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Are You Being Served?

(Rated TV-PG, Comedy, Starring Frank Thornton, Mollie Sugden, John Inman, Where to watch: BBC America, DVD)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 9, age appropriate for kids over 14; suggested age 12.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    70s Britcom needs context to appreciate humor.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 12–14

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    A main character is an overly effeminate man whom everyone presumes is homosexual (though it's never stated outright). Sexist remarks are played for humor, and the series pokes fun at class divisions within British society. Double entendres often play on sexual references. Gender stereotyping runs rampant, but it's within the context of the time period.

  • Violence:

    Not an issue.

  • Sex:

    Occasional suggestive jokes (a handkerchief folded and puffed to resemble a penis, for example); frequent double entendres often include sexual innuendo, like a woman talking about her "p---y" (she means "cat," of course, but...!). Naked female mannequins are often involved in comic scenarios with sexual overtones.

  • Language:

    Not an issue.

  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Conversations allude to alcohol use by some adult characters.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Are You Being Served?

Parents need to know that this classic '70s/'80s British sitcom finds a lot of its humor in suggestive double entendres (a woman talking "innocently" about her cat uses the word "p---y," for example) and fairly vague sexual innuendo. Men frequently make sexist remarks about women -- who have little recourse, since the men rarely pay their concerns much mind. One main character is an effeminate man who everyone assumes is homosexual, though it's never confirmed. Teens will likely find the series dated and dry, but adults who can put it into context will get a few chuckles.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about how entertainment reflects the cultural changes of the time. How does this show portray British class issues of the '70s and '80s? What challenges were women facing at the time? How was homosexuality viewed? Do you think the show even tries to be accurate, or is it all exaggerated for humor? By comparison, how do today's TV shows portray women and people of different sexual orientations?
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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    whaletalk
    I rate this title on for age 14 and give it 5.0

    Funniest show ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Hilarious!!!!!!!!! I watch it with my parents!

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  2. Adult Reviewer
    te_quiero_mas
    Lives in California
    I rate this title on for age 11 and give it 5.0

    this show is hilarious!

    i used to watch it with my grandpa and it was awesome! i never know when its on anymore, so i don't watch it as much. each character has a completely different personality and they all mesh together. if you enjoy dry, sarcastic humor, this show was meant for you

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  3. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Synchronicity
    Lives in Texas
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0

    I'm a teen and I love this series!

    This show is really funny. It's about a family of people who work at the Grace department store. There's some sexual humor, and one of the characters acts like he's gay, but everyone thinks he is! This show is so funny I cried before. :D

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate

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