Like most day-in-the-life reality shows, Flowers Uncut has its moments. But thanks to the many similar wedding/events-based shows that have previously hit the airwaves, viewers have already ...
Common Sense Reviewer
- Anne Louise Bannon
- California
About Me
I've been writing about parenting and media for more than 10 years. I started out doing articles for L.A. Parent and the parenting insert for the Torrance Daily Breeze, then moved on to Catholic Parent magazine and the "Media Mom" column for DirectTV, The Guide. I also did a weekly column for the Maine Sunday Telegram. These days I also write the blog YourFamilyViewer.com, where I focus on upcoming specials and some TV news. I hold a master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism and bachelor's and master's degrees in theatre from the California State University, Fullerton. My husband and I live in Southern California with our two dogs and two cats. As a parent, I'm semi-retired (you never retire completely). The kid has graduated from college, has a job, lives on her own, and even calls me voluntarily. Wow. My favorite TV shows are (in no particular order) Heroes, Chuck, Good Eats, Dinner Impossible, Eli Stone, Pushing Daisies.
What My Kids Love Now
My kid is all grown. She still reads mostly fantasy fiction, loves video games (the titles of which I can never remember) and watches very little television.
House Rules
When Her Ladyship was still under 18 and in the house, the rule was two-hours of TV per day. She was allowed a boom box in her room, and the computer in there did not have an Internet connection.
When the Kids Are Asleep…
Titles You’ve Reviewed
TV: Flowers Uncut
I rate this titleonand give itKids aren't likely to pick this floral design reality show.
TV: Wedded to Perfection
I rate this titleonand give itSeries about party planning makes excess the norm.
If you like weddings and extravagant parties, then Wedded to Perfection is fun to watch -- once or twice. But after a few episodes, it becomes a lot of the same old, same old. True, Lee's ...
TV: King of the Crown
I rate this titleiffyand give itAspiring beauty queens get coached hard on body image.
While Frakes clearly has a stake in how well his clients do -- if he didn't produce winners, people wouldn't hire him -- he seems slightly more interested in his own welfare than his clients'. In ...
TV: MysteryQuest
I rate this titleonand give itIffy conclusions mar otherwise educational history docu.
Even the ancient Greeks noted that history is generally written by the winners, which can put a different spin on what happened. Here, it sometimes seems like the writers go into a particular ...
TV: Nostradamus Effect
I rate this titleonand give it"History" docu emphasizes doom and gloom over facts.
If you're looking for a way to start teaching your kids the very important task of how to assess credibility, Nostradamus Effect is a fine place to start ... but then you'd have to actually ...
TV: Ultimate Cake Off
I rate this titleonand give itCake decorating competition has a slight edge.
This is pretty standard fare, as competition shows go -- three judges, petty challenges that only marginally make sense, etc., etc. The resulting cakes are pretty interesting, but there's not too ...
TV: Making Over America with Trinny and Susannah
I rate this titleonand give itOriginal What Not to Wear girls take on the U.S.
The makeover process is an emotional one, but Trinny and Susannah are very gentle, albeit firm. The show could so easily be about consumption and letting "things" define us, as so many ...
TV: Masters of Reception
I rate this titleonand give itWedding reality show reinforces "perfect day" ideal.
As shows like this go, it's good without being exceptional. The weddings are fun, and you can't help get a little teary-eyed watching the couples recite their vows.That said, the receptions ...
TV: Truth Be Told
I rate this titleiffyand give itEmbarrassing problems more uncomfortable than informative.
Unfortunately, due to that same lack of interviews and narration, the show comes off as somewhat exploitive. On the plus side, there's no makeover team coming in to "make everything all ...
TV: Police Women of Broward County
I rate this titleiffyand give itReal women, real police work -- really raw.
Whether you like the show or not will depend on how much you like reality cop shows. The storytelling is good, if not overwhelmingly exciting. And the voices of the women are distinct -- it's hard ...
TV: Wild Weddings
I rate this titleonand give itAmusing look at wedding silliness is OK for older kids.
The good news? The more graphic scenes -- such as the groom barfing at the altar or the bridesmaid whose skirt flips up when she falls while dancing -- are handled as well as can be expected; ...
TV: Stranger Among Bears
I rate this titleonand give itTame series isn't that exciting for a show about bears.
Aside from the fact that Vandergaw clearly knows how to handle bears, there's not too much to be learned about bears and their behavior from STRANGER AMONG BEARS. And while there are moments of ...
