Parents' Guide to

Quints by Surprise

By Anne Louise Bannon, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

"Big family" reality show is more appealing than most.

TV TLC Reality TV 2010
Quints by Surprise 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 6+

Based on 3 parent reviews

Probiotic
Probiotic Adult
October 4, 2019
age 2+

OMG!

What a bunch of whiny unhappy children. I cant stand to listen to this show. All the kids do is cry! I do not recommend this show unless you like listening screaming children constantly.
heathered72
heathered72 Parent of 6 and 13-year-old
October 1, 2010
age 5+

Our entire family enjoys this show

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

QUINTS BY SURPRISE centers on the Jones family -- dad Ethan, mom Casey, and their kids. Ethan and Casey had fertility issues; they had one baby, a girl, by in vitro insemination. Once she got older, they decided to try it again ... and ended up with quintuplets. Then the recession hit. Now, Ethan and Casey are still married and loving each other, but things have been tough of late. As a contractor, Ethan has had a hard time getting enough jobs to get the bills paid, let alone keep five toddlers in diapers. Meanwhile, Casey stays at home to take care of the kids.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3):
Kids say (4):

Shows like Quints by Surprise are a dime a dozen these days. But something about the Jones' story is very appealing. They're worried about surviving. They had bought their oversized house thinking they could sell it relatively easily, only to be caught by surprise by the quints' birth. Now, they have to sell it because they can't afford it.

But while the Jonese may be down, they're definitely not out. Anyone would be worried in their situation, but they stay pretty optimistic and look for ways to make everything work. And the show's storytelling is fast paced enough -- and poignant enough -- that you're willing to watch them do it.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how real the show is. Do you think the family acts the same way when the cameras aren't there?

  • Do you think it's a good idea for the kids to be on TV like this? What do you think will happen to the kids as they get older?

  • What would you film for a TV show about your own family?

TV Details

  • Premiere date: August 30, 2010
  • Network: TLC
  • Genre: Reality TV
  • TV rating: TV-PG
  • Last updated: July 2, 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.

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