Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that the hard-working Lopez family is generally respectful (the teen daughter is much less whiny and defiant than teens on other shows, and the family is supportive toward the son with dyslexia). But innuendos are common, and some of the humor relies on put-downs ("she's not like you when you were getting married -- she's not a minor, not pregnant, and knows the name of the guy she's marrying"). The ethnic humor doesn't sink as low as it could, but it is there, and sometimes it's more stereotypical than it has to be.
Families can talk about parenting styles. How does George's approach to parenting differ from his mother's? How do George's wife and kids support him and each other? What do these characters value, and how do they express that? Another topic could be George's work situation. What does it take to succeed when you aren't offered a lot of advantages in life? Also, what's easy and hard for George about supervising his friends and his mother at work? Would you want to manage your friends or family? Why or why not?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Brenda Kienan
In GEORGE LOPEZ, George (George Lopez) uses humor and hard work to deal with the challenges and adversity faced by all working families, and that's the through line in this standard-fare sitcom. What sets this series apart is that it broke ground by focusing on a Latino family, and its success paved the way for other Latino-focused shows.
Some aspects of the show ring true: George has risen through the factory-worker ranks to manage the plant, but he finds managing his friends and even his mother (who works at the factory) a constant challenge. His marriage to Angie (Constance Marie) has its rocky moments but has such strong underpinnings that they renewed their vows in one episode. Angie's father, Vic (Emiliano Díez), offers mixed-bag guidance (in one episode, he appears as "the worm" in George's mescal-induced hallucination). George's best friend, Ernie (Valente Rodriguez), is a source of jabs about George's management job, but is generally in George's corner when trouble comes up.
That's a good thing, because George really never knows what to expect next. His kids are in the throes of teenage rebellion: Carmen (Masiela Lusha) has run away from home, been expelled from school, and fallen in love with a sports jock; while Max (Luis Garcia) has struggled with dyslexia and his attraction to a crowd of troubled friends. George's biggest headaches, though, are thanks to his callous, wisecracking mother, Benny (Belita Moreno). Her lies about George's childhood and family are revealed in episodes like the one in which George's long-lost sister suddenly reappeared.
Unfortunately, some of the humor draws on eye-rolling, "wouldn't-you-know-it" Mexican jokes. Perhaps George Lopez will turn out to be an early forerunner of a less over-done show, just as The Jeffersons preceded The Cosby Show. In the meanwhile, like The Jeffersons, George Lopez will go down in sitcom history as a step forward -- even if it's never a classic.
Fans might also enjoy Everybody Hates Chris and Malcolm in the Middle, two family comedies with a more innovative premise.
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentLove talk gets a bit steamy, and innuendo sometimes hints at topics such as masturbation. |
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LanguageOccasional profanity ("damn," "crap"); some humor based on insults. |
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Social BehaviorThe family is basically loving, but humor draws on some ethnic stereotypes and many sexual innuendos. |
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CommercialismLots of MTV references. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoCharacters drink tequila, and one episode deals with "swallowing the worm" (which results in hallucinations). |
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