Common Sense Media Review
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Hilarious improv comedy has some risque stuff.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Whose Line Is It Anyway?
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 9 parent reviews
Based on 23 kid reviews
Kids say the show is incredibly funny and a favorite among many viewers, but it features crude humor and sexual innuendos that make it unsuitable for younger audiences. Though some kids watch it at an early age and can overlook the inappropriate content, most reviewers suggest it’s better suited for those aged 12 and up, with a parental advisory for younger viewers due to its edgy nature.
- hilarious and funny
- crude humor
- parental advisory
- suitable for older kids
- improvised comedy
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY? is a long-running improv comedy series that originated in Britain before being imported to the U.S. for a makeover and running for eight years with host Drew Carey. The most recent version features Aisha Tyler at the helm. The show features a cast of four comedians who play improv games like "Props," "Scenes From a Hat," "Party Quirks," "Duet," and "Sideways Scene," usually from thematic suggestions from the live studio audience and occasionally involving a few lucky participants. Longtime cast members Ryan Stiles, Colin Mochrie, and Wayne Brady are joined by a rotating line-up of guest performers in the latest version of the series.
Is It Any Good?
Riotously funny and unpredictable at every turn, Whose Line Is It Anyway? continuously sets new standards for comedy. Whether you're watching 20-year-old British episodes or brand-new American ones, the off-the-cuff laughs are guaranteed to amuse. There's no faking the brilliance of these performers, and because the games and set-ups change each episode, there's nothing redundant about the content.
Not surprisingly, though, this kind of entertainment often comes at the cost of some pretty mature subject matter, and the mostly male cast has a lot of fun working in allusions to penis and breast size, sexual orientation, and a host of other topics that will raise some eyebrows, not to mention the implications of games that put the performers in compromising physical positions. Exercise caution with regard to your tweens, but for older teens and other adults, it's hard to beat this laugh-out-loud classic.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the issue of what stretches the boundaries of comedy. When is a joke taken too far? Why is sexual comedy so enticing to the actors -- and the audience?
Is stereotyping a necessary evil in comedy? Where is the line between funny and hurtful, especially when someone is the subject of impersonation?
What accounts for a show's sustainability? Does this series' style have a longer lifespan than the average sitcom does? If so, why? How are the comedians able to keep the jokes so fresh?
TV Details
- Premiere date : August 5, 1998
- Cast : Colin Mochrie , Ryan Stiles , Wayne Brady
- Networks : Freeform , CW
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Arts ( Music and Sing-Along )
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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