The Ex List

Review

Common Sense Media says

Single gal's search for love is sexually charged.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

Find out more

Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

Find out more

Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

Not yet rated

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that, technically, there's nothing explicit here when it comes to sexual activity, but there's enough sexual chatter to make it an iffy choice for young teens. You won't hear a lot of cursing ("ass" and "bitch" are as bad as it gets), but be prepared for an onslaught of jokes about one-night stands, eating disorders, pubic hair toupees, and more. Most of the characters are adults in their 30s who have active sex lives and drink alcohol socially.

  • Positive messages0
    The main character has admirable qualities (she has a strong sense of self, freely shares her opinions and runs her own business, to name a few). But her decisions when it comes to relationships are murky at best -- she engages in casual sex with ex-boyfriends and trusts a fortune teller to solve her problems, among other things. As a role model for impressionable teen girls, she isn't the best choice.
  • Violence0
    Not applicable.
  • Sex3
    Sex is a major plot point -- characters talk about it, joke about it, pine for it, and do it, too. Characters reference one-night stands, "drunken hook-ups," French kissing, strip clubs, and more, and the women seem to favor skimpy dresses and bikinis. In terms of visuals, there's some sexually charged kissing, but no simulated sex, although characters are shown snuggling and covered in blankets after the fact.
  • Language3
    Mild profanity (like "ass," "bitch" and "balls") is pretty rare, but there's plenty of sexual language that's mostly tongue-in-cheek but bold. For example, two female characters have an extended conversation about bikini waxes, giving different down-there "hairstyles" descriptive nicknames like "The Hitler," "The Gandhi," "The Lincoln," and even "The Ted Koppel." They also use more clinical phrases like "pubic hair" and "vagina."
  • Consumerism0
    Not applicable.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking3
    Adult characters drink socially and hang out in bars. In one scene, a woman celebrating her bachelorette party drinks so much that she throws up in the limo.
CloseExpand to see more details

What's the story?

When a local fortune teller tells 33-year-old florist Bella Bloom (Elizabeth Reaser) that she's already met the man she's going to marry -- but that if she doesn't reunite with him soon, she'll spend the rest of her life alone -- Bella launches a determined search to find her soul mate among her long list of exes and acquaintances. Along the way, she's supposed to be paying attention to the "signs." But, more often than not, she's fielding mixed signals.

Is it any good?

 

The basic premise of THE EX FACTOR is hardly plausible. But the show doesn't seem too concerned with the reality of Bella's predicament, assuming that viewers will simply come along for the ride. In return, they get a zippy script that's peppered with sexual innuendo -- some of which is surprisingly bold for network TV. Still, all that sass can't hide the problems when it comes to character development. Perhaps over time, the people in Bella's world will blossom into more complex individuals. Until then, this series is at risk of dying on the vine.

Sign Up Message
Sign up for our weekly newsletter
Each week we send a customized newsletter to our parent and teen subscribers. Parents can customize their settings to receive recommendations and parent tips based on their kids’ ages. Teens receive a version just for them with the latest reviews and top picks for movies, video games, apps, music, books, and more.
Please enter an email address.
Please check your email address for possible typos.
Sorry, you must be 13 or older to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Sign me up!

What families can talk about

Families can talk about the show's central premise: that a psychic tells Bella to revisit her list of ex-boyfriends in hopes of reuniting with "the one" she's supposed to marry. Is that believable? If not, does it matter? How does the show handle the topic -- with seriousness or with humor? Why is finding a husband so important at this point in Bella's life? Do you think she's ready to get married? Why or why not? And do you think that the psychic is right when she says that if Bella doesn't find the right guy in a year, she'll never find him?

This review was written by Kari Croop

There aren't any reviews yet. Be the first to review this title below.
This review was written by Kari Croop
TV rating:TV-14
Network:CBS
Cast:Alexandra Breckenridge, Elizabeth Reaser, Rachel Boston
Genre:Drama
This review was written by Kari Croop
 

Review It

Share your review with others

Hang on! You need to be a member to post your review.
A safe community is important to us. Please observe our guidelines.
About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

Great alternatives handpicked by our editors

For kids who love
Browse more TV
 

vote now

Will you see The Ex List?

Won't miss it
We'll try
Change it

Already seen it? What do you think?

I recommend it
It's a pass
 
More from Common Sense Media
Age-appropriate reviews
Top advice and articles

Been There? Tell us about it