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Parents' Guide to

Search Party

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Dark but goofy comedic mystery explores millennial culture.

TV TBS Comedy 2016
Search Party 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 18+

Based on 1 parent review

chris D.
chris D. Adult
January 2, 2017
age 18+

Nice show but not the best content

I am a fan of tbs comedies they are kinda like my guilty pleasure and this seems to be no different from the other shows but having said that I don't think that it is a wise decision to let the kids watch the sexual content level is very high as is language though I do think that dory is a good role model for being so determined to find her friend and trys to make the best of her situations it's super funny too just please no kids under 17.the mature audience rating means something here
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

From Michael Showalter, one of the creators Wet Hot American Summer comes SEARCH PARTY, a comedy featuring a gang of self-absorbed New York City 20-somethings who investigate the disappearance of a former acquaintance. Dory (Alia Shawkat) feels stuck in her life. It doesn't help that her former boyfriend Julian (Brandon Micheal Hall) is a successful journalist and her boyfriend Drew (John Reynolds) is boring. But when she learns that Chantal Witherbottom, a college co-ed she barely knew, has gone missing, she suddenly finds herself obsessed with trying to figure out what happened. Although Drew and her narcissistic friends Elliott (John Early) and Portia (Meredith Hagner), are disinterested in Chantal's demise, she manages to get them to help her investigate. As they try to figure out what happened, the mystery just gets weirder.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (2 ):

The dark comedy offers some fun, improvisational moments while telling a story with an interesting plot line. The ensemble cast offers some strong performances, and guest appearances by well-known comedians like Judy Gold and Parker Posey add their own hilarious flair.

Search Party is enjoyable, even though the jokes aren't always as smart or witty as they'd like to be. Nonetheless, it's worth tuning in if you're a fan of quirky comedy.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about mysteries like Search Party. Why are they such a popular form of story? What makes a mystery scary or interesting?

  • Why is Dory really interested in finding out what happened to Chantal? Is it to help her and her family, or is it for more self-serving reasons?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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