Freaky Eaters
Common Sense says
- TLC
- Reality TV
- 2010
Parents say
Kids say
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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 this is a show about obsessive behavior -- in this case, unusual food addictions. Be ready to explain to your kids that there's a big difference between an adult who will eat nothing but pizza and a toddler going through a similar phase. Although there's not much outright iffy content in terms of sex, violence, or language, this show isn't geared toward a family audience and is more age appropriate for older viewers.
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User Reviews
The Food's Fine, But Not Great
Can instill empathy
Good, but gross
What's the story?
Jason will only eat pizza -- morning, noon, and night. And yet he insists that his eating habit isn't really connected to his strange illness that leaves him nauseous a good chunk of the time. Another woman will only eat sugar. These two are FREAKY EATERS -- adults whose iffy eating habits go beyond unhealthy into obsessive and addictive.
Is it any good?
The good news about Freaky Eaters is that it's only a half hour long. And the bad news is that it's only a half hour long. So while it moves briskly, it also seems like the "cure" develops too quickly to be believed. For example, during a talk therapy session, the therapist presses the patient to look at his relationship with his sport and his mother; seconds into it, the patient says that he keenly felt his mother's disapproval. It probably usually takes a few weeks of therapy to get that far (and do people really complain about their mother's disapproval in those words?).
In short, Freaky Eaters makes it seem like a seriously messed-up individual can turn his or her life around with a minimum of fuss and time. Hopeful, yes, but realistic? Maybe not so much.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about how real this show is. Do you think it accurately portrays obsessive behaviors? Do you think the people featured in this series really change their habits as quickly as the show makes it seem?
What can viewers learn from the show? Does it help teach people about the disorder, or does it trivialize it?
If you had a disorder like this, would you want to talk about it on TV? Why or why not? Why do you think these people choose to?
TV details
- Premiere date: September 5, 2010
- Network: TLC
- Genre: Reality TV
- TV rating: TV-PG
For kids who love reality TV
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.