Preteen girl looking at a cell phone with her parents

Family movie night? There's an app for that

Download our new mobile app on iOS and Android.

Get the app
Parents' Guide to

Kate Plus 8

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 11+

More Kate than kids in reality series spin-off.

TV TLC Reality TV 2007
Kate Plus 8 Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

See all
age 14+

Based on 5 parent reviews

Billie B.
Billie B. Adult
July 11, 2017
age 15+

Spoiled Brats

I am over this family... Watching all the vacations and just a life of fun is not real... The kids are smart mouth undisaplined kids... They show no appreciation or respect for their mother or anyone ... Kate herself is not always in the right but does the best she can...When are they gonna stop filling Kate and the children's pocketbooks No one cares anymore
Mandy M.
Mandy M. Adult
January 14, 2017
age 18+

Kate plus 8 Mother who absolutely hates her kids but bc of them she makes her show and money!

First of all her eyes are gonna roll in the back of her head one day as much as she rolls them when it comes to her talking about her kids. Most of all Mattie is a complete dumbass!!! She acts like an idiot on the show. I can barely watch the show bc of her!!! Her twin is so sweet and and better than her it's unbelievable she came from that family. Mattie is a disgrace to herself the family and tv. If she thinks she is being cute then she needs to stop immediately!!!!!! Omg did anyone else see her trying to drive laughing bc she can't and the other one did great. Do not even get me started on the planning of their 16th birthday party can you say selfish. I just cannot after I watched that I realized how embarrassed Kate has to be of that child. I know she probably can't help it coming from Jon and Kate but get a grip on yourself I do not like to talk negative about any child but Kara is so sweet pretty and considerate how in the hell does Mattie even have the same DNA as Kara. I just hope somehow she can read this about herself and maybe realize she is ugly Not cute and everyone hates the way she acts!!!!! Just take them off tv Kate is not the only woman to have 6 kids at once anymore she couldn't even work at food lion bagging groceries if she had to. It's time to move on tk new things and quit letting Jon and Kate get famous off their kids who will probably never see a dime of the money they are making. Let's wake up and get them the hell off of tv. I feel so bad for the rest of the kids.
See all 5 parent reviews

What's the Story?

KATE PLUS 8 centers on newly single mom Kate Gosselin and her eight kids: twins Mady and Cara, and sextuplets Hannah, Leah, Alexis, Joel, Collin, and Aaden. Fresh from her divorce from Jon, Kate is faced with the daunting tasks of keeping her household running, managing her worldwide notoriety, and being a working mom (she's a published author and recently competed on Dancing With the Stars). While the bulk of the show's content centers on birthday parties, family outings, and the kids' milestones, the fallout from the divorce does come up during Kate's confessionals on camera.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (5 ):
Kids say (9 ):

Whether you love or hate Kate's polarizing personality, it's impossible to dismiss her position as a symbol of modern motherhood. She faces the same types of stresses that other moms do, but on a much larger scale because of her family dynamic. Now that she's divorced, of course, there's a whole new set of issues to resolve, but an unexpected plus is that Jon's absence makes for far less bickering. On the downside, Jon's absence also means more camera time for Kate, and she clearly soaks up the extra attention.

There's really no reason for kids to tune in to this show, since they won't get anything positive out of watching the Gosselin tots take elaborate trips or zip around in their flashy riding toys. Kate makes harsh comments about Jon during her camera confessionals (she holds her tongue around the kids), and she's sarcastic to the kids themselves . Then there's the issue of her inviting media attention through the show while crying foul on the paparazzi's interest in her family. If you can tolerate Kate's strong personality, though, the show does feature the occasional heartfelt moment between her and the kids.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how the media portrays family relationships. Do you think this series gives an honest account of life in the Gosselin household? How does their family compare to yours? Do you think reality series like this one are realistic? Why or why not?

  • How has the definition of "family" changed over the past few decades? How do you define the word? Does the media lead the change or change to reflect it? What shows do you know of that portray different kinds of American families?

  • What do you think of Kate's parenting style? Is it too harsh? Is it fair to judge her having never been in her shoes? Do you think this show exploits the kids for monetary gain? Why or why not? What is the point to someone airing her dirty laundry on TV? Can anything good come of it?

TV Details

  • Premiere date: April 10, 2007
  • Cast: Kate Gosselin
  • Network: TLC
  • Genre: Reality TV
  • TV rating: TV-PG
  • Last updated: October 14, 2022

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 suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended tv lists

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