Crowded
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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 Crowded is a situation comedy about a family adjusting to the adult children's move back home. It contains some strong innuendo, strong language (including a few bleeped curses), and drinking (wine, champagne). Smoking marijuana is viewed as acceptable adult behavior (it's smoked in at least one episode). It raises lots of questions about parenting, living with adult children, and other family-related matters.
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What's the Story?
Based on the true-life experiences of executive producer Suzanne Martin, CROWDED is a comedy series about what home life can potentially become when adult children move back home. It stars Patrick Warburton as Mike Moore, who, along with his wife Martina (Carrie Preston), celebrated the departure of daughters Shea (Miranda Cosgrove) and Stella (Mia Serafino) when they left to begin their adult lives. But four years later, thanks to a lagging economy, they've moved back home. As a result, Mike's parents -- Bob (Stacy Keach) and his stepmother, Alice (Carlease Burke) -- want to stay close to their grandchildren rather than retire to Florida. As Mike and Martina readjust to having their now-adult children in the house, they all soon realize that they must negotiate their new family dynamic.
Is It Any Good?
This pretty funny series taps into some of the many issues that parents whose kids haven't quite been able to fully leave the nest have to deal with. Despite the show's old-school format, which includes a laugh track, it raises contemporary questions about the reasons grown children are returning to their childhood homes, which range from attempting to survive a difficult economy to being enabled by their parents rather than being forced to do what they need to do to live as independent, responsible adults.
However, the way the series addresses these issues is confusing, as Mike and Martina bemoan making their kids' lives too easy but still can't seem to set appropriate boundaries or keep them from taking over their lives. Some viewers will also take issue with some of the adult behaviors featured here, including the open smoking of marijuana. But it's meant to be a lighthearted comedy, and, like it or not, it reflects many of the social changes that are taking place in American society.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about TV and movies that show behaviors such as drinking and smoking nicotine, marijuana, or other substances. Some of these behaviors are legal for adults, but what impact does showing these activities have on kids? Are there ways to make a TV program or film entertaining or edgy without showing these behaviors? Parents: How can you talk to your family about these behaviors?
Should comedies be used as a platform for discussing important or significant social issues? Or is it too hard to take these issues seriously (or pick up on them altogether) because the show is funny?
TV Details
- Premiere date: March 15, 2016
- Cast: Patrick Warburton, Miranda Cosgrove, Carrie Preston
- Network: NBC
- Genre: Comedy
- TV rating: TV-14
- Last updated: February 26, 2022
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