probably anyone named Dick.
Talk to your kids about ...
How does the use of swear words affect your perception of a character in TV shows or movies?
What do you think about the ratings put on TV shows and movies that feature swear words? Are they too high, or too low? Were you introduced to swear words in media?
What insights does this show offer about the history of language and linguistics?
TV details
- Premiere date: January 5, 2021
- Cast: Nicolas Cage, Sarah Silverman, Nikki Glaser
- Network: Netflix
- Genre: Comedy
- TV rating: TV-MA
- Available on: Streaming
- Last updated: January 8, 2021
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