The Gorburger Show
Surreal, monster-hosted chat show brings scattered laughs.
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
The Gorburger Show
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.
Suggest an Update
A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Gorburger Show is a parody of traditional talk shows, hosted by a furry blue alien character voiced by T.J. Miller (Silicon Valley). Real celebrities appear (Andy Dick, Rob Corddry, Tig Notaro). Though the host may appear to be a somewhat cuddly, weird-looking monster, he's portrayed as sleazy and violent. Gorburger is a somewhat ignorant alien, and he grills his human guests on the habits and traditions of earthlings. There are some crass and repetitive sexual references, and someone seems to die in every episode. The sexuality and violence are played for laughs, but parents may or may not find this style of humor appropriate.
Community Reviews
There aren't any reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
Gorburger is a huge blue alien who beams his way onto the set of a zany Japanese variety show, quickly slaughtering the hosts and turning the rest of the cast into his servants on THE GORBURGER SHOW. Having installed himself as the program's de facto host, the troublemaking extraterrestrial goes about interviewing celebrities, announcing various musical guests (including Big Freedia and Danny Brown), and occasionally taking out-of-studio excursions to places like a sex doll factory and a junkyard. The basic format is exactly like a real talk show, just weirder (which is very much on purpose) and with more bloodshed.
Is It Any Good?
This series certainly looks different, with its colorfully cartoonish visuals and, of course, the oversized puppet host -- but the content itself is pretty unremarkable and trying so hard to be "different" that it's painful. Fans of absurdist humor and lowbrow hijinks have seen the talk show parody thing done before -- and to better effect; Eric Andre practically invented the genre, at least for the millennial crowd. Being random for random's sake, putting on a funny voice, and showing puppets behaving badly really isn't anything new these days (see also: Wonder Showzen, Tim and Eric), so if you're going to do it, the material better be up to snuff. Unfortunately, the purposefully awkward chitchat and wannabe wacky segment pieces aim for bizarrely entertaining but miss the mark more often than not, and The Gorburger Show's over-the-top trappings aren't enough to hide the show's lack of comedic spark.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the different guests who appear on The Gorburger Show. Which were your favorites, and who seemed to gel best with the show's unconventional host and format?
How does this show compare to other, more traditional talk shows? How does it parody the format?
TV Details
- Premiere date: April 9, 2017
- Cast: T.J. Miller
- Network: Comedy Central
- Genre: Comedy
- TV rating: TV-14
- Last updated: February 26, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
-
The Colbert Report
Shrewd talk show spoof is edgy but hilarious.
-
The Eric Andre Show
Late-night parody's ribald content brings some laughs.
-
Between Two Ferns
Funny mock interview sketches are full of adult content.
For kids who love comedy
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