Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Bland closed quad reality has arguing, sex discussions.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Polyfamily
What's the Story?
POLYFAMILY is an unscripted series about two married couples in Oregon who have chosen to live together under one roof as a polyamorous family. Married couple Alysia and Tyler Rodgers were together for 11 years before they met Taya and Sean Hartless online. Now they are living together as a polyamorous closed quad, in which Alysia remains married to Tyler but dates Sean, and Taya remains married to Sean but dates Tyler. Meanwhile, Taya and Sean now co-parent Alysia and Tyler's two biological children in addition to the three boys born after the closed quad was formed. It's a unique family built on being open to loving more than one person, but it isn't easy when jealousy and new relationships threaten to get in the way.
Is It Any Good?
The voyeuristic but bland series features two couples working on maintaining their polyamorous relationship while raising their children. One can assume that their intent is to demystify what it's like to live as a Polyfamily, but the overall show seems like a warning against it. The cast is quick to reveal the jealousies that exist within their closed quad, particularly when it comes to the intimacy between certain partners and raising each other's biological children. Notably, the quad does not want to know which man fathered the three children born after they formed their relationship. The ongoing friction between Tyler Rodgers and Sean Hartless, who openly admit to not being friends, is also central to the show. Not surprisingly, Polyfamily also features endless talking and arguing, much of which feels staged for entertainment purposes and quickly gets tiresome. Some might want to tune in out of curiosity, but there's little excitement here.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about human relationships. Are there lessons that monogamy, polyamory, and other types of relationships can teach us, even if we don't practice them?
Why do you think the cast of Polyfamily agreed to appear on television? How much of what viewers get to see reflects what their day-to-day lives are really like?
TV Details
- Premiere date : April 29, 2025
- Cast : Alysia Rodgers , Tyler Rodgers , Sean Hartless , Taya Hartless
- Network : TLC
- Genre : Reality TV
- TV rating :
- Last updated : May 13, 2025
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