Common Sense Media Review
By Joyce Slaton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Diversity in family-friendly sitcom about multiracial clan.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Run the Burbs
What's the Story?
RUN THE BURBS centers on the Phams, a family attempting to live life to the fullest in a quiet Canadian suburb. The family consists of stay-at-home dad Andrew (Andrew Phung), and his entrepreneurial wife Camille (Rakhee Morzaria), along with teenage daughter Khia (Zoriah Wong) and tween son Leo (Roman Pesino). Life isn't always peaceful on the Phams' cul-de-sac, but this lively and sweet family unit takes each problem as it comes, and always handles them together.
Is It Any Good?
Cheerful and snappy (if somewhat cliched and cheap-looking), this family-friendly sitcom has appealing actors (particularly brash Andrew Phung), easy-to-love characters, and mellow storylines. Nothing will upset even the youngest and most sensitive members of the family, and the whole show is gentle and mild enough for whole-family viewing. Adults may feel as if they've seen some of the setups before: an officious neighbor ruins a party; parents struggle to teach a teen to drive; a snowstorm complicates important plans. No matter that these exact same narratives have appeared on sitcoms from The Brady Bunch to Abbott Elementary; what gives Run the Burbs some freshness is its characters and culturally specific sensibility.
That sensibility is an understated one, with race seldom coming up in conversations. But it does inform both characters and plots, such as a second-season holiday episode that revolves around Lunar New Year, or Camille's tendency to show up to parties with dishes full of samosas and gulab jamun. In terms of representation with a light touch, Run the Burbs is aces, and we can forgive some of its flaws.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about this show's title, Run the Burbs. What does it mean? Why does the title put emphasis on the show's setting instead of the characters? What does the title imply?
Are the Phams wealthy or poor? How can you tell? How does a TV show communicate its characters' socioeconomic status? Consider setting, costumes, dialogue, and storylines.
How does your family compare to the characters in this show? What aspects of your family might be considered nontraditional?
TV Details
- Premiere date : January 5, 2022
- Cast : Andrew Pham , Rakhee Morzaria , Ali Hassan
- Network : CW
- Genre : Comedy
- TV rating :
- Last updated : August 18, 2023
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