Growing Pains - TV-PG

'80s favorite offers laughs and life lessons.

TV Rating: TV-PG Network: ION, Nickelodeon, Syndicated Cast: Alan Thicke, Joanna Kerns, Kirk Cameron Genre: Comedy
Available on: DVD

Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that this '80s sitcom is about a strong nuclear family headed by loving parents who communicate well with each other and their kids. It's heavy on positive messages about self-esteem, personal responsibility, and making good choices, all of which are delivered in storylines that are relatable for tweens and teens. Most episodes deal with typical issues for families with kids who are coming of age: budding romantic relationships, popularity woes, and adolescent mischief. Some topics can be emotional, including encounters with prejudice and the death of family members and friends. Teen characters face peer pressure to drink, smoke, and do drugs, but they always make the tough choice and do the right thing.

Families can talk about how parents and kids relate to each other. Kids: Do you find the characters in this series believable? How are their relationships with their parents different from yours? How do their relationships with their siblings compare to yours? How does this show compare to today's sitcoms? What marks it as an "'80s show"? The series also offers plenty of plot-based discussion points. What issue did the characters face in the show? Who did they turn to for help? What would you have done in their situation? Do you think the parents' advice was good? Why or why not?

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Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Emily Ashby

Classic '80s sitcom GROWING PAINS stole viewers' hearts during its heyday on ABC, even spawning a reunion movie in 2000. Thanks to syndication (and DVD), fans can still enjoy the sometimes comical, sometimes serious, always entertaining happenings in the Seaver household.

Alan Thicke stars as Dr. Jason Seaver, a psychiatrist who, for much of the series, runs his practice out of his house so he can help out while wife Maggie (Joanna Kerns) pursues her career as a journalist. Despite their busy schedules, this dynamic parenting duo always manages to carve out bits of time for themselves and each other. Their loving, mutually considerate relationship is the foundation for the entire family.

The Seaver kids run the gamut of personality types. Oldest son Mike (Kirk Cameron) is a below-average student prone to getting into lots of good-natured mischief, but his adorable smile and penchant for sweet-talking get him out of some jams -- though usually not with his parents, who are wise to his tricks.

Middle child Carol (Tracey Gold) is her brother's polar opposite -- she excels in academics and is a bit of a goody-two-shoes. Popularity is far from her biggest concern, though later seasons do introduce boyfriends and acquaintances in the "in crowd." (Unfortunately, teasing based on Carol's weight led to off-screen troubles for Gold, who battled eating disorders for years.) Rambunctious younger son Ben (Jeremy Miller) gets into his fair share of trouble, too -- and of course the three siblings engage in plenty of rivalry amongst themselves.

In 1990, a fourth child joined the Seaver family when Maggie gave birth to Chrissy, who (through the miracle of TV) matured between seasons to become a perky youngster played by Ashley Johnson. Another late addition was Leonardo DiCaprio as Luke Brower, a homeless teenager who came to live with the Seavers.

The show follows the ups and downs of family life with a full household of busy kids and two parents managing successful careers. Though Growing Pains is a typical sitcom in many ways -- most obviously in the ability to solve problems in less than 30 minutes -- its comedy roots didn't stop it from addressing some emotional issues that are still relevant today, including bigotry, sexism, women balancing careers and family, loved ones' death, and teen drug and alcohol use.

Through it all, strong messages about responsibility, self-respect, accepting others, and making good decisions come through thanks to the strong parental role models who invite communication and open relationships with their kids.

While very young viewers won't be able to grasp the storylines, this is a great series to share with older kids, tweens, and young teens, who may end up liking it so much -- despite the cheesy '80s clothes and hair -- that they won't realize the life lessons they're picking up along the way.

Families may also enjoy Who's the Boss?, The Cosby Show, and Step by Step.

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Content		CS	adults	kids
Content
Sexual Content Some kissing scenes among teens, and lots of dating and relationship issues. Terms like "sexy" are used very rarely, and there are occasional jokes at the expense of bisexuality, transsexuality, and homosexuality. One of the supporting characters has the nickname "Boner."
Violence Playful scuffles (mostly among feuding siblings) never result in injury.
Language Very rare use of "damn" and "hell."
Message
	Social Behavior Jason and Maggie Seaver are compassionate parents who communicate well and always offer first-rate guidance to their kids. Every episode includes positive messages about themes like self-esteem, reliability, and finding a passion in life. Parents and kids share in all household tasks. Siblings do often argue and pick on each other, including jokes at the expense of sister Carol's weight (the actress who played here, Tracey Gold, battled eating disorders in real life).
	Commercialism Brandless soda and junk food (chips, candy).
	Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco Occasional social drinking by adults. Underage drinking, smoking, and drug use are addressed, but the message is always "don't do it," and the consequences are negative.