Parents' Guide to

Son of Zorn

By Joyce Slaton, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Some funny, naughty jokes in barbarian-out-of-water sitcom.

TV Fox Comedy 2016
Son of Zorn Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

See all
age 12+

Based on 1 parent review

chris D.
chris D. Adult
September 22, 2016
age 12+

fox has thought of better but this is ok

ok what do u get when u mix a barbarion some sweet humor and naugthy moments together well ya get foxes new attempt at comedy son of zorn its not unfunny its not un original but its not the best i mean ya kinda feel for poor zorn trying and failing to get close to his son but at the same time u feel nothing for him atall cause hes a bit of a jackass but its an ok show i say try it not too dirty so mature tweens can handle it too

This title has:

Great messages
Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

In SON OF ZORN, animated warrior Zorn (voiced by Jason Sudeikis) hadn't been back from his battles in Zephyria for a decade when he received a message from his Earth ex, Edie (a live-action Cheryl Hines): His son, Alan (Johnny Pemberton), is about to turn 17. Time to get back to Orange County! Zorn plans to just breeze by, but when Edie clues him in that this could be his last chance to develop a relationship with Alan, Zorn decides to stay awhile. Now he's got an apartment, a soap dispenser sales job, a (really tight) shirt, and a new item on his to-do list: help Alan through the last few awkward years of his childhood.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (3 ):

Putting aside the gimmick of combining live action with animation, this show isn't without its charms, but the conflicts seem aggressively sitcommy. Alan's embarrassed by his dad in front of a girl, Zorn's threatened by having a female boss, a dad just wants to get close to his son: What is this, My Three Sons? Enough jokes land to give viewers a few chuckles -- Edie explains to Zorn that she and new fiancé Craig (a game Tim Meadows, always great to see) know how to have fun: "We have our own avocado tree in the back and make our own guacamole."

But Son of Zorn insists on trying to flog further humor out of tired topics: Zorn's brutality, Edie's scolding-mom act. A scene in which Zorn clubs a giant Death Hawk goes on painfully long, clearly hoping for an Archer sort of naughty zing, but the writing just doesn't have that show's sharpness. What we have here is a fish-out-of-water comedy with familiar and appealing actors who do their best with limited material. It's fine for families with teens, but it may be a tough sell: Today's teens don't even remember the old He-Man cartoons Zorn spoofs.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about who Son of Zorn is designed to appeal to. Do you think the fact that it's animated gives it more "kid appeal" than solely live-action shows? Do you think people often assume that anything animated is OK for younger viewers?

  • Have you ever seen He-Man and the Masters of the Universe? Is Zorn supposed to look and act like He-Man? Why is that funny?

  • Have you seen any other shows that mix animation with live actors? Do you like this style? Does it add to the show? How?

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.

See all recommended tv lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate