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Holmes on Homes

(Rated TV-G, Reality TV, Starring Mike Holmes, Where to watch: HGTV, DVD)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 8, age appropriate for kids over 10; suggested age 10.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    Contractor rebuilds what went wrong; won't interest kids.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 10 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    The series' overall message is about taking pride in your work and doing it right the first time -- and when a worker does a task well, Holmes is very generous with his praise. He's annoyed by laziness and sloppiness, and what sets him off the most is when another builder or contractor obviously cuts corners to save money on a project. On the other hand, very few women work for Holmes, and the occasional macho attitude crops up.  That said, he doesn't expect the women on his crew to be any less capable than the guys.

  • Role models:

    Holmes shows the importance of doing work well and getting the job done right the first time. He works hard and is something of a crusader for homeowners stuck with problems they didn't create.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    There's a fair amount of demolition, and Holmes can get pretty angry at mistakes made by previous contractors.

  • Sex:

    Not an issue.

  • Language:

    Words like "crap" are frequently silenced rather than bleeped, alhtough they're also occasionally heard.

  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Holmes on Homes

Parents need to know that the star of this series -- contractor Mike Holmes -- has a fair amount of attitude, especially toward shoddy construction work. He clearly expresses his disdain, with errant contractors and builders earning the lion's share fair of his ire. These people aren't named or shown, but some parents might take issue with Holmes pointing the finger of blame. That said, kids probably won't be too interested in the subject matter, so the point may be moot.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about how the show is edited. How long do you think the featured construction jobs actually took to complete? Why would producers want to speed up viewers' sense of the time involved? Do any errors or mistakes get introduced as a result?
  • Also, what's the appeal of shows about home construction/decoration/sales? Why are there so many shows like this on the air?
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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Parent Reviewer
    happymama
    I rate this title iffy for age 5 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate language

    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    Good dose of reality, great role model

    I think Mike Holmes is a fabulous role model. He works hard, he's honest, he's fair, he's generous, he teaches, he's kind.... And kids learn how much hard, knowledgeable work goes into building a house. My 4 year old loves to watch this show with me (we're renovating our house, so maybe we relate more than most).

    This review...

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

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