American Housewife

TV review by Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media
American Housewife Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 13+

Funny premise overwhelmed by confused body-image humor.

ABC Comedy 2016
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Parents say

age 14+

Based on 12 reviews

Kids say

age 11+

Based on 12 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that American Housewife is a comedy series that leans heavily on jokes about body size and body image for laughs. The main character is an overweight stay-at-home mom who laments the fact that she sticks out among her much more slender female peers, and she spends much of her time dwelling on that. At the same time, she judges those same women for their size and their perceived socioeconomic superiority, so the stereotyping goes both ways. Expect some language ("damn," "hell," "ass," and "bitch") and sexual content, including mild bedroom activity between married partners.

Community Reviews

Christine A.
Christine A. Adult
February 24, 2020
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
Familyties1213
Familyties1213 Adult
January 7, 2020
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
See all 12 parent reviews

What's the Story?

AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE opens with Katie Otto (Katy Mixon) bemoaning the departure of her neighbor, "Fat Pam," which leaves her, as she says, "the second-fattest housewife" in Westport, Connecticut. Surrounded by seemingly perfect neighbors with huge bank accounts and tiny figures, Katie and her husband, Greg (Diedrich Bader), rent a modest home in the town for the benefits of the excellent school district. Their kids -- Taylor (Meg Donnelly), Oliver (Daniel DiMaggio), and Anna-Kat (Julia Butters) -- all have their idiosyncrasies, but Katie's determined to raise them well, despite the whitewashed influence of Westport's "perfect" residents.

Is It Any Good?

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.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how American Housewife addresses body image. Teens: Do you think much about how you look? What outside influences cause you to do more of that? Does the media present realistic examples of how we should look?

  • Is there such a thing as a "normal" life experience? To what degree are we shaped by our surroundings? How do your experiences compare with those of your friends?

  • What do you think of how this show deals with weight and body image? Is it trying to send a message of some kind, or is it just out for laughs? When does comedy cross a line into offense?

TV Details

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