Parents' Guide to

American Housewife

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Funny premise overwhelmed by confused body-image humor.

TV ABC Comedy 2016
American Housewife Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

age 14+

Based on 12 parent reviews

age 16+

Degrading

The main actress could be really likable if there wasn’t so much bad acting and she wasn’t constantly lamenting on her size. Keeping in mind that this isn’t actually things that she is saying, but what was written for her, I find it completely degrading. What I would much rather see is a show where she is just the normal mother that she is and her size isn’t the subject of every joke. I haven’t seen every episode, and I won’t, but I also don’t care for the sexist relationship dynamics. I’m totally shocked that this show has won awards and has any good reviews. PS Terrible messages for young girls
age 10+

Family show for older kids

The show is not totally inappropriate but there are little specks of Kissing and references to sex. They talk about plastic surgery and breast implants. One kid has OCD and one Has fomo. On Halloween the oldest child wears some inappropriate Halloween costumes. There is wine and a bit of beer. There are also words like “damn”, “hell”, “bitch” and characters frequently saying BS as in “Bulls—t + censored middle finger They also talk about cars like Bently and Porsche. But there positive messages like being honest, kind and to have preservation. There’s also a gay woman

This title has:

Great role models
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (12):
Kids say (12):

Body image takes center stage in this one-trick-pony comedy series, and the mixed messages that emerge are concerning for tweens and teens. It's easy to like Katie's self-confidence and willingness to accept who (and how big) she is, but she does herself and her viewers no favors by turning the kind of superficial criticism on everyone around her that she claims comes her way from them. Stereotyping is stereotyping, regardless of which direction the needle tilts, and it sends all kinds of worrisome messages about self-esteem by putting this issue at the forefront of this show.

In contrast, American Housewife presents a decent image of a cohesive family facing some issues that will resonate with viewers. The Ottos aren't perfect, but they are a family, and Katie and Greg would do anything for their kids. Ultimately your stance on this show depends on your own life experience. If you can relate to Katie's woes regarding her neighbors' standards, then you'll find some laughs at her expense.

TV Details

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