Parents' Guide to

Penn & Teller: Fool Us

By Joyce Slaton, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Magic and skepticism mix in OK show for kids.

TV CW Reality TV 2011
Penn & Teller: Fool Us 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 15+

Based on 2 parent reviews

John Authur
John Authur Adult
December 21, 2018
age 12+
Skip End of the first episode bit gory, but the Rest is perfect

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Colette V.
Colette V. Parent
September 3, 2017
age 18+

Great show with unexpected shock

Very entertaining show to watch with the family....until the very end (episode 1, season 1) when the magician's assistant is 'accidentally' sawn in half with blood and guts spilling over the stage. It was really inappropriate and in bad taste. Kids won't sleep for weeks.

This title has:

Too much violence
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

With decades of magic and performing under their belts, comedy duo Penn & Teller know how just about every kind of magic trick is accomplished. In PENN & TELLER: FOOL US, the illusionists invite fellow magicians to perform their tricks before a live audience. After watching from a seat on the stage, Penn and Teller try to figure out how the trick was done. If they can, the magician leaves in mild shame. But if he fools Penn and Teller, he's invited to perform at a Las Vegas casino.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (4):

It's always interesting to watch a good magician ply his or her trade, and Penn and Teller have managed to pull a good slate, with fascinating tricks that run the gamut from card tricks to illusions involving a performer escaping from a locked trunk. That the duo spends time after every trick to concur and then reveal to the audience some of the aspects of how it was done gives this show a cool edge. Magicians will appreciate that Penn and Teller don't actually blurt out all their secrets. Instead, they suggest the crux of the trick and let the audience guess at the details.

That may prove frustrating to young magicians who are watching and trying to learn tricks of the trade. However, it does make the show interesting for family viewing. If you know that the secret of the trick is connected with a particular sleight-of-hand movement or with a prop, you can debate: How was it done? Even younger kids can learn to view what they see with skepticism, and this show will help in that regard.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the appeal of a show in which magic tricks are being examined and criticized. Why can't an audience just enjoy the illusion without trying to figure out how it was done?

  • Do you like magic? Does a viewer need to enjoy magic to enjoy this show?

  • Why does Penn mention the name of the casino where he and Teller perform during the narration that opens the show?

TV Details

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