Grounded for Life - TV-14

Married With Children-lite; iffy for kids.

TV Rating: TV-14 Network: ABC Family Cast: Donal Logue, Megyn Price, Kevin Corrigan Genre: Comedy
Available on: DVDDownload

Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that while the kids' mother and father are loving and attentive, they often garner laughs with their sarcasm, immaturity, and tales of occasional carelessness. This might turn off adults who want their kids to be exposed to a more responsible family dynamic. Sometimes compared to Married... With Children, this show isn't nearly as envelope-pushing as its predecessor, but it still might raise some eyebrows.

Families can discuss selflessness. Why is it important to sometimes put what you want on hold in favor of the good of the group? When you're part of a family, why do you sometimes have to give up or do without in favor of something your siblings need? Have teens ever felt like their parents are acting immaturely? How did that make them feel? What did they do?

Rate It!

Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Lucy Maher

In GROUNDED FOR LIFE, a young, blue-collar couple struggles to raise their kids while discovering what it means to be good parents and spouses.

Donal Logue (ER, The Tao of Steve) stars as Sean Finnerty, who married his wife Claudia (Megyn Price) after she got pregnant in high school. Since they skipped young adulthood and went straight to parenthood, they find they still have much to learn about being a good mom and dad to their three kids: Lily (Lynsey Bartilson), a typically self-absorbed teenager; Jimmy (Griffin Frazen), who, at 13, is discovering life as an adolescent; and Henry (Jake Burbage), the youngest, whose innocence balances out the rest of the family.

At the center of the couple's issues is Sean's decision to quit his job as a subway worker so he can open a bar with his brother, Eddie (Kevin Fitzgerald Corrigan). Though Claudia supports Sean, she's troubled by their lack of financial security, as well as the business problems that inevitably arise. On top of this, the couple has to guide and counsel their kids, who have questions about everything from dating and academics to their place in the family.

Grounded for Life has a gruff exterior -- Sean is often pretty tough and sarcastic with the kids, and both parents take a "tough love" attitude when their brood act up. In one episode, for example, attention-getter Lily complains about how her mother, who has a new baby on the way, isn't cherishing her, and instead of tuning into Lily's needs, Claudia brushes them to the side. But underneath the Married... With Children vibe are some important lessons about loyalty, patience, and familial trust.

Fans might also like The Simpsons or Malcolm in the Middle.

Rate It!

Content		CS	adults	kids
Content
Sexual Content The parents and even their eldest child make sexual jokes. The oldest teenage daughter has called her parents "horndogs" and has a sexual relationship with her boyfriend. Strippers and pornography have cropped up from time to time.
Violence
Language Mild: Words like "crap hole" are used.
Message
	Social Behavior The parents aren't much more mature than their teenage kids, offering questionable role models. But the underlying messages is that it's important to maintain family ties because you're always going to need your family to look after you.
	Commercialism
	Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco Social drinking.