Parents' Guide to

My Wife and Kids

By Joly Herman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Family dynamic creates few laughs for the family.

TV ABC, Nickelodeon Comedy 2001
My Wife and Kids Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 14+

Based on 5 parent reviews

Lowe's man
Lowe's man Adult
April 30, 2016
age 13+

a wasted opportunity for a good show

The sex jokes, which are often put in out of the blue for no good reason, make this series questionable for children under 13. But that's not the main problem of the show. Its main problem is that one character is always trying to upstage all the others. In the process the storylines and the messages usually get lost.
TimTheTVGuy
TimTheTVGuy Adult
October 11, 2012
age 12+

Seriously,CSM is a bad taste!

Please ignore CSM! My Wife and Kids is a funny,cool,and an AWESOME SHOW! Thanks for hating on MW&K CSM (sarcasum) !
See all 5 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Though it's a madcap comedy, MY WIFE AND KIDS' comic formula centers on one family's dynamic. Mom Janet (Tisha Campbell) is the breadwinner and sets the rules, dad Michael (Damon Wayans) is the caregiver and the loose screw, son Michael Jr. (George Gore II) is a dolt, elder daughter Claire (played by both Jazz Raycole and Jennifer Freeman) is a clumsy beauty, and youngest daughter Kady (Parker McKenna Posey) is smart and sassy. The family members constantly gang up on each other before sharing advice and love at the end of the show.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (5):
Kids say (27):

What happens in between the teasing and the advice-giving is where the series goes awry. Serious issues like teen pregnancy, fears about social acceptance, drug use, body image, and placing value on a spouse's contribution to the household are mixed in with ridiculous behavior such as slaps, threats, and angry outbursts. The issues themselves are often glossed over, and the fact that they're addressed at all shouldn't overshadow the reality that the adults might handle them poorly. Janet and Michael admonish their kids' chaotic behavior at the same time that they exhibit very childish behavior themselves -- it might be difficult for tweens and young teens to understand what's meaningless banter and what's inappropriate behavior.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the relationship between the kids and their parents. Is it over the top or realistic? The family members also tease each other a lot. You might want to ask your kids if casual violence is ever funny or appropriate, or if teasing or being teased by family members is OK.

TV Details

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