Parents' Guide to

The Haunted Hathaways

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Charming family sitcom with great messages for all ages.

TV Nickelodeon Comedy 2013
The Haunted Hathaways Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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age 9+

Based on 12 parent reviews

jactressk
jactressk Adult
May 20, 2021
age 9+

Wait. How is this TV-G?

Hold on. So... we are a totally lax family. Recently, our 6 yr old switched from watching Blues Clues, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and Bluey... to all of these old Nickelodeon shows. Look, again, we are a chill family, we've let him watch all the Harry Potters, and most of the Marvel Avengers movies. But I tell you, his behavior, attitude, and words have changed after he started watching these old Nickelodeon shows. But this one specifically.... every other word is calling someone stupid or a jerk. And why are these young tweens talking about how "cute" someone is, lots of dating, impressing each other to like them, etc. I finally went into Netflix today to change the kids profile rating from PG to G. And was shocked to see that most of these shows with stupid, jerk, dating, crush, etc, were all shows rated G. I am super disappointed in our tv rating system. This blows. because there are GOOD shows that we don't mind (Inbestigators, anyone?) that will now be blocked when we change our tv allowances in Netflix to TV-Y.
1 person found this helpful.
Eeu
Eeu Parent of 8-year-old
October 10, 2021
age 5+

Best show ever

I like how it is so silly and how they work out problems. They always stick together as family even when things get rough.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
See all 12 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Michelle Hathaway (Ginifer King) and her daughters, Taylor (Amber Montana) and Frankie (Breanna Yde), aren't sure what to expect when they relocate to New Orleans following Michelle's divorce, but nothing can prepare them for the surprise awaiting them in their new home, where they're met by a family of ghosts. Ray Preston (Chico Benymon) and his sons, Miles (Curtis Harris) and Louie (Benjamin Flores Jr.) have haunted the house for years, and they've never met a resident they couldn't scare away, but the Hathaways put up a fight and refuse to give in. Eventually the two sides agree to a truce and vow to share the house, but that doesn't stop the hijinks as these two families learn to live alongside each other.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (12):
Kids say (35):

THE HAUNTED HATHAWAYS is a charming sitcom that touches on issues many families can relate to, like sibling rivalry, coping with unexpected change, and being open to new ideas. The supernatural aspect notwithstanding, this could be the story of any family, whether single- or two-parent, large or small, blended or not. The characters' interplay yields plenty of laughs -- thanks to a talented cast and comical set-ups that play on the ghosts' special tricks -- but there are just as many heartwarming moments that extol positive family relationships.

But perhaps the best attributes of The Haunted Hathaways exist in what's missing from the show. There's no strong language, no suggestive dialogue, and (even with ghosts in the mix), no real scares. Despite the obvious racial and gender divide among the characters, these differences don't come into play, so stereotypes are nonexistent. What's more, as the characters evolve from cautiously tolerating each other to building real relationships that transcend their differences, they rewrite the concept of what defines and unites a family.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what defines a family. Do members of a family always have to be biologically related to have an emotional connection? How has our culture's impression of a family changed in recent years?

  • Kids: How do the characters relate to each other beyond their obvious differences? What unique traits do they come to like in each other? How are our lives enriched by being around people who are different from us?

  • Do you like to be scared when you're watching a show or a movie? What kind of content crosses the line for you?

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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