Parents' Guide to

Trailer Park Boys

By Kari Croop, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 18+

In cult comedy, guys sell pot, make poor choices.

TV Online Comedy 2009
Trailer Park Boys Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

  • Trailer Park Boys TV Show: Scene #1
  • Trailer Park Boys TV Show: Scene #2
  • Trailer Park Boys TV Show: Scene #3

Community Reviews

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age 14+

Based on 7 parent reviews

Zailee W.
Zailee W. Adult
March 25, 2023
age 18+

Not for kids but a great show

Very low brow with horrible influences But if you can see past the “they’re someone cool” you’ll laugh your ass off It’s just three dumb criminals trying to make it in a trailer park There isn’t really anyone to look up to bc everyone just does petty crime to felony’s in the funniest ways From growing weed To a veterinarian who lives in the woods And a drunk park supervisor Anything adult you can think of is in here The make a stellar show but not for anyone under the age of 18 although they would love the show You need more than a base level of maturity for this show to understand tue humane and enjoy it Any kid that sees it may be influenced by people they shouldn’t If you can understand and accept they make bad descions for laughs you’ll probably be ok Be ready for plenty of drugs, sex, and gun and fist fight violence never gory A great show of friendship and illegal activities

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
Billybob12345678
Billybob12345678 Adult
February 10, 2020
age 10+

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
See all 7 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Julian (John Paul Tremblay) and Ricky (Robb Wells) are TRAILER PARK BOYS, longtime friends who can't seem to escape the cycle of crime that keeps them stuck in the Sunnyvale Trailer Park. And, although they're constantly trying to figure out their lives, their string of shady business deals -- from bootlegging to drug-pushing -- always leads them back to the same place: home. Other residents include Bubbles (Mike Smith), a bespectacled loner who repairs shopping carts for a living, and trailer park supervisor Jim Lahey (John Dunsworth), a former police officer who's the boys' biggest nemesis.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (7 ):
Kids say (16 ):

Inspired by creator Mike Clattenburg's 1999 film of the same name, Trailer Park Boys is a cult comedy that originally aired on Canadian television and, in later seasons, found its way to streaming providers. It's an acquired taste for sure, but the show's success attracted Canadian stars such as Elliot Page, Sebastian Bach of Skid Row, and Alex Lifeson of Rush and at one point even saw the show's central trio sharing a stage -- in character, of course -- with Guns N' Roses.

Older teens might well be drawn to the show's outlandish plot lines and quirky characters, particularly Bubbles, who proved to be the breakout star. (Also, the ability to stream the series will make binging awfully tempting.) But parents should be aware that, if their kids watch, they'll be cheering on two serial mess-ups who make terrible role models.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Trailer Park Boys' use of stereotypes. When does a caricature go from being funny to being offensive? Where do you draw the line?

  • What are the risks of using crime, drug use, and socioeconomic stereotypes as a punch line? Does poking fun at people who make iffy choices downplay the consequences of their behavior?

  • How does Trailer Park Boys compare with other mockumentaries? What does it do differently, and does it work?

TV Details

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