My seven year old nephew LOVES Doctor Who (the NuWhoverse, specifically) and has a special fondness for the Dalek and Cybermen episodes (what self-respecting child wouldn’t like evil killer robots/cyborgs?), he also likes the “sillier” Monty Python sketches (anything with Gumbies, exploding animals/orchestras, the Spam sketch, Dead Parrot, The Whizzo Chocolate Company sketch, Argument Clinic, The Ministry of Silly Walks, and other sketches
He’s a smart kid, I think he’d really like the bitter, cynical wit of Edmund Blackadder (series 2-4), and I’m sure he’d also enjoy the absurdities of Red Dwarf, he’d like the mindless violence of The Young Ones, I’m sure, especially Vyvian’s random violence, but TYO is definitely too “adult” for him now…
some of the eps of Blackadder and Red Dwarf may also have a bit of “mature” content in them, but they’re taken in a far more humorous vein
I’m sure I can pick and choose acceptable episodes, but I’m not sure if seven is a tad young to watch the entire run of Edmund and co. or the “Boyz from the Dwarf”
What age would you think these series would be appropriate for, what was the target age group over in Britain when they were originally broadcast?
I don’t have kids and I don’t know your nephew, but I’d feel that at least ten or eleven would be a better age. Both shows seem rather racy for a seven year old to me, but it’s up to your family what they think is appropriate for him. “Mature content” aside, I think there are too many jokes in both Red Dwarf and Blackadder that require a greater understanding of pop culture and historic references than a seven year old is likely to possess. The shows aren’t going to be much fun if many of the jokes mean nothing to him.
I was a reasonably sophisticated kid, but I wouldn’t have understood that humour until the age where I first started watching them, which was early teens (10-13). For example, I didn’t see the appeal of Fawlty Towers when I first saw it in the 70s, when I was under ten, but I did start listening to the Goon Show from age 11, and that led to The Young Ones, Blackadder, and beyond.
So I’d say there’s not much there for a kid to understand until at least ten years old or so.
Ooh, I’ll tell you what I did like at age seven, and that was Morecambe and Wise. That has elements of silliness and surrealism he might get. Maybe. Though some of it is rather dated and sexist, and very very British.
My nephew loved Blackadder 2 at that age- the Baldrick insults, rude vegetables, comedy breasts, the Virgin Queen shitfaced, Nursie-cow, Prince Ludvig the Indestwuctable- they don’t have to grok the Shakespeare references to enjoy it. It’s rude! 4 is probably too dark, but Blackadder 1, if he doesn’t get grossed out by King Richard’s head coming off, that could tickle him too.
Maybe skip over ‘Money’, otherwise you’ll be explaining what a ‘rent boy’ is
Red Dwarf has been on my now 8 year olds high-rotation viewing schedule for a couple of years – big fan. It’s been on so many times that I’m a bit sick of it – and I bought the DVDs.
Blackadder not yet – although all the series are there he’s shown little interest in them so far.
