If you’re hoping for the warm, fuzzy "Ew, David" vibes of a Rose family hug, you might want to brace yourself, because Dan Levy’s new Netflix series Big Mistakes is less of a "warm bath" and more of a "stumbling into a crime scene" kind of comedy. It’s rated TV-MA, and it earns that rating with a plot involving grave robbing, organized crime, and some very dark sibling bickering that makes David and Alexis look like the Brady Bunch.
TL;DR: Big Mistakes is a sharp, dark, and often stressful crime comedy that follows adult siblings who accidentally become henchmen for the mob. While the humor is top-tier (thanks to Laurie Metcalf and Dan Levy), the TV-MA content—including murder, drug money collection, and some intense "cringe" moments—makes it a better fit for parents or older teens (16+) rather than a family night with the tweens. Think Only Murders in the Building but with the grit of Fargo.
Released on Netflix on April 9, 2026, the show stars Dan Levy as Nicky, a gay community pastor in New Jersey, and Taylor Ortega as his sister Morgan, a struggling school teacher. The "mistake" in question happens when they try to steal a pearl necklace for their dying grandmother, only to realize they’ve stolen from a local crime syndicate.
Suddenly, the pastor and the teacher are being blackmailed into doing "favors" for the mob—like renting apartments for sex stings or digging up corpses—all while their overbearing mother (played by the legendary Laurie Metcalf) is running for mayor. It’s a high-stakes mess where the comedy comes from how spectacularly unequipped these people are for a life of crime.
We’ve all been waiting for Dan Levy’s next big TV swing since Schitt's Creek ended. But here’s the thing: Big Mistakes isn’t trying to be the next "nice" show. It’s leaning into the chaotic, selfish, and sometimes genuinely dangerous side of family dynamics.
For intentional parents, this is a "check the room" show. If your kids are used to the cozy, optimistic growth of the Rose family, they might find the cynicism here a bit jarring. However, if you have older teens who have already binged Ozark or Weeds, this is going to be their new favorite obsession.
Screenwise gives Big Mistakes a WISE Score of 62/100 for family viewing—it’s high-quality art, but the "suitability" for younger kids is low.
The "Cringe" Factor
The show thrives on social discomfort. Nicky is hiding a secret boyfriend from his congregation; Morgan is stuck in a boring engagement with a guy whose mom (played by Elizabeth Perkins) turns out to be a mob boss. The tension is thick, and for kids who are sensitive to "second-hand embarrassment," some scenes are genuinely hard to watch.
Violence and Crime
Unlike the low-stakes drama of a small town, people actually die in this show. The season finale involves a "bloody massacre" (yes, really) that shifts the tone from a caper to a legitimate thriller. There’s also a scene involving literal grave robbing—Nicky trying to get the stolen necklace off his dead grandmother’s neck before the casket is closed—which is hilarious in a dark way, but definitely macabre.
Language and Adult Themes
Expect a healthy dose of F-bombs and adult situations. There are plot points involving infidelity, gambling addictions (used as a cover story), and the general moral compromises that come with working for a cartel.
If Big Mistakes feels a bit too "heavy" for your Tuesday night, we usually recommend pivoting to something with lower stakes. If you want that Dan Levy fix without the organized crime, his movie Good Grief is a beautiful (if sad) alternative.
Or, if the kids are begging for a "family game night" instead of a show, skip the screen entirely and grab Catan or Exploding Kittens. If they must have a screen, something like Stardew Valley is the ultimate "anti-stress" antidote to a show about being blackmailed by the mob.
If you do watch this with your older teens, it actually opens up some pretty interesting doors for conversation:
- The Sunk Cost Fallacy: Nicky and Morgan keep making "bigger mistakes" to cover up the small ones. It’s a great way to talk about when to just come clean before a situation spirals.
- Moral Ambiguity: Nicky is a pastor, but he’s lying to his community and digging up graves. Is he a "bad" person, or just a person in a bad spot?
- Sibling Dynamics: The bickering between Levy and Ortega is incredibly realistic. It’s a good jumping-off point to talk about how siblings often "regress" into childhood roles when they’re stressed out together.
Q: Is 'Big Mistakes' okay for a 12-year-old? Probably not. While every 12-year-old is different, the TV-MA rating is there for a reason—the show features murder, grave robbing, and heavy profanity. If they handled Schitt's Creek fine, they might like the humor, but the crime elements are much closer to Ozark.
Q: Is Dan Levy's new show as funny as Schitt's Creek? It’s a different kind of funny. Schitt's Creek was a "warm hug" comedy; Big Mistakes is a "panic attack" comedy. It’s witty and sharp, but the humor comes from stress and terrible decisions rather than personal growth.
Q: What are the content warnings for 'Big Mistakes'? The big ones are: profanity (frequent), violence (including a shooting/massacre in the finale), macabre themes (grave robbing), and adult situations (implied sex, infidelity, and drug money references).
Q: Does Dan Levy play a character like David Rose? Nicky has some of David’s neuroses and fashion sense (he looks like an "Instagram-friendly Seinfeld"), but he’s more repressed and dutiful. He’s a pastor trying to be "good" while everything around him goes horribly wrong.
Big Mistakes is a brilliant, 95%-on-Rotten-Tomatoes hit that proves Dan Levy isn't a one-hit-wonder. But as a parent, don't let the "creator of Schitt's Creek" label fool you into thinking this is wholesome family fare. It’s a dark, twisty, and often violent ride.
If you’re watching with anyone under 15, maybe do a solo "pilot test" first to see if your kid can handle the shift from bickering to bloodshed.
Ask our chatbot about other age-appropriate comedies for your family