Parents' Guide to

My Name Is Earl

By Elliot Panek, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Offbeat, heartfelt comedy, but not for young kids.

TV NBC, Syndicated Comedy 2005
My Name Is Earl Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

age 14+

Based on 8 parent reviews

age 14+

Amazing show

This show is great for people with teen or adult children or couples. Wholesome and heart warming. It is also hilarious and well written.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
age 14+

Adult situations

Great show not kid appropriate. Alot of adult situations.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (8):
Kids say (24):

Like so many other modern TV comedies (the fast-paced, funny Scrubs comes to mind), MY NAME IS EARL does away with sitcom conventions like studio settings and canned laughter, providing a voice-over from the main character to guide viewers. The humor is fairly broad -- some gross-out gags, a bit of slapstick violence, and plenty of jokes about how dumb some people can be. If anything sets this show apart, it's the premise, and Lee's appealingly affable turn as the dumb-but-good-natured Earl.

While Earl may be a moral individual, the show possesses a very simple view of morality, preaching forgiveness while cutting through the sap with another politically incorrect joke. Still, since the show is generally able to maintain its steady stream of laughs, it's worth watching for teens and their parents.

TV Details

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