Parents' Guide to

Getting On

By Kari Croop, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Bone-dry comedy about aging is bleak -- and a bit blue.

TV HBO Comedy 2013
Getting On Poster Image

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What's the Story?

While tending to an ever-rotating roster of female patients who are GETTING ON in years, the staff of the struggling Mt. Palms Hospital's extended care unit are struggling with their own problems. Overseeing the unit is self-absorbed Dr. Jenna James (Laurie Metcalf), who would rather be somewhere -- anywhere -- else. But the nurses do most of the work, including veteran staffer Dawn (Alex Borstein), a stickler for red tape who can't quite stick to her guns, and newcomer DiDi (Niecy Nash), whose common-sense approach somehow makes her look like the crazy one.

Is It Any Good?

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

There's no doubt that Getting On bears the stamp of the namesake British series it's based on, from the washed-out cinematography tones to the deafening silence of medical equipment that runs antithetical to most American comedies. In fact, at times, Getting On feels a lot like the British mockumentary The Office, replacing middle managers with middling directors of medicine and beeping photocopiers with defibrillators.

Trouble is, you're far less likely to care about this ragtag group of medical professionals, thanks to writing that doesn't make them feel quite human. And, although Getting On might have a lot to say about the state of healthcare in the United States and the realities of aging in America, its approach is so bleak -- in spite of its penned-to-offend dialogue -- that most viewers will be too bummed to keep watching.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the realities of getting older and what that means in terms of medical care. How accurately does Getting On portray the field of geriatric medicine? What's the overall tone or takeaway regarding aging?

  • Does Getting On tend to gloss over cause-and-effect for the sake of comedy? What are the real-life consequences of getting sexually involved with a coworker, making off-color jokes in the workplace, or lashing out inappropriately?

  • How does Getting On compare to the British series of the same name on which it's based? What changes did the writers make to appeal to American audiences?

TV Details

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