Parents' Guide to

What I Like About You

By Caroline Gates-Shannon, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Unremarkable sitcom may to appeal to tweens.

TV WB Comedy 2002
What I Like About You Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

See all
age 13+

Based on 6 parent reviews

alamxo
alamxo Parent of 11-year-old
June 27, 2022
age 11+
I love this show especially the earlier seasons! It’s something I used to watch with my aunt, and now I’m watch with my child 😊
jjjjj498
jjjjj498 Adult
March 26, 2019
age 9+

I like it

Although it talks about some inappropriate stuff it's funny and heart warming and kids probably already know about that stuff I'm 11 and I know

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 6 parent reviews

What's the Story?

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT YOU revolves around the lives of the Tyler sisters -- cute, somewhat ditzy and mischief-prone teenager Holly (former Nickelodeon phenom Amanda Bynes), and older, more fastidious bakery owner Val (Jennie Garth). Holly moves in with Val after their parents move to Japan, turning Val's life upside-down. In the vein of Laverne and Shirley, I Love Lucy, and Friends, What I Like About You relies on physical comedy and oddball situations. Boy troubles and misunderstandings figure prominently as well. The driving force in the show, though, is the loving relationship between the sisters.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (6):
Kids say (18):

Take a kooky teenage sister, send her to live with her older sister in New York City, throw in a couple more frivolous girlfriends, some romantic mishaps, some slapstick and physical comedy, and what you get is a cute, though unremarkable sitcom that tween girls will love and their parents will...well, not love, but may tolerate.

Kicking off its fourth season, What I Like About You throws new relationships into the mix. After three seasons, Holly finally gets together with her friend Vince and older sister Val must deal with the consequences of her drunken quickie wedding to former-boss-turned-fireman Vic. Later this season, Val's quirky friend Lauren will get a love interest, and Holly's friends Tina and Gary will become interested in each other. More comedic mix-ups and goofball antics are sure to follow.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the stereotypical depiction of the female characters. Is this the norm for sitcoms? Also, Val's relationship with Vic might prove to be a good jumping off point for a discussion about the potential consequences of getting married so quickly. Even if Val does eventually fall in love with Vic, was marrying him a wise thing for her to do? Since the show caters primarily to tween girls, families may want to relate this plot-point to Britney Spears's impromptu wedding in Las Vegas.

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.

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