Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Female-led comedy has some language, mixed messages.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
I Feel Bad
What's the Story?
Produced by Amy Poehler, I FEEL BAD is a comedy series about a woman who has it all, doing what she can to keep herself together. Emet Kamala-Sweetzer (Sarayu Blue) is a close and supportive wife to David (Paul Adelstein) and hands-on mom to their three kids. But life at home is anything but simple, especially when her quirky dad Sonny and critical mother Maya (played by Brian George and Madhur Jaffrey, respectively) live nearby. Meanwhile, Emet's full-time job as the head artist of the Bay Area's fictitious Game Punch video game company keeps her busy. It doesn't help that as the only female artist, she has to work with nerdy and sexist co-workers like Chewey (James Buckley), Norman (Zach Cherry), and Griff (Johnny Pemberton). As she navigates her way through each day, she makes mistakes like everyone else, and tries hard not to feel guilty about any of it.
Is It Any Good?
This fun but flawed series highlights the day-to-day struggles of balancing a successful professional life and a full home life. From Emet sneaking away to her neighbor's empty house for a simple 20 minutes to clear her head after work in order to deal with whatever is happening at home, to flat-out lying to her kids in order to keep the peace, it underscores many of the concerns, tensions, and frustrations women experience as they attempt to meet multiple personal and professional obligations.
While the voice of the show is decidedly female, it falls short of delivering a clear feminist directive. Emet's character is strong but is subjected to endless chauvinist banter intended to create a laugh during workplace scenes. Meanwhile, she often appears to carry the bulk of the responsibility when it comes to managing the children and keeping the household together amid the sitcom-driven chaos. Ultimately, I Feel Bad is full of laughs, but what we're supposed to take away from it is muddled by its own comedic devices.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about some of the challenges Emet faces as a working mother. Does her experience reflect what most women go through in similar situations?
What messages is I Feel Bad sending about the ability of women to balance a successful career and a family life? What kinds of things does Emet have that help her with this process?
TV Details
- Premiere date : September 19, 2018
- Cast : Sarayu Blue , Paul Adelstein , Brian George
- Network : NBC
- Genre : Comedy
- TV rating :
- Last updated : March 13, 2020
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
Suggest an Update
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