Common Sense Media Review
By Joyce Slaton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Irish comedy has drinking and cursing but sweet family ties.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Moone Boy
What's the Story?
Martin Paul Kenny Daglish Moone, the MOONE BOY of this half-hour comedy's title, is a 12-year-old boy growing up in Ireland in the 1980s with his distractible dad, his feminist mum, and three sarcastic big sisters, who barely let Martin get a word in edgewise. Martin himself is dreamy and sweet, given to antics like trying to revive a dead bird with CPR, which does nothing to bring back the bird but invites the attention of the school bullies, the Bonner brothers. Oh, and he has an imaginary adult best friend, Sean (Chris O'Dowd, show creator), who alternately eggs him on and insults him. But plucky Martin keeps on keeping on, taking solace in the animated figures he creates to keep his company, and in his family, imperfect as they are.
Is It Any Good?
Feck yeah! Feck? That's the Moone Boy stand-in for "f--k," apparently, repeated ad nauseam by characters who wonder "What the feck are you on about?" or "What the feck do we have here?" when Martin is discovered yet again doing something goofy like practicing kissing on his hand, or befriending a new boy just to be invited to eat the gourmet meals his parents prepare. Moone Boy boast the same DNA as a fine wacky American family comedy like Malcolm in the Middle, but its enchanting foreignness (Americans won't even get many of the jokes, much less be able to understand all the dialogue) gives it a unique and special spin.
Also special: Show creator O'Dowd, who based Martin and his foibles on his own life, apparently likes and respects women, who are given a lot to do here. His mom and sisters aren't just background or preparers of tea; they're political animals who support "girl power" and give Martin hell whenever he does something stupid. They're as vital and complex as the male characters; rare in comedy, especially in sitcoms with a male main character. They look a lot more like the real families of the tweens and teens who should enjoy watching Moone Boy right along with their parents, because this show has a realistic character for everyone in the family to relate to.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about whether Martin Moone's family is loving or not. The family often mocks one another. Is it done kindly or unkindly? How can you tell?
Moone Boy is set in Ireland. How can you tell this is not an American show? Are the accents different? The themes explored? The setting? The moral codes of its characters?
Moone Boy is written and created by Chris O'Dowd, who plays imaginary friend Sean. Given that the show is set in the 1980s, right about the time O'Dowd would have been an adolescent, do you think the show is autobiographical? Why or why not?
TV Details
- Premiere date : September 14, 2012
- Cast : Chris O'Dowd , David Rawle
- Network : Hulu
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings )
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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