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Parents' Guide to

The New Normal

By Joyce Slaton, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Edgy, salty family comedy pushes boundaries, has heart.

TV NBC Comedy 2012
The New Normal Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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age 13+

Based on 5 parent reviews

ParentReviewz
ParentReviewz Parent of 7 and 15-year-old
January 23, 2013
age 13+

Occasional Pushing-The-Boundaries Jokes along with Heart and Good Messages.

"The New Normal" is one of TV's Freshest and Funniest Sitcoms Currently Airing. However, expect sexual references including some occasional jokes that push the boundaries and irreverent humor such as jokes about Racism, Special See-Through "Lotion" and more. Characters also drink often and curse in context. Overall, this is a good, funny show that has positive role models and messages (Except for Ellen Barkin's Character who is the only one negatively portrayed on the show) and is appropriate for kids 13+
1st-Pebbles-the-cat
1st-Pebbles-the-cat Adult
October 9, 2012
age 12+

I feel good after watching this show...

I LOVE this show! The dialog is surprisingly intelligent for TV, *and* actually funny. I love how 'regular' people whom we might come across in our lives are portrayed for who they are, without apology, and their differences which might normally serve as the punch line or judged harshly, are spotlighted for their positives and celebrated. I love to listen to Ellen Barkin's character (I know a few people who think like she does - but use a much more limited vocabulary than she does, unfortunately for me, the things she says can be horrifying if she were real), but what I love best, is by the end of the show, a light is shined on how very similar those who appear so different from 'us' actually are. 'They' are actually much more similar to 'us' than we might think. This show celebrates positive difference and thereby promoting tolerance - in an intelligent way. FINALLY! A worthwhile message on TV. I think this show is a must watch for anyone who tends to think a little or a lot like the grandmother. Well done! I didn't think broadcast TV was capable of producing anything worth watching anymore. What a breath of fresh air! Kudos to those who make this show who end up treating all those who are deserving, with respect and intelligence. Not for my young children though, at least not before sex ed classes.
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What's the Story?

In NBC's comedy The New Normal, Bryan (Andrew Rannells, best known for Broadway musical The Book of Mormon) and David (Justin Bartha) are a loving and committed gay couple with successful careers, a gorgeous house, and everything else a person could want, except one thing: a child. But with plenty of money, the lack of an in-home womb is no problem, and Bryan and David soon rent the services of Goldie (Georgia King), a Midwestern mama who's just left her cheating husband and wants David and Bryan's cash to attend law school and make a better life for her precocious young daughter. Crashing the party is Jane (Ellen Barkin), Goldie's concerned grandma, who doesn't like the idea of her granddaughter serving as a surrogate for anyone, much less a gay couple, since she's a loud-mouthed and unabashed bigot. But when sperm meets egg and a baby happens, all of these motley characters are stitched together into one big, mostly happy, decidedly non-traditional family.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (5 ):
Kids say (3 ):

Famed for his star-making turn on Broadway in The Book of Mormon, Rannells displays even more star-power on the small screen, moving smoothly from snappy put-downs to emotion so genuine that he tears up (and viewers might, too). He's the sweetest of sweet daddies, which brings heart to all the "oh, snap!" dialogue that peppers the scenes around him. It won't surprise viewers familiar with glossy shows like Glee and Nip/Tuck that Ryan Murphy is one of The New Normal's executive producers; the dialogue has that same snippy/quippy quality found on those shows, and there's a similar "is nothing sacred?" vibe to the jokes.

Which are mostly pretty funny, if too profane for young kids, as when Goldie hands her husband's paramour a bottle of bleach for his tighty-whities, declaring that he's "not real detail-oriented back there." Or when Jane tells Goldie's naked husband to "put his Gherkin away." Speaking of Jane, viewers should be prepared for a (mockingly) racist and/or homophobic rant every time she's on screen. It might be more offensive if The New Normal's characters and plot points weren't too outrageous to take seriously. Both the talk and the action are a little salty, but viewers with a sense of irony will find it satisfying, if fleeting, junk-food fun.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the meaning of the show's name, The New Normal. Who decides what "normal" is? What kinds of families do you know? Does what is "normal" change over time?

  • Bryan and David have a nice house and plenty of money. Do you think that the creators of The New Normal consider this important? Can you see any difference in the way the poorer characters dress, or what they say?

  • Do you think the audience is supposed to like Bryan and David? What about Jane? What gives you this impression? How are these characters shown to be different kinds of people?

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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