Parents' Guide to

The Wrong Mans

By Kari Croop, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Average Joes get pulled into violence, accidental espionge.

TV Hulu Comedy 2013
The Wrong Mans Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

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age 17+

Based on 1 parent review

Hmcknigh
Hmcknigh Adult
January 28, 2016
age 17+

Brilliant comedy, not for kids

'The Wrong Mans' is a superbly written espionage-comedy with a stellar cast, and brilliant story line. However, amidst this intricately woven plot lies very strong language (one episode has the duo pretending to be racists to get out of a sticky situation, some racial slurs do ensue), and intense sequences of violence. On the whole, sex is less of a focus here than in most modern programs (BBC or otherwise), however innuendo is a strong theme throughout the series (*spoiler alert* one scene included a male watching pornography, whose mother later comments that "all the girls in those videos were abused"). Additionally, in the episode "Inside Mans", *spoiler alert* one of the guys becomes the sexual target of an elderly Russian man, whose entire idea of sex has a perverse flavor (we see many of his twisted artwork on the walls of his house during an 'orgy-themed' party). This sub-plot becomes a recurring theme throughout the episode, as well as the following episode. However, the the sexual content throughout the series is limited to this episode, as the following episodes (with the exception of 'Wanted Mans') have almost no sexual content whatsoever. Young children more than likely won't be able to appreciate the witty dialogue, and curious teens should be careful (or skip altogether) the episodes containing the aforementioned sexuality.

This title has:

Too much swearing
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

When mild-mannered British county council worker Sam Pinkett (Mathew Baynton) answers a chilling call from a mobile phone he finds just steps away from the site of a car crash, he's unwittingly pulled into a world of deadly, high-stakes espionage that won't take "No, thank you" for an answer. But help arrives in the form of movie-quoting mail clerk Phil Bourne (James Corden), who signs himself up as Sam's sidekick and vows to "roll deep," no matter what. Although neither suspects what they're ultimately in for, together they're THE WRONG MANS for the job.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (3):

Although it's airing in the United States exclusively on Hulu, The Wrong Mans previously reached British audiences via the BBC, where Baynton/Corden's winning partnership as a mismatched pair of buddy spies drew apt comparisons to Simon Pegg/Nick Frost pairings in big-screen comedies such as Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. And that might be why we like them so much here -- their chemistry feels chummy and familiar.

Either way, their hijinks are hilarious. And, although it's true that The Wrong Mans' comedic subtleties might not appeal to a wide swath of Americans, those looking for a fresh take on TV will appreciate the series' genre-bending break from tradition because it also delivers in the action department, from eye-popping visuals to effective cliffhangers that will keep you watching multiple episodes in succession.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about The Wrong Mans' mix of action and comedy. Does it favor one genre more than another? How does the show's comedic tone play against the relative realism of its violence?

  • How believable is The Wrong Mans' world? Does the show paint the world as a more dangerous place than it actually is?

  • How does the fact that The Wrong Mans airs in the United States exclusively on Hulu affect its audience? How might the series fare on network television or pay cable?

TV Details

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