Gavin and Stacey (BBC America)

common sense media says

Romantic comedy has too much racy stuff for young kids.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this British comedy features plenty of pretty explicit sexual content. Couples are shown making out and undressing (men are shown naked from behind, but women keep their underwear on), and in at least one scene, a couple's sounds of passion are overheard from the next room. Subplots center on things like sexually transmitted diseases (who gave what to whom), unplanned pregnancy, and sexual preferences (a couple seeks out a stranger for a threesome; a man wonders if it's normal that his partner put things in him during intercourse). Drinking and smoking also border on excessive; most of the characters partake with no consequences. That said, adult viewers who can put such behavior in context will be entertained by the series' spin on the ups and downs of life and love.

Positive messages: The series deals with controversial issues like unplanned pregnancy but omits their real-life implications and consequences. It also reinforces the importance of family and friends (no matter how wacky they are) and is positive about the idea of falling in love.
Positive role models: Gavin and Stacey are impulsive and not particularly responsible, but they're very loving and they appreciate their friends and family. Supporting characters Smithy and Nessa are hardly role models. Nessa's colorful past includes multiple sexual partners, at least one STD, and drug use. Smithy is quick to judge; upon meeting Nessa, he expresses anger that she's heavy.
Violence: Not applicable.
Sex: No intercourse is shown, but there's plenty of foreplay (kissing, stroking, slapping of butts; in one scene, a woman grabs a man's crotch), sexual banter, and audible sex noises (moans, yells, etc.) from the next room. At least one scene shows a man's naked butt, and women disrobe to their bras. Dialogue often refers to topics like sexual habits (a man tells his friend that his partner "put things in me" during intercourse), unplanned pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and having a threesome.
Language: "S--t" is a popular (and unbleeped) expletive.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Drinking is common and at times excessive. In one episode, adults are shown consuming multiple rounds of beer, mixed drinks, and shots in a pub. Many characters smoke habitually, and there are some allusions to past drug use.

More on Gavin and Stacey

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
  • Families can talk about the real-life consequences of the kind of things the characters on this show do, from drinking to casual sex.

  • Which shows do you know of that glamorize playing the field and "hooking up"? Does that come across as more exciting than being part of a happy, faithful couple? Why or why not? How do you think love and marriage are typically portrayed in the media?

What's the story?

What's the story?

GAVIN AND STACEY is a British comedy series that dramatizes the highs and lows of falling -- and staying -- in love. After six months of getting to know each other through phone calls, Gavin (Mathew Horne) and Stacey (Joanna Page) finally meet face to face and confirm their mutual attraction. Everything seems meant to be, and the two start planning their life together, but it's not long before the proverbial curveballs are hurled into their path. Only time will tell whether their love for each other is enough to see them through life's uncertainties -- and the discrepancies between their personalities (and families).

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

It's no accident that this engaging series garnered multiple awards since it premiered in the UK in May 2007. The characters are relatable, the story is believable, the cast is superb, and the writing has a freshness that's surprising in the often-clichéd romantic comedy genre. Unlike other series that overplay romance for the sake of drama, writers Ruth Jones and James Corden -- who also co-star as Stacey and Gavin's quirky best friends, Nessa and Smithy -- simply tell the story of two romantics who find each other and are convinced that that's all they need to be happy.

But for all the refreshing simplicity that Gavin and Stacey offers grown-up viewers, it's equally full of stuff that's not suitable for kids -- even some teens. Sexual content is extensive and fairly graphic; while there's no actual intercourse, there's plenty of everything else, including references to threesomes and other bedroom habits, nude shots of men's butts, suggestive foreplay (kissing, butt slapping, crotch grabbing, etc.), and unmistakable sounds through bedroom walls. Plus, the characters drink and smoke habitually. Still, once the kids are out of the way, adults will be entertained by the show's take on modern-day romance and the challenges that couples face when they commit to each other.

TV themes & details

TV Details
TV Rating: TV-14
Network: BBC America
Cast: Joanna Page, Matthew Horne, Ruth Jones
Genre: Comedy
Where to watch: BBC America

This review was written by Emily Ashby
 
 

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Jane Austen fan
parent of 18 year old
 

GleeGavinStace ...
kid, 12 years old
 
One of the best shows ever, but one of the rudest
Gavin & Stacey is one of the best shows ever! It is so funny and just so well written! I love it! But it is so rude! Hillarious, but rude, jokes are feautured so many times in just an episode, but I love this show!

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ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child, some content may not be right for some kids
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