I love this show i am 14. it depends on how mature your kids r like if they can handle it.i love mysteries, suspence,& soaps so this is a perfect show for me. it has a lot of sex & drinking(in fact one of the main characters is alcaholic( but at least she gets help!)) but it also teaches some good things(& alot of things to talk about with parents. overall i love this show!
Desperate Housewives
(Rated TV-PG, Drama, Starring Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross, Where to watch: ABC, DVD, Online, Cell phone)
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Desperately addictive, but majorly mature.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 15–18
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Desperate Housewives was written by Kate Pavao
Parents need to know that this show's focus on adult characters and situations makes it age inappropriate for your kids and teens. Characters (adults and teens alike) have had affairs, covered up crimes, been addicted to drugs and alcohol, lied, and manipulated other characters in just about every imaginable way. Many of the storylines are presented in a tongue-in-cheek way, but young viewers may not be able to differentiate between parody and drama.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about the "desperate" housewives themselves: Are they good or bad role models for women? How are they stereotypical -- and how do they defy those stereotypes? How do they get power in their lives? What do they get from each other? The teen characters on the show -- who have been shown drinking, doing drugs, having sex with adults, and lying to parents -- also warrant some discussion. Is their behavior realistic? How should their parents respond when they catch them in the act?
Have you seen it? Review It!
More on Desperate Housewives
What’s the Story?
The highly addictive, Emmy-winning DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES centers on the women of Wisteria Lane and their struggles to cope with suburban life. In the show's pilot episode, one of the main characters' friends committed suicide. Amid the standard soap opera plot elements (affairs, addictions, cover-ups), the repercussions of this central mystery are still playing out throughout the tree-lined neighborhood. The ongoing mystery has created a nice wrapper for the show, and the dead woman acts as narrator, adding a creative -- and creepy -- touch.
Is It Any Good?
Stars Teri Hatcher (Susan), Felicity Huffman (Lynette), Marcia Cross (Bree), and Eva Longoria (Gabrielle) give great comedic performances, and there are plenty of outrageous moments (klutzy Susan getting covered in cremated ashes, for example). Something positive can also be gleaned from the women's friendships with one another, and from the show's examination -- however extreme -- of the complicated lives women lead.
But it should be stressed that this is adult fare. In the first season alone, viewers were treated to Gabrielle's sexual relationship with a minor, Lynette's dependence on Ritalin, Bree's husband's S&M fetish, a naked nanny, a suicide, a hit-and-run with no consequences, and a grizzly strangulation. Things have only gotten more complicated -- and eyebrow-raising -- since.
Our Members Say
See all 38 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title iffy for age 14 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
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I rate this title on for age 13 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Negative role models
I love this show. I am a mature teen though. I think it is fine to watch if you are mature enough too, and if your parents approve.
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I rate this title on for age 14 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
It Really is "Desperately" Addictive
I love this show. Some characters aren't model people, but Lynette is a very good mother and cares deeply for her children, as do the other housewives.
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I rate this title iffy for age 10 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
Anyone over 10
I think its great. My 11 year old loves to watch it with me.
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I rate this title pause for age 12 and give it
Great show!
I suppose some of the content is iffy, but its a highly addictive interesting show overall. The child just has to understand that this is all just drama, not a way of life.
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Ratings at a Glance
| 100% | of parents say the sexual behavior isn't age appropriate |
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