Common Sense Media Review
By Joyce Slaton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Guns, action set pieces in hilarious spy send-up.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Jean-Claude Van Johnson
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
You thought Jean-Claude Van Damme was just an action star of the 1980s? You thought wrong. All along, behind the "muscles from Brussels" persona, Van Damme was living a double life as JEAN-CLAUDE VAN JOHNSON, the most terrifying undercover black ops agent around. He's out of the game, retired from acting, tooling around Hollywood taking it easy -- until a chance encounter with a lost love convinces him to contact his agent/secret operations director, Jane (Phylicia Rashad), to sign on for another mission. Johnson's back -- and if he's not careful, his latest mission really will be his last.
Is It Any Good?
Jean-Claude Van Damme is back -- well, sorta, in the persona of Jean-Claude Van Johnson, black ops superspy posing as a faded actor in this bizarre, entertaining show. The whole thing gets rolling with a third-wall-breaking meta-exposition that sets the show's tone: "I used to be super famous," Van Damme informs us, sliding his feet into his JCVD-monogrammed slippers and splashing JCVD-labeled skincare products onto his now-weathered face. Bloodsport was his most famous role, Van Damme tells us: "Maybe you've seen it. It is on TV all of the time. Or maybe you've seen Timecop, it's like Looper starring Bruce Willis, but like a million times better."
But that was then and this is now, when Van Damme is an exhausted retired action star living a lonely life in a particularly pretentious slice of Hollywood, reduced to riding a Segway down his drive to pick up his morning Variety. When a chance meeting with his ex-colleague (and, on their off hours, lover) Vanessa (Kat Foster) offers him the first frisson of excitement he's had in some time, he's ready to sign back up for a dangerous spy mission, and the movie role that will cover for it -- which, of course, gives this show an opportunity to simultaneously make fun of both action and cinematic clichés. Van Damme is clearly having a great time sending himself up, and you'll have a great time watching, even if you didn't love his splits and kicks in the '80s. Jean-Claude Van Johnson is sharp, and hilarious, and fresh, and weird -- give it a try if you like all that stuff.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what exactly is being mocked in Jean-Claude Van Johnson. Fame? The action or spy thriller movie genres? Celebrities making comebacks? Hollywood machinations? All of the above?
Van Damme frequently refers to his most popular movies in this show, like Bloodsport or Timecop. Are these jokes still funny if you haven't seen the movies? Are they funnier if you have? Is it realistic that the people Van Damme meets would be familiar with these movies? Why?
Did you notice that Van Damme's love interests are younger than he is? Are there frequently age differences between movie partners? Are the women ever older than the men? Why or why not?
TV Details
- Premiere date : December 15, 2017
- Cast : Jean-Claude Van Damme , Kat Foster , Moises Arias , Phylicia Rashad
- Network : Prime Video
- Genre : Drama
- TV rating :
- Last updated : February 18, 2020
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