The Comedy Store – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

The Comedy Store

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

show2020

52%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Behind-the-scenes look at the legendary LA comedy club—profanity-laden, drug-fueled, and fascinating for adults who love stand-up history.

80%

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The Comedy Store

show

TV-MA, 2020

52%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Behind-the-scenes look at the legendary LA comedy club—profanity-laden, drug-fueled, and fascinating for adults who love stand-up history.

80%

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Screenwise Verdict

Look, this is a well-made documentary about comedy history, but let's be clear: it's for adults. If you're a parent of teens and they're obsessed with stand-up or thinking about entertainment careers, this could be valuable viewing together at 16+—but you'll need to be ready for constant profanity and lots of drug-use stories from the cocaine-fueled 70s and 80s.

For adults who love comedy? It's genuinely great. The archival footage is incredible, the interviews are candid, and it's a fascinating look at how American comedy evolved. The 8.2 IMDb rating isn't lying.

But for the Screenwise audience of parents looking for family content? This isn't it. It's niche, it's adult, and most kids would find it boring anyway. If you've got a 17-year-old who worships Bo Burnham and wants to understand the history of the craft, queue it up. Otherwise, skip it.

Age Fit

This is firmly adult content, appropriate for ages 16+ (per Common Sense Media) but realistically best for older teens and adults who are genuinely interested in comedy history or entertainment careers. Younger viewers will be bored; the appeal is narrow and specific.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Documentary about a legendary comedy club features extensive profanity, drug use stories, and the chaotic lifestyle of stand-up comedians in the 70s-90s. While it celebrates creativity and perseverance, the subject matter involves heavy substance abuse, toxic relationships, and the darker side of comedy culture. Not emotionally healthy content for younger viewers.

Imaginative

Strong showcase of creative process behind comedy, the evolution of stand-up as an art form, and how comedians developed their unique voices. Offers insight into improvisation, risk-taking, and artistic innovation. However, it's observational rather than participatory—viewers watch creativity rather than being invited to create.

Safe

Common Sense Media rates this 16+. Extensive adult language, detailed stories about drug abuse (cocaine era of the 70s-80s), sexual content, and emotionally intense moments including discussions of comedian deaths and personal tragedies. Not remotely appropriate for children or young teens. Adult-oriented documentary with mature themes throughout.

Enriching

Genuinely enriching for adults and older teens interested in comedy, entertainment history, or creative careers. Offers deep insight into artistic development, perseverance through failure, the business of entertainment, and cultural history. Features interviews with comedy legends and archival footage. High entertainment value with substantial educational merit about American comedy evolution.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Incredible archival footage and interviews with comedy legends (think Richard Pryor, Robin Williams, David Letterman era)
Real insight into the creative process, failure, perseverance, and what it takes to make it in entertainment
Genuinely entertaining and well-made documentary with strong critical reception (8.2 IMDb, 80% RT)
Cultural history lesson about American comedy from the 1970s through today
For teens seriously interested in comedy or performance, offers authentic look at the craft (with all its messy reality)

⚠

What to Watch For

Constant profanity—this is a documentary about comedians, so expect f-bombs in nearly every scene
Extensive discussion of cocaine use, alcoholism, and substance abuse culture of 70s-80s comedy scene
Some emotional intensity around comedian deaths and personal tragedies
Not for kids, period—this is adult content about adult lives and careers

Conversation Starters

"What do you think it takes to be successful in a creative field where you fail publicly over and over?"
"How did comedy change from the 70s to now? What makes something funny in different eras?"
"The doc shows a lot of destructive behavior—why do you think so many comedians struggled with addiction?"
"Would you want to pursue a career where success is this uncertain and the lifestyle is this chaotic?"

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