Common Sense Media Review
By Common Sense Media
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Prank crew comedy has some edgy jokes, language.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Impractical Jokers: Inside Jokes
What's the Story?
Four friends try to embarrass each other by creating situations and feeding lines to one of the cast members in an attempt to push the envelope of taste while playing somewhat harmless pranks on the public. Comedians Brian "Q" Quinn, James "Murr" Murray, Joe Gatto, and Sal Vulcano set up in various locations with one member of the troupe on camera dealing with the public while the other three feed him lines that can sometimes be awkward in an effort to get a reaction from the public as well as the cast member on camera. At the end of the episode, one of the cast members is deemed the loser of that episode and has to endure a punishment created by the other three -- which can mean further and more intense humiliation.
Is It Any Good?
If "awkward" always equaled "funny," this series would be hilarious. Most of the time, though, it falls flat and the only people laughing are the three off-camera members of the troupe. The pranks can go a bit too far -- as when one of the cast members has to wear shorts in a freezer pop cart filled with dry ice, resulting in burns to his legs. (Pop-up dialogue boxes do attempt to show that no member of the public was taken advantage of, or to provide some context to the jokes.) There's little doubt that the prankers have some comedic props, from funny facial expressions to solid delivery of the lines they're fed. And the initial situations they find themselves in offer the potential for some good, though juvenile, humor.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about humor. What makes you laugh? Is it funny to play practical jokes on people you don't know? What about people you do know?
Do you think reality TV shows everything that happens? Or is it edited to create a certain outcome?
TV Details
- Premiere date : July 14, 2016
- Cast : Joe Gatto , Brian Quinn , Sal Vulcano , James Murray
- Network : truTV
- Genre : Comedy
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 5, 2022
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