Common Sense Media Review
By Sierra Filucci
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Cheesy copycat reality show is too racy for kids.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
With the success of Desperate Housewives and the reality show The Real Housewives of Orange County, CBS turns its attention to TUESDAY NIGHT BOOK CLUB. This docu-soap, shot in the style of Laguna Beach, depicts seven real (though uniformly attractive) women from the wealthy Scottsdale, Arizona, area who get together on Tuesday nights for companionship and to relate their various relationship woes (rarely does anyone crack a book, despite the show's title). The clubbers include Tina, a 46-year-old divorcee and leader of the group, who takes the younger women under her wing; Kirin, an emotional mother of two who can't seem to get her doctor husband into bed; Jamie, a gorgeous 25-year-old married to her high-school sweetheart and contemplating divorce; Cris, an animal-obsessed mother of two who's recently taken her recovering addict husband back into the house; and Lynn, a newlywed gym rat with a serious chip on her shoulder.
Is It Any Good?
This adult-oriented material isn't meant for younger viewers. Much of the action centers on the intricate emotional issues between husbands and wives and the struggles of family life. Couples bicker about sex, money, and responsibility. The women drink constantly, and viewers see some of them get drunk. Lots of discussion centers on sex, including a key party scene in which the couples contemplate spouse-swapping.
While overall TNBC is a tepid, superficial drama, moments of these women's lives tap into a shared female experience and elicit real emotion from the viewer. Too bad it's not enough to make the show watchable.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about values. What are the most important issues in these women's lives? How do these values compare to your family's? Why are money and sex the most common sources of tension in a relationship? And why do you think these women are in a book club if they rarely talk about what they're reading?
TV Details
- Premiere date : June 13, 2006
- Cast : Paige King
- Network : CBS
- Genre : Reality TV
- TV rating :
- Last updated : September 19, 2019
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