WISE Score
Comedians get a prosthetic-heavy makeover and have to improvise a whole life story—it's basically high-stakes dress-up for the funniest people alive.
Very Important People is one of the best things to happen to comedy in years. It takes the 'celebrity interview' format and breaks it in the best way possible.
If your kid is into theater, improv, or just weird internet humor, this is a goldmine. Just be aware that it lives on Dropout, so it doesn't have the 'Disney' filter. It's raw, it's foul-mouthed, and it's incredibly clever.
It’s the kind of show that makes you want to be more creative, even if you’re just watching it from your couch.
Best for 14 and up. It’s smart, fast-paced, and funny, but the 'adult' label isn't just for show—the humor and language are definitely aimed at a more mature audience.
The show is built on 'yes-and' energy and genuine comedic collaboration. While the characters can be degenerate or bizarre, the underlying vibe is a celebration of performance and supporting your scene partner.
It's a masterclass in spontaneous world-building. Watching a comedian see their prosthetic-covered face for the first time and immediately invent a tragic backstory or a niche hobby is pure creative magic.
It's on Dropout, which means f-bombs and adult innuendo are the baseline. It’s not 'dangerous,' but it’s definitely not for the elementary school crowd unless you want them learning very specific types of colorful language.
Beyond the laughs, it’s a study in active listening and empathy. You're watching elite-level communicators spin gold out of thin air, which is a massive brain-flex for anyone interested in theater or social dynamics.
The magic of this show starts with a mirror. A guest comedian spends hours in a makeup chair getting a top-tier prosthetic transformation. They might come out looking like a bug-eyed billionaire, a sentient puppet, or a disgraced pageant queen. The catch? They don’t see the final look until the cameras are rolling. From that second on, they have to invent an entire life, voice, and backstory to match the face they’re seeing for the first time.
While the guests provide the chaos, host Vic Michaelis provides the structure. It’s a masterclass in the "straight man" archetype. Vic treats every unhinged claim—no matter how vulgar or nonsensical—with the gravity of a 60 Minutes interview. Their ability to "yes-and" a guest into a corner is what elevates the show from a simple costume gag to a legitimate piece of performance art.
If your teen is already familiar with the Dropout universe, they’ve likely seen this brand of high-wire comedy before. Vic is a staple of the platform, and their deadpan style is a huge reason the show works. If you want to know more about their other projects, check out our guide to Vic Michaelis and Dimension 20: The "Gladlands" Guide for Parents.
If your kid spends their weekends at improv practice or watching character-bit compilations on TikTok, this is their Super Bowl. Critics and fans on Reddit often point to the episodes featuring Lisa Gilroy or Zac Oyama as the gold standard. These performers don’t just tell jokes; they inhabit a physicality that makes the prosthetic makeup feel like a real person.
It’s a great way to see the "mechanics" of comedy. You can practically see the gears turning as a guest realizes a specific vocal fry or a twitchy hand gesture makes their character 10% funnier. It’s "industry" humor that doesn't feel exclusionary.
You won't find this on Netflix or Hulu; it’s a centerpiece of the Dropout streaming service. For parents, that means a specific trade-off. You’re getting some of the most imaginative and clever comedy being made right now, but it’s completely unfiltered.
The humor is frequently "salty." We’re talking about comedians who grew up in the alt-comedy scene, so the conversation often veers into the absurdly dark or the sexually suggestive. It isn't mean-spirited, but it is adult. If you’re okay with your 14-year-old hearing some creative swearing in exchange for watching some of the best improvisers on the planet do their thing, this is a winner. It’s the kind of show that rewards a smart audience by never talking down to them.
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