Wonder Showzen

TV review by Betsy Bozdech, Common Sense Media
Wonder Showzen Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 17+

Pitch-black puppet satire; no kids allowed!

MTV2 Comedy 2005
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Parents say

age 14+

Based on 10 reviews

Kids say

age 14+

Based on 23 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this darkly hilarious MTV2 series is absolutely not meant for children. A disclaimer before the show says, among other things, that "If you allow a child to watch this show, you are a bad parent or guardian." It's tongue-in-cheek, but accurate. The main characters look like Sesame Street-style puppets, but instead of education, they deal with sex changes, depression, drug use, politics, casual sex, and more. Other segments include graphic cartoons, a puppet who harasses strangers, and kid "reporters" who conduct confrontational interviews with adults (in one, a child's impersonation of the life of an elderly racetrack regular is "Gamble, gamble, gamble, die"). It's offensive, tasteless, and hysterical -- if you're a grown-up who likes your humor pitch-black.

Community Reviews

danny800
danny800 Adult
April 21, 2019
age 18+

Wonder Showzen is for Adults only

i think Wonder Showzen is a amazing show but its also a very disturbing show with lots of disturbing imagery and also like other shows for Adults goes to far with making fun of stuff like religion there was one episode in season 1 that went way to far with it and while i like some parts from season 1 because of that episode i will not watch it season 2 is a little tamer in making fun of that stuff but still has a few disturbing moments in it once you get past that stuff though the show has some very funny parts like cartoons similair to Sesame street in it and the scenes with the puppets are pretty funny to but its definately not for kids because of the stuff i just mentioned plus it is very vilonte with blood and gore it is very racist has bad role models has lots of swearing like bastard and bitch and has lots of very raunchy Sexual innuendo and well its pretty funny some parts are very disturbing and sometimes Scary but with that being said Wonder Showzen is a amazing show but its also a very disturbing show at times and is for Adults only its bassically Sesame Street for Adults and i dont recommend it for anyone under the age of 18

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
1 person found this helpful.
Whocarespersonified
Whocarespersonified Adult
December 2, 2019
age 14+

Wonder Showzen review

Wonder showzen is something of an anomaly and it’s one of the weirdest shows you’ll watch. The show is geared towards a counter culture audience, while at the same time pretending to be pre-schooler show. Some parts of the show can be down right unfunny like a good amount of the puppet skits, but when the jokes land it can be some of the most interesting and satirical comedy you’ll find anywhere else on TV. Some of the animation and live action bits are also really well done, but what I think the show does best is atmosphere. Wonder showzen feels very surreal. It feels very dark while having the face of something innocent. In some ways it makes you feel like your being brain washed by counter culture philosophy, a terrifying message in a seemingly innocent package. But this in if it’s self is most likely taking a satirical jab at putting western ideals into shows intended for a young audience. Wonder Showzen is not a great show but it’s worth watching just to say you’ve seen it. I wouldn’t recommend letting anyone below 14 watching this.
See all 10 parent reviews

What's the Story?

WONDER SHOWZEN is peopled by fuzzy puppets who look like Sesame Street characters, but these puppets are strictly for adults only. Storylines for Chauncey, Him, Wordsworth, Sthugar, and the gang (many characters are voiced by show creators Vernon Chatman and John Lee) have them engaging in casual hook-ups, hunting down God so they can do battle with him, and trying to stop Mother Nature's sex change. Meanwhile, puppet-on-the street Clarence pesters unsuspecting people mercilessly (\"Will you accept Jesus?\"), cartoon segments feature characters like the expletive-spewing Potty Mouth and a team of hobo \"superheroes,\" educational films mock old black-and-white tutorials, and innocent-looking children answer questions like \"What is heaven?\" with responses like \"I'll never know\" and \"That's where drunk daddies drive to.\" And then there are the \"Beat Kids\" -- a rotating group of kid reporters who try to get a rise out of dazed grown-ups by peppering them with provocative questions.

Is It Any Good?

Wonder Showzen is the kind of series that makes viewers gasp as often as it makes them laugh. Whenever you think the show has gone as far as it can go, Chatman and Lee will dream up something even more audacious -- as they did in the first season's "Patience" episode. After viewers were subjected to an excruciatingly slow first 15 minutes, the entire thing ran backward, only to be followed by another version of the show in super-fast-forward mode.

For adults who appreciate cynical, pitch-black satire, Wonder Showzen is a dream come true. But younger children will be confused and upset by the things coming out of the furry, brightly colored puppets' mouths, and even some older teens may not be able to place the show's humor in the right context. It's absolutely a good idea to preview each episode before sharing it with children of any age -- and if you decide to keep it to yourself, enjoy ... and be sure to delete it from the TiVo when you're done.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what makes this show funny. Can envelope-pushing satire ever accomplish more than typical TV laughs? Does anything in the show shock you, as well as make you laugh? Why? Does mixing edgy content with innocent-looking puppets make it even more subversive? Is it OK for the producers to involve kids in the show? Do you think the kids know what they're saying -- or why it's funny?

TV Details

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