Common Sense Media Review
By Baldwin Cheng
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Classic 1970s ensemble comedy is witty but gritty.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Taxi
What's the Story?
Set primarily in the garage of a New York City cab company, TAXI is filled with an oddball mix of characters. There's the obnoxious boss, Louie (Danny DeVito), and the wise veteran cab driver, Alex (Judd Hirsch). The other cabbies have dreams of making it in another profession: Bobby (Jeff Conaway) is an actor, Elaine (Marilu Henner) is a receptionist at a swanky art gallery, Tony (Tony Danza) is a struggling boxer, and John (Randall Carver) is a naive newcomer to the city. And then there are the series' two breakout characters: Latka Gravas, the Eastern European mechanic (played by the Andy Kaufman, who invented Latka's gibberish language) and Reverend Jim Ignatowski (Christopher Lloyd), an addled but surprisingly prescient burnout-turned-cabbie. Each of them goes through ups and downs as they chase their dreams, often leading to unexpected and funny predicaments. In the end, the characters lean on one another for help getting through life's challenges.
Is It Any Good?
This series pioneered the mixed-nuts ensemble comedy formula that was later refined in shows like Cheers and Wings. Although many of the series' cutting-edge gags will seem dated to today's kids, the characters' pursuit of their dreams and the strong emotional bonds they forge still ring true. It's not for young viewers, but for teens whose social skills are maturing, Taxi offers lessons in how personal differences can make friendships richer.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how their life is different from the time and place of Taxi.
How do you feel about the way the characters insult each other? What is each character's strength and weakness? What do they learn from each other? Are any of them intended to be role models?
What makes the characters who speak or behave differently (such as Latka and Reverend Jim) funny? Does that translate into real life?
How do the characters on Taxi demonstrate empathy and teamwork? Why are these important character strengths?
TV Details
- Premiere date : September 12, 1978
- Cast : Danny DeVito , Judd Hirsch , Marilu Henner
- Network : ABC
- Genre : Comedy
- Character Strengths : Empathy , Teamwork
- TV rating :
- Awards : Emmy - Emmy Award Winner , Golden Globe - Golden Globe Award Winner
- Last updated : February 15, 2023
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
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