The Jack and Triumph Show
Sitcom format doesn't suit sharp-tongued dog's comedy.
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The Jack and Triumph Show
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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 need to know that The Jack and Triumph Show is an Adult Swim sitcom centered on Triumph the Insult Comic Dog of Conan O'Brien fame. The show exists mostly as a forum for Triumph's patented mockery, aimed most harshly at a rotating cast of celebrities such as Hulk Hogan and Joey Fatone. There's a lot of strong language here: "A--hole," "s--t," and "bitch" are frequent flyers, and only "f--k" is edited. The show also relies on ribald sexual references, so you'll hear about balls, sex toys, necrophilia, oral sex (referred to as "blowing"), and happy endings, plus body parts such as testicles and vaginas. Drinking, smoking (Triumph is rarely without his cigar), and doing drugs are part of the gag, too.
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What's the Story?
THE JACK AND TRIUMPH SHOW stars Triumph the Insult Comic Dog (voiced by Robert Smigel) as the constant companion of former child star Jack (Jack McBrayer), years after the two starred in a Lassie-inspired drama called Triumph's Boy. After the show ended, Jack fell victim to Hollywood temptations such as drugs and alcohol, and his parents squandered his earnings, so he's taken in by his TV mom, June (June Squibb), who introduces him to a normal life. Unbeknownst to Jack, she dumps Triumph on the side of a road half a continent away to get the insult-hurling sidekick out of Jack's life, but 15 years later, he shows up on their doorstep again, determined to get Jack back into show business.
Is It Any Good?
Triumph was a hit on Conan O'Brien's late-night shows, raking in the laughs with Smigel's mocking diatribe on anyone and everyone in the roaming canine's path. Smigel's ad-lib style is no less sharp or scathing in this show, but the sitcom format really constricts how much of it he can do since most of the show is scripted. The result is an awkward blend of Jack's wide-eyed innocence, Triumph's manipulative schemes, and a parade of mostly B-list celebrities who often serve as targets for the dog's insults.
Strong language and ubiquitous sexual references ensure this isn't something you want your tweens watching, but mature teens might enjoy Triumph's roast-style digs at his victims. If yours do watch, then use the opening to talk about bullying issues, since Triumph's mannerisms would garner entirely different responses in the real world than they do on TV.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about this show's comedy. Do your teens think Triumph's style is funny? Why would a celebrity agree to be part of this kind of project? Do you think any celebrities regret putting a target on themselves like this?
Is this sitcom a good fit for this brand of humor? Are Triumph's costars compelling? What might have been done differently to make the show more watchable?
Is bullying an issue your teens see or hear about among their peers? What would the response be to someone saying the kinds of things Triumph does to a classmate? Why is bullying so closely monitored these days?
TV Details
- Premiere date: February 20, 2015
- Cast: Jack McBrayer, June Squibb, Robert Smigel
- Network: Cartoon Network
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Cats, Dogs, and Mice
- TV rating: TV-14
- Last updated: October 14, 2022
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