Parents' Guide to

Monty Python's Flying Circus

By Ellen Dendy, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Madcap, classic sketch comedy with adult themes.

TV PBS Comedy 1969
Monty Python's Flying Circus Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 13+

Based on 6 parent reviews

spudkiss2000
spudkiss2000 Parent of 2, 3, 6 and 8-year-old
August 13, 2022
age 16+

nudity pushes age range up

Great comedy. Occasional nudity; however, and therefore pushes the age rating much higher in my opinion. Would love to know which episodes contain nudity so kids could avoid them altogether.
daveteds
daveteds Adult
April 22, 2016
age 10+

Classic British Comedy

My friends and I were all watching this fabulous show in 5th and 6th grade when it first came to the states), and walking around with English accents (and writing letters to PBS when it was switched to a late night weekday, when we couldn't watch it!). Rest assured we did NOT get the sexual references (gay or straight) which I can discern now. As the review states, many of the sketches (World's Funniest Joke, Spam, etc.) are suitable for younger children, and thanks to the internet, I could share them with my own kids when they were younger. In 6th or 7th grade my mom took me to see The Holy Grail when it first came out, and when King Arthur chopped off the Black Night's appendages, she said "I'm not sure I should have brought you to this". I assured her that it was HUMOR, not gore. No word on what she thought of the teen virgins and the mention of oral sex (the thing that made us wait until our kid was 12 or so to see the MOVIE).
See all 6 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Created in the 1960s and beloved as a cult classic ever since, MONTY PYTHON'S FLYING CIRCUS stars the titular British sketch comedy troupe -- John Cleese, Michael Palin, Eric Idle, Graham Chapman, Terry Gilliam, and Terry Jones. Creativity runs wild in skits like "A Man with a Tape Recorder Up His Brother's Nose," "Gorilla Librarian," and "Exploding Penguin on the TV Set." But there's more to the show than sheer absurd silliness. Many members of the troupe attended Oxford and Cambridge, and their smarts show up in most skits. (A very brief list of Python skit subjects: Queen Victoria, Richard Nixon, Proust, Picasso, Attila the Hun, the Spanish Inquisition, Hamlet, Wuthering Heights).

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (6):
Kids say (16):

The Pythons are an amazingly talented comedy bunch -- their humor is a mix of downright silliness, brilliant intellectualism, and over-the-top exaggeration. But with its sexual themes and innuendo (more on that below), cartoonish violence, and cerebral humor, this show is best for teens. What's more, some skits poke fun at the mentally and physically challenged, homosexuals, and people of other races and ethnicities (particularly the French). It's all in the name of humor/good fun, but younger kids won't be able to put it in context. Violence is exaggerated but all in fun -- a man is crushed by a 16-ton weight, dowdy matrons mix it up in a rugby-like brawl, a bloke reminisces about the time a gangster nailed his head to the floor, and a crazy self-defense instructor shoots his students when they attack him with fruit.

Overall, Monty Python's Flying Circus is a great example of what creative minds can accomplish when they work together. Anyone with an appreciation of comedy will see that these mates are masters of comedic timing, clever writing, character creation, and the art of physical comedy. Teens interested in acting and theater arts may be inspired by the show -- even though it originally aired in the late 1960s and '70s, it remains a grand example of talent and creativity and, frankly, is still hilarious.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Monty Python's Flying Circus' spoofs on historical events and figures (like World War II, the Spanish Inquisition, Picasso, and Trotsky) and other subjects also covered in classroom settings. Why is it funny that the Spanish Inquisition tortures victims with pillows and comfy chairs? What are the Pythons really making fun of in the "Ministry of Silly Walks" skit?

  • Families can also discuss how the all-male cast frequently dresses in drag to play women's roles. Why is it so funny? Is this tradition held over from Shakespeare's time?

  • What skits best show off the troupe's comedic timing, physical comedy, clever comedy writing, and creativity?

TV Details

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