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Driving Force (A&E)

common sense media says

High-speed reality show is OK for teen car lovers.

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that John Force and his wife Laurie have an unorthodox relationship. They live in separate houses and often make jokes about not getting along. For much of his daughters' youth, John was on the road racing while Laurie raised them. Now that they're grown up, he often has difficulty relating to them, sometimes acting more like a coach than a dad.

Positive messages: It's fun to win, but it's also OK to mess up once in a while.
Violence: Some car crashes within the racing context.
Sex: Not applicable.
Language: Moderate: "pain in my ass," "pissed," "God damn it," "bitch," etc. "S--t" is bleeped out.
Consumerism: Some of the cars are sponsored by corporations, but it's relatively unobtrusive.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Social drinking.
Our ratings and reviews are informed by child development guidelines. Learn more.

More on Driving Force

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about how much influence a parent should have in a child's career choice. When is it OK for a parent to give advice, and when should mothers and fathers step aside and let their kids make their mistakes and learn from them?

What's the story?

What's the story?
In A&E's DRIVING FORCE, National Hot Rod Association drag racing champion John Force takes viewers on a wild ride as he both guides and, at times, struggles to maintain a hands-off attitude while his three daughters embark on their own racing careers. Driving Force is much more about the Force family dynamics than it is about racing. In each episode, John mentors and gives pointers to his daughters, all of whom are following in his racing footsteps: Ashley, 23, a former Rookie of the Year who has a Barbie Doll and Hot Wheels car named after her; Brittany, a 19-year-old college student; and Courtney, 17. In between traveling en masse from race to race and being a loving dad, John falls into coach mode, pressuring his daughters to win their races. When he becomes too tough on them, wife Laurie must remind him that above all, he's their father.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

John Force is a gruff character, and his harsh exterior belies his heart of gold. The show's humor comes from his interaction with his family; though they respect him, his daughters sometimes think he's out of touch, and their jokes and banter let him know it. Laurie isn't afraid to wear the pants, and it's entertaining to see her put John in his place.

Still, the Forces are a pretty unorthodox family, and viewers might be put off by their language and lifestyle (in one episode, for example, John jokes that he and his wife only get along because they live apart –- in two homes near each other.)

TV themes & details

TV Details
TV Rating: TV-PG
Network: A&E
Cast: Ashley Force, Courtney Force, John Force
Genre: Reality TV
Where to watch: A&E
This review was written by Lucy Maher
 
 

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