Parents' Guide to

F Is for Family

By Joyce Slaton, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

'70s-set animated comedy is spicy but surprisingly nuanced.

TV Netflix Comedy 2015
F Is for Family Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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age 16+

Based on 8 parent reviews

TheMovieAdvisor
TheMovieAdvisor Adult
May 30, 2020
age 14+

F is for Family

This is a ripoff King of the Hill not worth your time personally loads of language and sexuall innuendo and just straight up boring
JubileeJigsaw
JubileeJigsaw Adult
November 27, 2019
age 18+

Depressing and Dark...

Before I get into this review, I wanna say that if you enjoy "F is For Family", that's fine and I won't hate you for it. Like PhantomStrider always says, "it's just my silly, personal opinion". -- To be honest, I hate "F is for Family". It's way too dark (in a bad way) and the main family of the show is on each other's butts like there's no tomorrow. It's like a bad attitude in a nutshell. Heck, it makes the Pig family from Peppa Pig subtle. If you want good, real family values, take a look at "The Middle" and "Bluey".

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 8 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Created by comedian Bill Burr and writer Michael Price (The Simpsons), F IS FOR FAMILY takes place in 1973, a time when people smoked indoors, used pay phones, read newspapers, and threatened their rebellious teen sons with a trip to Vietnam. Frank Murphy (Burr) is the family patriarch, who just wants everybody to shut up so he can enjoy his beer and TV in peace. Sue (Laura Dern) is his wife, a stay-at-home mom who sells plastic storage on the side. Kevin (Justin Long) is their difficult 14-year-old; Bill (Haley Reinhart) their conflicted middle child; and Maureen (Debi Derryberry) the angelic youngest. The Murphys may not have a lot of money, and they bicker nonstop. But underneath it all, they're a family and always there for each other when needed.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (8):
Kids say (33):

At first glance this looks to be yet another animated family sitcom that attempts mild-shock humor, but this show is more nuanced and amusing than it would first appear. Trailers for the show amp up Burr's "non-PC" humor, but between the offensive jokes are sharp moments of observational comedy that are a lot more appealing. Sue bursts into tears over the emptiness of her life right in the middle of organizing stacks of the plastic ware she sells to neighbors; Frank's plot to bring Kevin to work to straighten him out is an unexpected success. In addition, those who lived through the 1970s will thoroughly enjoy the period-correct details: phone number lists hanging up by the curly-corded wall phone, hair dryers with a bonnet attachment, cars with rusty fenders and doors so heavy they rebound when you push them open and crush your leg. Families with teens and up may want to check out this heavy but fun comedy.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why television comedies frequently revolve around families. What types of viewers is this type of show trying to attract?

  • TV shows are frequently set in the near past. What other 1970s-era shows can you think of? Why is this era a popular setting?

TV Details

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