Parents' Guide to Motu Patlu

Cultural discrepancies complicate English viewers' overall enjoyment of this series, but the fact that it's so different from the typical U.S. fare means it's intriguing, too. The protagonists are two balding (or, in Patlu's case, bald), seemingly unemployed adult men with copious amounts of time in which to immerse themselves in the ridiculous plots the show sets up for them. Bad guys are less threatening than they are laughable, although they do employ physical tactics to assert themselves and, in the case of John's goons, blindly follow orders.

Motu Patlu isn't a series that will impress upon kids much that's positive. Most of the characters use violence on some level to vent anger or to get their way, and pranks and jokes at the expense of one or more of them are common. More than the obvious physicality of their interactions, there's a pervasive theme of revenge that exists among the characters. When one person is wronged, he looks for a way to even the score rather than use gentler tactics like communication to reach a solution. It makes for some funny moments, but it also sends questionable messages about conflict resolution and interpersonal skills.