The Cleveland Show (Fox)

common sense media says

Raunchy animated Family Guy spin-off isn't for kids.

parents & educators say

78% say sexual content is an issue
67% say language is an issue

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that The Cleveland Show -- an animated spin-off of Family Guy -- is too racy for young kids. Creator Seth MacFarlane’s brand of humor is heavy on shock value -- as in sequences that seem to condone sexual harassment among elementary school students or encourage teens to ignore their parents' instructions -- and includes lots of over-the-top references to sex and drinking. The series is also rife with racially-tinged comments and other salty language (including words like "douche" and "boobs"). All of the edgy content unfortunately overwhelms the genuinely sweet message about love and family at the core of the show.

Positive messages: Despite its raunchy tone/content and frequent reliance on race-based humor and other stereotypes, the show does have a sweet undertone thanks to Cleveland and Donna's relationship. The show also demonstrates how people can sometimes be blind to the obvious faults of others -- but if they can learn to stand up for themselves and see these people for what they are, they can find happiness with someone else.

Positive role models: Cleveland is an unlikely role model. Even though his parenting is dubious and he’s often focused on having sex or drinking beer, he is also a strong advocate for persistently pursuing your dreams -- even in the face of adversity.

Violence: Little explicit violence, though some characters do have guns, which sometimes go off accidentally for comic effect.

Sex: Frequent references to sex and sexual activities. A boy in elementary school drops his pencil on purpose as an excuse to look up the skirts of his classmates. Cleveland says he hopes to “get in a bit of petting” on a date. Another character says he wants to “touch boobs.” There’s no animated sex or visible cartoon genitalia, but couples do kiss, and Cleveland appears naked in the bath.

Language: Pretty raunchy for primetime animated fare, though that likely won’t come as a surprise for fans of creator Seth MacFarlane. Though none of the most explicit swear words are used, expect plenty of others, including “boobs,” “douche" (used as a put-down), “damn,” “jive-ass turkey,” “what the hell,” and others. The show also features many comments about race and plenty of references to sex.

Consumerism: Not applicable.

Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Several characters often hang out at a bar drinking beer, and Cleveland and Donna sometimes drink wine at home.

Our ratings and reviews are informed by child development guidelines. Learn more.

What to talk about

Talk to your kids

Families can talk about raunchy humor. Many of the show's jokes tread very close to the line between outrageous and offensive. Do you find shows like this funny, or do they go too far? Who decides what "too far" is?
The show features repeated references to race and often includes jokes based on racial stereotypes. Is that kind of humor ever OK?

What's the story?

After an acrimonious divorce leaves him homeless, Cleveland Brown (voiced by Mike Henry) moves back to his hometown and marries his high school sweetheart, Donna (Sanaa Lathan). The new couple, along with Cleveland’s teenage son, Cleveland Jr. (Kevin Michael Richardson), and Donna’s two kids -- mouthy high school student Roberta (Reagan Gomez-Preston) and precocious kindergartener Rallo (Henry again) -- try to create a happy, blended family in this animated comedy spin-off of Family Guy. (Naturally, their neighbors happen to be a family of bears -- yes, actual bears.)

Is it any good?

Fans of Family Guy know what to expect from creator Seth MacFarlane. Each episode of THE CLEVELAND SHOW is rude, crude, and raunchy, with quirky characters and plenty of jokes about sex and drinking that aim low and try to wring laughs from sheer shock value. As in MacFarlane’s other shows, nothing is off-limits here, especially race. Cleveland is African American, and the show is riddled with quips and offhand comments that play on stereotypes and clichés. You could argue that MacFarlane deserves credit for addressing the topic at all, since so many other shows don't, but the show does little to advance any real discussion of the issue.

The show has a soft and sweet center, as Cleveland tries to pursue his dreams and find love with his old flame. But this positive message is almost completely buried in sophomoric humor, and it’s hardly worth the effort to sift through the dreck to get there.

TV themes & details

TV Details

TV Rating: TV-14
Network: Fox
Cast: Reagan Gomez-Preston, Sanaa Lathan, Seth MacFarlane
Genre: Comedy
Where to watch: Fox

This review was written by Will Wade

Review It

What parents & educators say

Based on 9 parent & educator reviews:

78% say sexual content is an issue
67% say language is an issue
56% say there's too much drinking, drugs, or smoking
44% say they noticed product placement
33% say violence is an issue

Read the reviews

Most useful reviews by all members

Review Superman
parent of 4 year old

Bad Bad Bad

Worse Than Family Guy

What other families should know

TV Details

Starring

Genre

The Cleveland Show (Fox)

common sense media says

parents & educators say

What parents need to know

More on The Cleveland Show

What to talk about

Talk to your kids

What's the story?

What's the story?

Is it any good?

Is it any good?

TV themes & details

TV Details

Review It

Review The Cleveland Show

What parents & educators say

Most useful reviews by all members

Bad Bad Bad

Good for adults

A more watered down Version of Family guy for the 8 year olds.

Terrible Spin-Off; More Tame than "Family Guy"

GOD

The Hollywood Show

Skimpy clothes

Okay for older teens that are into weak humor, but bad for younger ones.

LOVE IT

Why do I bother? I should have known that after getting tired of Family Guy, this spin-off is no better and a lot worse.

for teens.

15 and up

cleveland show

n/a

not as innappropriate as family guy

More reviews ...

An independent voice for families

Age-appropriate reviews

Advice on the big issues

vote now

Will you see The Cleveland Show?

Already seen it? What do you think?

Great alternatives handpicked by our editors

Better animation for mature teens

For kids who love comedies

Browse more TV

About our rating system

Browse our library of reviews

See what our editors recommend