Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Outstanding dark satire has violence, cursing, drugs.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Vince Staples Show
What's the Story?
An expansion of the 2019 streaming series Staples, THE VINCE STAPLES SHOW is a dark satire about what happens when a semi-famous rapper with a criminal history returns home thinking he's a changed man. Vince Staples has achieved some commercial success as a music artist, and has now returned home to Long Beach, California (a.k.a. The Beach). His goal is to stay out of trouble and have a quiet life with his girlfriend Deja (Andrea Ellsworth), who works as a nurse during the day, and is waiting for him when he gets home. But Staples' past always seems to collide with his present, and during the day he finds himself having to deal with racist police officers who love his music, old neighborhood friends who are now bank thieves, and old enemies who still want to settle a score. Vince also has to deal with his loving-but-prickly mom Anita (Vanessa Bell Calloway) and his extended family's drama. But all he wants is to live his life in peace.
Is It Any Good?
The well-written, well-produced dark satire features actor, singer, and comedian Vince Staples playing a fictional version of himself trying to live an untroubled life in his old neighborhood. Each episode is a standalone story that offers strong social commentary about racism, violence, and the systemic incarceration of Black men, but does so by creating a surreal world in which normally nondescript daily events lead to some weird, and usually over-the-top incidents that Vince happens to get caught up in. These narrative twists create lots of funny moments, especially since Staples remains deadpan throughout most of it.
Adding to the mix are scene-stealing celebs like Bryan Greenberg and Myles Bullock. Granted, there are some somber moments, and The Vince Staples Show doesn't give viewers the chance to get to know the characters with any real depth in five short episodes (which range from 18 to 26 minutes). But this is part of its offbeat nature, and overall it's a disturbingly brilliant and bingeable series.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about celebrities who play fictional versions of themselves on television. How much of what they portray is based on their real life experiences? At what point does the content go from being fictional to autobiographical?
What makes The Vince Staples Show a satire? Does the way it addresses issues like racism and violence take away from the seriousness of these issues? Why or why not?
TV Details
- Premiere date : February 15, 2024
- Cast : Vince Staples , Andrea Ellsworth , Vanessa Bell Calloway
- Network : Netflix
- Genre : Comedy
- TV rating :
- Award : NAACP Image Award - NAACP Image Award Nominee
- Last updated : January 15, 2025
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