You never really know what kind of experience you will have watching something with your kids. I recently went through this when digging into Man vs. Bee, the Rowan Atkinson Netflix series that felt very much like the actor’s iconic Mr. Bean character, but with more talking. This show is something I’ve wanted to watch with my Netflix subscription for the past two years, but only recently did the family finally get a chance to cross it off our list.
And let me tell you, my kids and I had two completely different experiences watching this 10-part series of unfortunate events unfold as Atkinson’s house-sitting character went to great lengths to kill a pesky bee. With hilarity, anxiety, valuable life lessons, and cherished memories created in the process, this was an adventure none of us will forget… for better or worse.
My Kids Were Laughing The Entire Time
Like most kids between the ages of four and eight, my daughters and son are huge fans of physical comedy, which made Man vs. Bee a perfect show for them to watch. From the first time Trevor Bingley (Atkinson) crossed paths with the bee until the very end of this surprisingly short series (each episode is around 10 minutes long), my kiddos were laughing, hysterically at times, throughout this great Netflix comedy series.
A man falling into dog poop? Big laughs. What about an important manual containing all the information for the state-of-the-art house’s daily functions being burnt in a cooking accident? Boisterous laughter. Priceless works of art being destroyed? You guessed it, laughter all around.
And while it was fun watching my kids laugh their heads off and try to recreate some of Trevor’s funniest moments, I was on edge throughout each episode.
But I Spent Most Of Man Vs. Bee Wanting To Call My Therapist
Let me tell ya, I was pretty much nervous throughout the entirety of Man vs. Bee, and constantly found myself tip-toeing the line between an outbreak of laughter and a nervous breakdown. It was never extreme enough to make me say "Kids, we're turning this off," or something of the sort, but it did have me on edge more than most family-friendly comedies. And there were multiple times when I thought I should call my therapist and discuss my nervousness.
When the ball prevented the library door from closing, I immediately started thinking about the worst-case scenarios (which ultimately came true). When Trevor put the manual on the burner for some reason, I was biting away at what was left of my fingernails. When the house finally caught on fire, I had nothing left.
But don't let this make it seem like I hated Man vs. Bee or was a complete wreck after each episode, as the humor, as well as the charm of Rowan Atkinson's character, made it a delight.
As Soon As One Episode Would End, My Kids Were Yelling For Me To Press Play
As is the case with all those great binge-worthy shows on Netflix, the streaming service’s interface doesn’t give you all that much time to make a decision on pressing play or going to something else before the next episode starts. In the case of Man vs. Bee, my kids wasted no time and would start yelling at me to press play so they didn’t have to wait those additional five seconds before the next chapter kicked off. I mean, as soon as that little prompt appeared, they were jumping and screaming “Press play,” leaving me with quite a decision to make. Even my youngest, who can’t even fully read the message. Just late-stage toddler yells.
My kids just couldn’t get enough of the show and wanted to see how things would escalate for Trevor’s story, but more importantly the further destruction of the house. And considering the fact we were watching these so early in the evening and all their homework had already been completed, I was running out of excuses to fend off their demands (let’s be real, they weren’t pleas at this point).
But I Would Pause For A Moment And Ask 'Are You Sure?'
Despite all of that, I would occasionally exit out of the show, go back to the Man vs. Bee title page, and ask my kids if they really wanted to watch another episode. Each time this happened, my kids would immediately jump up and scream "Yes" over and over again, leaving me with no other choice.
At the same time, I was also asking myself “Are you sure?” because I knew how the show was putting me on edge and making me a little more nervous than I usually am on a weeknight. However, I didn't want to get in the way of a great experience with my kids because I was feeling more on edge than usual, and I would press play each and every time.
Overall, It Was A Fun (And Sometimes Anxiety-Inducing) Experience For The Whole Family
All in all, watching Man vs. Bee with the whole family is one of those fun TV experiences I won’t soon forget. Hopefully, my kids hold onto it as they get older. With our busy schedules, finding time to sit back and watch something all five of us will enjoy is a feat that is becoming increasingly difficult these days, so I’ll take my victories where I can. And despite it all, this was a winner.
Yeah, there were some chaotic and anxiety-inducing moments along the way, but it was also a lot of fun, and I'm kind of bummed we waited so long to check it out. Like a lot of those great kid-friendly comedies, the show was also full of hilarious, chaotic, and unforgettable moments, even if I could feel my blood pressure rising at times.
Though Man vs. Bee was canceled and we’ll never get to see Trevor battle that pesky bug in the future, there are plenty of upcoming 2025 Netflix movies and shows that will hopefully bring just as much enjoyment, laughs, and (small and manageable) fits of nervousness to my house very soon.
