Parents' Guide to

George Lopez

By Brenda Kienan, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Standard-fare but groundbreaking sitcom about Latino family.

TV Syndicated Comedy 2002
George Lopez Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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age 9+

Based on 12 parent reviews

CSMContentDefault
CSMContentDefault Adult
May 2, 2020
age 11+

George Lopez review

All episodes are rated TV-PG. If there is one with just a PG in the beginning of the screen, that episode is OK for 9+. If it has a D, L, and/or S content descriptor, that episode is for 11+.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much consumerism
1 person found this helpful.
ejkdmom
ejkdmom Parent of 10-year-old
February 9, 2011
age 10+

It is PG

We let our son watch PG shows and this tests the limits. Topics that they cover include STD's, gay teens, teenage pregnancy, racism and many other topics that I really don't appreciate in a PG show but it does it in a comedic way and many of the innuendos do go over his head. We use it as a talking point and these are things our kids deal with and do know about.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
Great messages
Great role models
1 person found this helpful.
See all 12 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Comedian George Lopez plays the titular character of this sitcom. A husband and father of two, George has risen through the factory-worker ranks to manage the plant, but he finds managing his friends and even his mother (who works at the factory) a constant challenge. His marriage to Angie (Constance Marie) has both rocky and tender moments while Angie's father, Vic (Emiliano Díez), offers mixed-bag guidance. Best friend Ernie (Valente Rodriguez) occasionally teases George, but is there for him when trouble comes up. That's a good thing, because surprises lurk around every corner. His kids Carmen (Masiela Lusha) and Max (Luis Garcia) are in the throes of teenage rebellion and his wisecracking mother, Benny (Belita Moreno), who enjoys tormenting her son with shocking exaggerations about his family.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (12 ):
Kids say (70 ):

The show uses humor and hard work to deal with the challenges and adversity faced by all working families, and that's the through line in this standard-fare sitcom. What sets this sitcom apart from the pack is that it broke ground by focusing on a Latino family, and its success paved the way for other Latino-focused shows. Still, some aspects ring true but unfortunately, some of the humor draws on eye-rolling, "wouldn't-you-know-it" Mexican jokes.

Perhaps George Lopez will turn out to be an early forerunner of a less over-done show, just as The Jeffersons preceded The Cosby Show. In the meanwhile, like The Jeffersons, George Lopez will go down in sitcom history as a step forward -- even if it's never a classic.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about parenting styles. How does George's approach to parenting differ from his mother's? How do George's wife and kids support him and each other? What do these characters value, and how do they express that? Another topic could be George's work situation. What does it take to succeed when you aren't offered a lot of advantages in life? Also, what's easy and hard for George about supervising his friends and his mother at work? Would you want to manage your friends or family? Why or why not?

TV Details

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