Parents' Guide to Trailer Park Boys

TV Online Comedy 2009
Trailer Park Boys Poster Image

Common Sense Media Review

Kari Croop By Kari Croop , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 18+

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

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 18+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 14+

Based on 7 parent reviews

age 14+

Based on 19 kid reviews

Kids say the show is both hilarious and vulgar, featuring frequent swearing, drug use, and some nudity that makes it unsuitable for younger audiences. While some reviews highlight its charm and character depth, many emphasize that the explicit content may not sit well with all viewers, and the humor often grows on you with time.

  • funny humor
  • excessive swearing
  • not for kids
  • character depth
  • grows on you
Summarized with AI

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 ( 19 ):

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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