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Parents' Guide to

Rules of Engagement

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Spade's relationship-oriented sitcom offers comedy, cliches.

TV CBS Comedy 2007
Rules of Engagement Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

  • Rules of Engagement TV Show: Scene #1
  • Rules of Engagement TV Show: Scene #2
  • Rules of Engagement TV Show: Scene #3

Community Reviews

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age 14+

Based on 1 parent review

cjm8ball
cjm8ball Adult
October 4, 2015
age 14+
It's a funny show, a little racy for young kids but nothing crazy (at least not these days). If you're not a fan of David Spade you probably won't like it. He plays his normal weasily, sexist type role. For the record I haven't watched every episode, probably about 25-30 total. It was good, but not so good I went digging to find every episode. What I saw was for the most part funny interaction between the main characters, leaning toward the adult side as far as humor but nothing a teenager couldn't handle.
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT feature two couples and their single friend dealing with the various stages of dating, commitment, and marriage. While Adam Rhodes and Jennifer Morgan (Oliver Hudson and Bianca Kajlich) begin their lives as a newly engaged couple, Jeff and Audrey Bingham (Patrick Warburton and Megyn Price) muddle through their long-time marriage. Meanwhile, single friend Russell Dunbar (David Spade) works his way through serial dating and a string of one-night stands. The group is later joined by Dunbar's assistant Timmy (Adhir Kalyhan), a single-but refined young man who attempts to serve as his boss' moral guide.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (6 ):

This traditional-style sitcom pokes fun at relationships of all kinds, and relies on lots of gender stereotypes for laughs. But some of these lighthearted conversations also highlight some of the issues that surface when in a relationship, including communication, trust, and parenthood.

Granted, it contains some frank talk about sex, and Spade's sharp humor is occasionally borderline offensive. But the show is also very well written, and contains lots of humorous moments, too. It isn't for kids, but older teens and adults looking for a good laugh may actually find one here.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about romantic relationships. What are some stereotypes about men and women in relationships? Homosexual ones? Have you seen these stereotypes play out in your own life?

  • Have you heard jokes about how women or men act in relationships? How do you respond to those kinds of jokes? What messages do parents want kids to hear about the pros and cons of intimate relationships?

TV Details

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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