Parents' Guide to Glitter and Greed: The Lisa Frank Story

Glitter and Greed: The Lisa Frank Story TV show poster: a pink-haired cartoon woman with a wavy rainbow coming out of her mouth.

Common Sense Media Review

Jenny Nixon By Jenny Nixon , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 13+

Some profanity in technicolor toxic-workplace docuseries.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 13+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

What's the Story?

GLITTER AND GREED: THE LISA FRANK STORY is a four-part docuseries delving into the formation and downfall of artist Lisa Frank's eponymous stationery company, a popular fixture of the 1990s. While the elusive Frank herself doesn't appear beyond a brief written statement, viewers do hear from multiple journalists, former employees, and her ex-husband about what it was like working there, and who created all that hyper-colorful, mega-cutesy artwork that appeared on Trapper Keepers and stickers everywhere.

Is It Any Good?

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

While Lisa Frank's products are as rainbow-laden and sparkly as can be, working there was clearly no walk in the park—at least not according to the employees interviewed for this project. Without direct input from Lisa Frank herself in Glitter and Greed, it's hard to see the full picture, but her former employees describe a highly dysfunctional work environment, led by a husband-and-wife team plagued by major control issues.

In addition to firsthand accounts from Frank's former creative team, the filmmakers also speak with a small business that tried to bring the '90s stalwart into the 2000s through nostalgic collaborations on makeup palettes and accessories, only to be bankrupted by her exorbitant licensing fees and over-the-top personal demands. Though Lisa Frank's artwork is hyper-colorful and appeals to kids, this series is better suited for sentimental millennials and Gen-Xers who want to take an eye-opening trip down memory lane.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how romantic relationships can sometimes complicate or cause issues in the workplace. How do problems between the company owners affect the people working for them?

  • Does it surprise you that happy and vibrant artwork could come out of such an undeniably unpleasant place to work? How do you feel about Lisa Frank products now that you know the story behind how they were created?

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

Glitter and Greed: The Lisa Frank Story TV show poster: a pink-haired cartoon woman with a wavy rainbow coming out of her mouth.

What to Watch Next

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