Common Sense Media Review
By Joyce Slaton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Cheap, unkind jokes galore in rancid workplace comedy.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Kevin from Work
What's the Story?
In the workplace comedy KEVIN FROM WORK, the hapless Kevin (Noah Reid) has had a crush on lovely Audrey (Paige Spara) for three years. But since she's been only casually friendly to him and has a big, mean boyfriend, Brock (Matthew Florida), Kevin has never found a way to confess his feelings. But after he scores a job overseas and overindulges at an epic good-bye binge, Kevin finally breaks down and tells her everything in a love letter. An attempt to steal it back by seducing Audrey's roommate Patti (Punam Patel) backfires; now Patti's calling Kevin her new boyfriend. To make things even worse, his new job has fallen through, and he's stuck working on the other side of a cubicle wall, further from winning Audrey's affections than ever.
Is It Any Good?
The setup is inoffensive enough, and unrequited love is a comedy staple, but this comedy loses points by making its secondary characters the butt of mean jokes and inviting the audience to laugh. It's funny that Audrey's roommate is attracted to Kevin, see, both because she has a larger body type and is a woman of color. Such a woman could NEVER be the romantic lead, right? So it's funny! Let's all laugh as she demands 100-calorie brownie-bites packages post-sex and sighs "I think I love him!" after Kevin has exited her apartment so quickly that he's still in his boxer shorts. Kevin's sister? She's sexually voracious! It's hilarious that she tells her brother to hang on while they're on the phone because she wishes to flash her breasts to a fellow driver -- hey, tell the kids to cover their eyes!
Ugh. The viewer is invited to mock all these sitcom stereotypes. The chunky coworker. The sexually voracious boss. The lunkhead gymbot best friend. Ugh, ugh, and more ugh. At the same time, leads Kevin and Audrey are presented as relatable and loveable, even though they're about as bland as two sitcom leads could ever hope to be and generate about as much fizz as a flat soda. This rancid comedy has the look and feel of something funny, without the laughs.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why so many comedies center on the workplace. What dramatic possibilities does a workplace comedy offer? Why are offices such a common setting for TV shows?
How is the audience supposed to feel about Kevin? About Audrey? How can you tell? Are we supposed to like them?
Shows on which one character pines for another are common. Why? What other shows can you name that have centered on or featured this plot? How is Kevin from Work similar to these shows? How is it different?
TV Details
- Premiere date : August 12, 2015
- Cast : Noah Reid , Amy Sedaris , Paige Spara , Punam Patel
- Network : Freeform
- Genre : Comedy
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 7, 2022
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
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.
See how we rate