Parents' Guide to

Game of Crowns

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Pageant reality focuses on competition and conflict.

TV Bravo Reality TV 2014
Game of Crowns Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

See all

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

What's the Story?

GAME OF CROWNS is a reality show featuring six New England women who compete on the "Mrs." pageant circuit. It stars Leha Guilmette, an account executive and Mrs. Rhode Island America; Lori-Ann Marchese, a fitness expert and former Mrs. Connecticut; attorney Lynne Diamante, former Miss Rhode Island USA; and Susanna Paliotta, Mrs. Rhode Island United States, and pageant mom to child pageant star Isabella. Also joining the cast is registered nurse and former Mrs. Connecticut America Vanassa Sebastian. From competing against each other on the pageant stage to developing rivalries between competitions, the series highlights the ups and downs of being part of the married pageant scene.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

Game of Crowns offers an inside look at the preparation for and competition of the "Mrs."-level pageant circuits, which require women to be married and to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash for dresses, accessories, coaches, and cosmetic procedures. But, although these women attempt to be elegant in front of the judges, off-stage they manage to be catty, judgmental, and narcissistic, especially when they sit in the audience and laugh at larger contestants and put down their supposed pageant friends to feel that they have a competitive edge.

Little is said about the benefits these women believe they receive from participating in these pageants, such as being motivated to be healthier, improving their self-esteem, and using these competitions to bring attention to their various philanthropic platforms. Instead, they manage to highlight the negative stereotypes that exist about the pageant world. The result is a show that is entertainingly voyeuristic but one that makes it difficult to take these women seriously.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about beauty pageants. Why do people participate in them? What are the benefits of doing so? What kinds of resources and preparation do folks need to participate in them?

  • Does this series offer a realistic portrayal of what it's like for adults to participate in beauty pageants? Or is what is being presented here designed to reflect stereotypes about pageants and people who participate in them?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended tv lists

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.

See how we rate