Parents' Guide to Loudermilk

TV Netflix Drama 2017
Loudermilk TV show poster: Ron Livingston (Loudermilk) stands holding a coffee mug and looking put out in front of an orange brick wall with the outline of a beer bottle and the title "Loudermilk" overhead.

Common Sense Media Review

Stephanie Morgan By Stephanie Morgan , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 16+

Snarky comedy about addiction has drugs, language, nudity.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 16+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 9+

Based on 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In LOUDERMILK, the title character of the same name (Ron Livingston) is a grouchy recovering alcoholic and substance abuse counselor living in Seattle. He's a guy with a dark past who spends his days dishing out his unique brand of sarcastic, lift-yourself-by-your-bootstraps self-help-isms.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 2 ):
Kids say : Not yet rated

This show focuses on yet another White male who masks his rudeness under the guise of being "refreshingly honest." Loudermilk's lead character comes across as not only snarky, but unnecessarily cruel -- especially toward those who are innocent or already struggling. It's a role Livingston has gotten a lot of mileage out of playing; see Office Space, Sex and the City, and Search Party. On the heels of those successes, here's more of the same. As the series progresses, it's revealed that Sam's abrasive nature is a shield for his deep-seated pain (surprise!), stemming from his drunk driving accident that hurt (maybe killed) his wife. Despite its annoyingly incessant rants, Loudermilk's greatest failing isn't how offensive it is, but how unoriginal.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the effects that drugs and alcohol have had on the characters' lives in Loudermilk. What seems realistic or implausible about what the characters are doing and what (if any) the consequences are?

  • Name-calling and slurs are frequent in this show. Have you seen changes in the types of terms that are unacceptable? Are particular types of slurs they wish would be called out more.

  • Talk about the sexual content in this show. What were some instances when characters do or don't discuss contraception/consent/safe sex. What the importance of doing that?

TV Details

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Loudermilk TV show poster: Ron Livingston (Loudermilk) stands holding a coffee mug and looking put out in front of an orange brick wall with the outline of a beer bottle and the title "Loudermilk" overhead.

What to Watch Next

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