Parents' Guide to

Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Adult divorce drama has mature themes, innuendo, cursing.

TV Bravo Drama 2014
Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 18+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Sabrina P.
Sabrina P. Adult
September 25, 2017
age 18+
One there is a ridiculous amount of sex scenes, the content and story lines are mediocre and all of the women are terribly selfish and snobby and make the worst decisions because they can, and face no consequences for anything. They aren't characters to relate to, look up to, or even pity. They have no redeemable qualities, teach no good lessons, and feel bad for themselves for being in situations they put themselves in, or for situations normal people have every day. I wouldn't let anyone believe these are normal people that you can connect with. They live padded lives with minute problems that aren't even that bad. The main charachter had the easiest divorce possible. The women all sleep with anything that moves. It's laughable. It's laughable to depict women as these privledge, sex driven, self absorbed creatures. I wouldn't waste your time. There are no good messages or role models in this show.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
booklover9919
booklover9919 Parent of 11, 14 and 16-year-old
April 27, 2017
age 18+

Way more graphic than I expected

I like the show okay but its not for kids or even teenagers. The sex scenes are VERY graphic. It's not the usual make out passionately then cut to the after. Nope you get an eyeful and very little is left to the imagination. I'm only in season 1 and have already seen 4 naked male butts during or after sex. Lots and lots of sex. Sex toys, waxing, alcohol, drugs, cheating, getting paid to have sex, it's all there.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much consumerism
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

GIRLFRIENDS' GUIDE TO DIVORCE is a drama starring House actor Lisa Edelstein as Abby McCarthy, a self-help author of "mommy books" who is struggling with her failing marriage and its impact on her family. After publicly revealing that her perfect life is a lie, she must find a way to revamp her career while trying to figure out how navigate the social scene as a single woman, be a mom, and still be civil to ex-husband Jake (Paul Adelstein) during the divorce process. Guiding her are divorced friends such as free-spirited former model Phoebe (Beau Garrett) and edgy entertainment lawyer Lyla (Janeane Garofalo), who have their own unique ways of dealing with their exes. Adding to the mix is Abby's no-holds-barred divorce attorney Delia (Necar Zadegan) and her judgmental brother Max (Patrick Heusinger), who views marriage as a permanent commitment after fighting for the right to marry his husband. Every step of the way is difficult, but Abby knows it's all part of resetting her life.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (2):

Inspired by Vicki Iovine's Girlfriends' Guide books, the series offers a semi-humorous look at what happens when married women and mothers must come to terms with the fact that their lives no longer live up to the image they portray to the outside world, and the expectations placed on them as a result. It also points to many of the issues that emerge when ending a marriage, which range from exploring newly found sexual freedoms to negotiating the emotional and financial impacts of divorce.

The show's narratives are mostly told from a woman's point of view, and the content is decidedly mature. Yet there's some lightheartedness here, which allows for some entertaining moments. But the overall series is very adult-oriented, and much of what's featured here will not resonate with young people's experiences. Nonetheless, there are many grown-ups who will identify with the premise of the show and others who will appreciate the overall story.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how divorce is discussed in the media. What are some common stereotypes the media uses to portray divorcing couples? Are there any examples of TV shows or films that feature them differently? Should divorce ever be a source of humor?

  • How realistic is the main character's experience? What is exaggerated to make the show more entertaining?

  • Are the characters in this series rich, poor, or somewhere in between? How can you tell?

TV Details

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