life as we know it
Common Sense says
Parents say
Kids say
Searching for streaming and purchasing options ...
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Get it now on
Searching for streaming and purchasing options ...
A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this show is all about how boys want to have sex. In the pilot a teacher flirts with a student and shows him her breasts, a mother has an affair with her son's hockey coach, and all three boys who star obsess about having sex. And this is just the first episode. In addition, kids drink with no consequences and urge a kid to steal his parents' wine.
Wondering if life as we know it is OK for your kids?
Set preferences and get age-appropriate recommendations with Common Sense Media Plus. Join now
Stay up to date on new reviews.
User Reviews
- Parents say
- Kids say
Seems like school
We MUST take down this show, and its advertisers
Irritating..
What's the story?
Hormonal show LIFE AS WE KNOW IT centers on three boys -- Dino, the jock, Jonathan, the artist, and Ben the brain -- who have only one thing in common: all they think about is sex. Dino wants to take his girlfriend's virginity because "No matter what else, I will always know I was there first," while Ben sees his literature teacher's breasts, then almost kisses her, then almost swoons as she handles a stick shift in her car. The closest we get to a sympathetic character is Jonathan, who, in spite of hating to be teased, still chooses to go out with the fat girl he really likes (who is beautifully and engagingly acted by Kelly Osbourne).
Is it any good?
life as we know it is rated TV-14, but if your kids aren't having sex, this hardly seems like the kind of peer role modeling messages you want them to absorb. Girls talk about being sluts and buy red sexy underwear, while boys talk about how to get girls to beg them to have sex. Girls also put their feet in boys' crotches in science class, causing erections and immediate departures to the restroom. There's also a running "joke" about who the boys would rather sleep with, their mothers or their fathers.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about whether sex has any meaning other than as achievement or trophy. Also, you might want to discuss marital infidelity and Dino's anger with his mother.
TV details
- Premiere date: October 7, 2004
- Cast: Chris Lowell, Jon Foster, Sean Faris
- Network: ABC
- Genre: Drama
- TV rating: TV-14
- Available on: DVD, Streaming
- Last updated: September 19, 2019
Our editors recommend
Top advice and articles
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.
Streaming options powered by JustWatch