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Married... With Children

(Rated TV-PG, Comedy, Starring Christina Applegate, Ed O'Neill, Katey Sagal, Where to watch: FX, Syndicated, DVD)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 13, age appropriate for kids over 99; suggested age 14.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    The Bundys are still outrageous. Teens and up.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 14–18

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    The show presents a wide array of inappropriate and anti-social behavior, including lying, cheating, swindling, and more. None of these actions are intended to be cruel -- just a way of "getting ahead" (which is iffy in its own right). References to women and women's body parts are often sexist. At the end of the day, though, the Bundys, despite their dysfunctional behavior, clearly care about each other.

  • Violence:

    Occasional pushing, shoving, and hitting of peripheral characters. But no real harm occurs.

  • Sex:

    Strong references to sexual behavior, including masturbation. Peg is always badgering Al to have sex with her. No graphic presentations of sex, but some female characters (particularly Kelly) are usually in tight, revealing outfits. Bud is constantly on the make.

  • Language:

    "Hell," damn," "crap," plus crude words used to describe body parts -- particularly breasts ("hooters" and "jugs"). Plenty of insults and put-downs traded between characters.

  • Consumerism:

    Peg is materialistic, but no brand-name products are shown.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Frequent references to alcohol, especially beer. Early seasons feature Peggy smoking.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Married... With Children

Parents need to know that this show -- which was purposely designed to test the boundaries of network primetime TV -- mines adult themes for laughs; caution is recommended when allowing tweens and young teens to watch. References to sexual behavior (including masturbation) fly fast and furiously, there are crude references to body parts and homosexuality, and characters constantly insult and belittle each other. All of that said, hidden under the insults and tight clothes is a nuclear family that cares about each other.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about their own flaws and strengths. While no family is perfect, what are the great things about your family? What are some of the talents your family members have? Families can also talk about the inappropriateness of stereotypes and sexist references. What are people really saying when they use stereotypes to describe a person? Parents and teens can also talk about the Bundys' relationships. Why do they resort to name-calling and insults so often? How can you tell that they really do care about each other?
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Our Members Say

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Cutipie82637
    Lives in Wyoming
    I rate this title on for age 16 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use

    Ok for teens

    To sexy, daddy always watches it. kinda clever, not to good, but funny and shows you what not to do in life. Makes me laugh still, there is worse.

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  2. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    BestPictureSeeke ...
    Lives in Virginia
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language

    Classic, dry, hilarious show rarely dissapoints

    I recently started watching MWC not too long ago, but have developed an addiction to it. Al Bundy steals the show, with his dry, sometimes cruel humor that still makes people world-wide laugh out loud. The Bundy's were the first sitcom to show the Cosbys the door and laugh at them. Fantastic show.

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  3. Adult Reviewer
    The JP Show
    Lives in Florida
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 5.0

    TV-PG,TV-14 TV-MA

    On TBS and Spike This is rated TV-PG. On The CW, it's rated TV-14 and TV-MA. CW SHOWS THE CLEAN EPISODES WHILE TBS AND SPIKE SHOW THE DIRTY EPISODES.

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  4. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Master Chief - 1 ...
    Lives in Texas
    I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it 5.0

    This review...

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

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