The Unicorn

TV review by Joyce Slaton, Common Sense Media
The Unicorn Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 13+

Mild language and innuendo in ensemble dramedy.

CBS Comedy 2019
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Parents say

age 13+

Based on 1 review

Kids say

age 12+

Based on 5 reviews

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  • The Unicorn TV Series: Wade looks hopeless as he sits next to his bed with both his dogs lying on it.
  • The Unicorn TV Series: Forrest and Delia squat down to hide next to an orange car, holding coffee cups.
  • The Unicorn TV Series: Natalie and Grace, each with a dog on a leash, tug Wade down the sidewalk.

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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 Unicorn is an ensemble comedy about a middle-aged man who starts dating again after losing his wife, with the support (or sometimes interference) of his group of friends and two daughters. Mature moments mostly arrive in the form of jokes, like scenes in which characters talk about "getting high," a teen girl who "let a boy touch her boob," a woman who texts a man to get in touch if he wants to "bone." Characters frequently drink -- they have beers or glasses of wine at practically every gathering -- but no one acts drunk. Romance is central to the series, and we see a lot of dates. Language is infrequent: "damn," "ass," "hell." Family members and friends are sweetly supportive and caring but some are more thoughtfully characterized than others. They do show perseverance and teamwork in solving problems, though.

Community Reviews

Ron T.
Ron T. Adult
November 12, 2020
age 13+

A show with traditional values, good people.

I was surprised to see a 3 star rating, then saw the users rated it 4.5 stars, but the “expert” rated it 3. Show 2 different ratings, not just the expert. I am 64. I was a strict parent. My wife and I dedicated our lives to our children, and now our grandchildren. I dislike most entertainment because most of it ridicules people like us, and most of the shows have a leftist agenda. This show is funny, all the characters are realistic, and are dedicated parents. Yes there is a lot of talk about sex and drinking. The main character is a widower with two daughters. He starts dating and has some casual sex. But he stops it because he is a good person and can’t have sex without caring. Watch with your kids and discuss this. I binge watched the show in one day. Check it out on Netflix.
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

When Wade Felton (Walton Goggins) decides he might be ready to date again a year after his wife died and haltingly joins a dating app, he soon discovers he's a considered THE UNICORN: as a responsible devoted widower, women find him quite the catch. And so with encouragement from his best friends Forrest (Rob Corddry), Michelle (Maya Lynne Robinson), Ben (Omar Benson Miller), and Delia (Michaela Watkins) -- and the somewhat more grudging support from his teen/tween daughters Grace (Ruby Jay) and Natalie (Makenzie Moss) -- Wade heads out into the dating world, ready for whatever he finds there. Or so he thinks.

Is It Any Good?

It's not this sitcom is bad, exactly -- it's not without its charms -- as much as it feels cobbled together from the guts of other shows. It has a group of adults that spend suspiciously large amounts of non-work time together a la Friends. It has sweet soft-focus scenes of a family enjoying time together set to gauzy musical cues like you might see on Freaks and Geeks or Modern Family. And it has a parade of glossy women improbably throwing themselves at a man in a manner similar to shows like Seinfeld and Two and a Half Men.

Thankfully, it also has Goggins playing sweet -- not toothily bitter as you may have last seen him on Vice Principals -- and the offbeat line readings of Watkins and Corddry. This is a particular treat when the lines are choice, as they frequently are. In the show's pilot episode, when Watkins' Delia finds Grace, Natalie, and Wade subsisting off frozen food from the dishes neighbors brought by after Mrs. Felton's death, she quips "This is the Disney Channel version of Grey Gardens." However, other moments are painfully sitcommy, like when Wade's first romance-app date cuts it short after he refuses an offer to head back to her house but leaves the door open for later, inquiring what type of car he drives. The Unicorn could have used one more edit, but if the premise or cast appeals, it's worth a look.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how The Unicorn compares to other family-centered shows. Does the content seem more or less realistic than others? How are they different from other sitcom families?

  • How does the media portray relationships in general? Is it ever appropriate to use stereotypes as a way of portraying them? Why do you think topics such as death, divorce, sex, and dating are dealt with so frequently on TV shows and in movies?

  • How do the characters in The Unicorn demonstrate teamwork and perseverance? Why are these important character strengths?

TV Details

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