Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Smart NPR-liberal spoof has cursing, pot smoking.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
In the Know
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
IN THE KNOW is comedy series featuring a stop-motion animated public radio personality conducting in-depth interviews with notable real-life people. Lauren Caspian (Zach Woods) is the liberal, intellectual, and self-absorbed host of In the Know, a (fictional) National Public Radio (NPR) show produced with the help of his co-executive producer Barb (J. Smith-Cameron), sound engineer Carl (Carl Tart), "woke" researcher and fact-checker Fabian (Caitlin Reilly) and their assistant, a Florida college fraternity intern named Chase (Charlie Bushnell). Sandy (Mike Judge) is the show's cultural critic. But being surrounded by a great team doesn't keep Lauren from navigating his job as though he's the center of the universe, even when he's talking to the likes of of Queer Eye's Jonathan van Ness, British actor Hugh Laurie, or comedian Nicole Byer. Nonetheless, they're all committed to producing the kind of interesting and intelligent streaming series that lives up to NPR standards.
Is It Any Good?
The parody of the National Public Radio universe offers blunt but compassionate commentary on the everyday hypocrisy of well-intentioned people who self-define as liberals. The interactions between the ensemble cast of stop-motion animated puppets poke lots of fun at the cultural nuances of the public radio staff and community. But the conversations with the live guests, which range from the likes of documentarian Ken Burns to MMA fighter Jorge Masvidal, also create moments that invite viewers to think a bit more critically about the points being made, even within a humorous context. There's a lot of subtleties here, and those unfamiliar with NPR may not immediately appreciate it, but In the Know is an entertaining option for those looking for a smart, thoughtful comedy that manages to lampoon with good intentions.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about using media parodies as a way of offering social commentary. When do parodies go from being funny to being unkind or offensive?
Does the cast of In the Know remind you of real people who work for NPR? If so, who? Is this on purpose?
TV Details
- Premiere date: January 25, 2024
- Cast: Zach Woods , Mike Judge , J. Smith-Cameron
- Network: Peacock
- Genre: Comedy
- TV rating: TV-MA
- Last updated: March 3, 2024
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