Parents' Guide to

Strangers with Candy

By Jill Murphy, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

After school-special spoof is an acquired taste.

TV Comedy Central Comedy 1999
Strangers with Candy 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 5 parent reviews

Accurate P.
Accurate P. Parent of 15-year-old
August 16, 2022
age 15+
Rated TV-MA
1 person found this helpful.
TwainSlimWriter
TwainSlimWriter Adult
April 29, 2012
age 14+

HYPOCRITE! THIS SHOW ROCKS!

PLEASE! These after school specials of my childhood created more monsters than they ever solved. I remember so many specials about childhood sexual abuse which had sex scenes between adults and kids. In and of itself, how was that not a form of childhood sexual abuse? It is what it is-and many kids were talked into believing things happened in those specials that really did not in their own lives. I'm tired of adults feeling they have the right to tell kids not to do everything they do and 10 times worse.

This title has:

Great messages
Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much consumerism
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 5 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Created by Sedaris, Stephen Colbert (The Colbert Report, The Daily Show) and Paul Dinello, STRANGERS WITH CANDY positions itself as a spoof on the once-popular after school specials of the '70s and '80s. The show describes its main character, Jerri Blank (Amy Sedaris), as "a boozer, a user, and a two-time loser" -- she's a 46-year-old ex-prostitute and former junkie who, after being released from prison, decides to pick up where she left off -- high school. So it's not surprising that Jerri is picked on by everyone in school, including art teacher Mr. Jellineck (Dinello), science teacher Mr. Noblet (Colbert), and Principal Onyx Blackman (Greg Hollimon). Jerri quickly comes to the realization that after being a teenage runaway for 32 years and returning to high school, "the faces may have changed, but the hassles are still the same." Each episode of Strangers with Candy ends with another twisted lesson Jerri has learned, always described in her own words.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (5):
Kids say (3):

In its short run (1999-2000; it still airs in reruns and is available on DVD), Strangers with Candy became a cult favorite and attracted variety of guest stars, including Will Ferrell, Winona Ryder, and Steve Carell (The Office). A big-screen version hit theaters in June 2006.

The series can be offensive on a number of levels -- it almost seems like Sedaris' goal to mock as many groups and institutions as possible -- but keep in mind that it's intended for mature viewers. If you like Sedaris' brand of humor, you'll probably dig the show, but it's definitely not for everyone.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the series' off-beat brand of humor. Is it smart, sarcastic, or over the top? Why is making fun of something considered funny, and when does mocking go too far? Is Jerri funny or repulsive? Why? Do any of the subjects dealt with in the show come up in teens' own lives? How do they deal with them? Teens may need a brief intro to the history of after school specials.

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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