Parents' Guide to

The Mother/Daughter Experiment: Celebrity Edition

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Exploitative mom-daughter reality with drama, mature themes.

TV Lifetime Reality TV 2016
The Mother/Daughter Experiment: Celebrity Edition Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

See all
age 18+

Based on 1 parent review

evelyno1
evelyno1 Adult
March 8, 2016
age 18+

Why Celebrities

I think that shows like this will benefit normal american families. There are so many relationships in America that can use help but simply cannot afford it. Honestly I'm tired of seeing how the Rich and Famous live. Tired of the Botox, Face Lift, Alcohol, Drugs etc.... Why not give normal people a chance to receive therapy.

This title has:

Too much consumerism
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

THE MOTHER/DAUGHTER EXPERIMENT: CELEBRITY EDITION features mother-daughter duos with some reality celebrity status trying to work out the problems between them. The cast, which includes Real Housewives of Beverly Hills cast member Kim Richards and her daughter Kimberly, The Ex-Wives Club member Shar Jackson and her daughter Cassie, and The Hills' star Heidi Montag and her mom Darlene move into a house to work with therapist Dr. Debbie Magids in an attempt to repair old wounds and improve communication so they can go on to have healthier relationships in the future.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1):
Kids say: Not yet rated

This voyeuristic series combines typical reality fanfare and therapy techniques to highlight the dysfunctional relationships between these moms and daughters for the sake of entertainment. The history between and problems of each woman are purposely hyped up and drawn out to create lots of awkward, exploitative moments. Adding to this is the fighting that sometimes takes place between members of the cast.

It's clear that these moms and daughters love each other, and there are some legitimate efforts to improve their situations. But the process unfolds in front of reality-TV cameras, making any positive messages or constructive advice easy to miss or ignore. Some may regard it as a guilty viewing pleasure, but it doesn't send the best messages about how moms and daughters can resolve any differences they may have.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the reasons people choose to work out their problems on a reality show. Is it to help others? For money? Is it really possible for people to get meaningful help or resolve their problems in front of reality-show cameras?

  • How does the appearance of media celebrities on shows such as this one affect the way we look at (or look up to) them? Why? Should people be surprised that celebrities have problems like everyone else?

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.

See all recommended tv lists

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate