The Detour
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What parents need to know
Parents needs to know that The Detour is an edgy comedy made for adults, even though the premise of a family road trip makes it seem like it might be OK for kids. You'll hear strong, unbleeped language (including "s--t" in several forms) and see story lines that involve drug use (including marijuana that's both smoked and ingested) and some sexy stuff (including implied intercourse and sex acts such as hand jobs), though sensitive parts are blurred out. There's also some comedic violence (a car crashes into a ditch, a man fires a flare gun into the air) but no blood.
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User Reviews
- Parents say
- Kids say
Take a detour from "Detour" and pick something worthwhile
I'd be sad if you haven't seen this!
What's the story?
The original plan was to fly from New York to Florida for an unforgettable family getaway. But THE DETOUR finds Nate (Jason Jones) and his family -- wife Robin (Natalie Zea), daughter Delilah (Ashley Gerasimovich), and son Jared (Liam Carroll) -- going the distance in a dilapidated minivan dubbed "Blue Thunder." As they limp along their 1,300-mile journey, they find themselves in increasingly ridiculous situations, each one more inconceivable than the next.
Is it any good?
The family-vacation plot has been done before, both in classic (National Lampoon’s Vacation) and forgettable (RV) fashion; thankfully, this series makes it feel fresh. In fact, with creative storytelling, edgy humor, and great performances, it almost plays like a big-screen comedy, but one that's delivered in measured doses to keep us coming back for more.
The Detour was created by husband-and-wife team Jason Jones and Samantha Bee, who claim their own real-life family-vacation experiences inspired some of the story. (And to that, we fire back: "WHICH PARTS?") Adults who like quirky humor will definitely get the laughs they came for. But given the strong language, comedic drug use, and on-screen sex jokes (including a faraway visual of a grandmother giving her elderly husband a hand job), it's iffy for older teens at best.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about The Detour's portrayal of family dynamics, particularly when it comes to traveling. Do Nate, Robin, and their kids work well as a team? How well do they get along, and to what degree do their problems reflect real life?
How does The Detour compare to other basic-cable comedies in terms of language and sexual content? Is it OK for older teens, or is it better left to adults? Who's the target audience, and how can you tell?
Which structural tools are The Detour's writers using to keep the action -- and viewer interest -- going over multiple episodes? Would the premise and characters work equally well on the big screen?
TV details
- Premiere date: April 11, 2016
- Cast: Jason Jones, Natalie Zea, Daniella Pineda
- Network: TBS
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Brothers and Sisters, Misfits and Underdogs
- TV rating: TV-MA
- Available on: Streaming
- Last updated: March 13, 2020
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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.
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