Is 'That's a Bad Idea' suitable for 11 or 12-year-olds?

Generally no. While some sketches seem like harmless goofy comedy, many videos pivot abruptly into psychological horror, intense situations, and coarse language that can easily disturb younger kids.

What kind of horror content is on this channel?

They make psychological horror-comedy and thrillers. This includes jump scares, dark situational humor, ominous tension, and occasional graphic or violent themes in their longer features like Milk & Serial.

How do I stop YouTube Shorts from recommending channels like this to my kid?

You can tap the three dots on any short in the feed and select 'Don't recommend channel.' On supervised Google accounts, you can also restrict YouTube access to limited content tiers.

Why is this channel so popular among teens?

The creators use ultra-fast editing, highly relatable social awkwardness, and unexpected plot twists that perform extremely well on short-form feeds like YouTube Shorts and TikTok.

That's a Bad Idea – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

That's a Bad Idea

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

YouTube2016popcorn, culture

42%

WISE Score

1.6M

Subscribers

Two sketch comedians who turn relatable, awkward everyday moments into escalating chaos and full-blown indie horror.

That's a Bad Idea

YouTube

2016, popcorn, culture

42%

WISE Score

1.6M

Subscribers

Two sketch comedians who turn relatable, awkward everyday moments into escalating chaos and full-blown indie horror.

Jump to

Also rated on

1.6M

Screenwise Verdict

Curry Barker and Cooper Tomlinson run a wildly popular sketch channel that takes mundane human interactions and turns them into chaotic fever dreams. The writing is tight and genuinely funny if you like dark humor, but it isn't content for young kids.

What starts as a quick 30-second sketch on YouTube Shorts frequently veers into psychological horror, complete with intense visual themes and dark turns. Keep it off the screen for elementary schoolers, but for older teens who know what they're getting into, it's sharp indie sketch comedy.

Age Fit

Best for high schoolers (15+) who enjoy dark sketch comedy and indie horror. The sudden shifts into scary territory and mature situational humor make it a bad fit for middle schoolers or younger kids.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Relies heavily on awkwardness, dark humor, escalation into chaos, and edgy interpersonal conflicts. Not intended to model kindness or emotional health.

Imaginative

Strong creative escalation that turns mundane, relatable situations into wild fever dreams and indie horror concepts.

Safe

Unrated sketches frequently pivot without warning into horror, psychological intensity, jump scares, mild gore, and coarse language.

Enriching

Pure popcorn entertainment for dark comedy fans. Offers little educational value outside of observing DIY indie sketch production.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Clever comedic timing that turns tiny, relatable social awkwardness into chaos in under 60 seconds.
Impressive creative range, transitioning short YouTube sketches into full indie horror-comedy projects like Milk & Serial.
DIY filmmaking inspiration for teens interested in sketch writing, editing, and low-budget video production.

⚠

What to Watch For

Sudden horror pivots where a seemingly normal comedy short suddenly shifts into psychological terror, blood, or jump scares.
Coarse language and adult humor sprinkled casually throughout video descriptions and dialogue.
The YouTube Shorts algorithm rabbit hole, which easily pushes viewers toward darker or unvetted content.

Conversation Starters

"Why do you think everyday awkwardness works so well as a setup for horror?"
"What is the difference between a prank or sketch that is genuinely funny and one that gets too mean?"
"How do creators like Curry and Coop use fast editing to make a tiny budget look high quality?"

Deep Dive

The short-form to horror pipeline

What started as quick, awkward-encounter sketches between two friends has turned into one of YouTube's most interesting DIY horror pipelines. Curry Barker and Cooper Tomlinson built their channel on recognizable tropes—the weird roommate, the bad listener, the misunderstandings—and turned the dial until the premise snapped.

In recent years, that escalation took a explicit turn toward horror, culminating in self-funded projects like Milk & Serial. That crossover is the main thing for parents to know: what looks like a harmless 30-second comedy clip on YouTube Shorts can easily be a gateway into psychological thrillers.

How to handle it at home

You don't need to lock this down for a 16-year-old who already loves dark humor, but younger kids shouldn't stumble into these sketches unassisted. If your teen is interested in screenwriting, video editing, or YouTube production, That's a Bad Idea offers a solid case study in how two creators built a massive audience through tight pacing and relentless consistency.

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that's a bad idea

@thats_a_bad_idea

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Views

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